The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a familiar sight across North America and is one of the continent’s largest members of the squirrel family. This animal is also commonly referred to as a woodchuck or, less frequently, a whistle-pig, due to the sharp, high-pitched alarm call it emits when threatened. Adult groundhogs are often observed foraging in fields or near burrows, but their young are rarely spotted. Understanding their development sheds light on the secretive early stages of their lives.
The Official Name for Baby Groundhogs
Baby groundhogs are typically given the same names as the young of many other small mammals in the rodent family. The two most widely accepted terms for the offspring of a groundhog are “pups” or “kits.” These names reflect their biological classification and the naming conventions applied to creatures such as squirrels, beavers, and other burrowing mammals.
While “pups” and “kits” are the standard biological terms, the young groundhogs are occasionally called “chucks” or “chucklings” informally. These less formal names are not recognized in scientific literature or used by wildlife biologists. The established terms are preferred to maintain clarity when discussing the species’ life cycle.
Life in the Den: Early Development and Growth
Groundhog litters are typically born in the early spring, often around April, following a gestation period of 31 to 32 days. A female usually gives birth to a single litter each year, containing two to six offspring, with four being a common number. At birth, the young are completely helpless, blind, hairless, and weigh only about half an ounce.
The pups spend their first weeks entirely within the deep, subterranean burrow, relying completely on their mother for warmth and nourishment. During this time, they undergo rapid development. A significant milestone occurs when the young are about four weeks old, when their eyes finally open, allowing them to perceive their surroundings.
Weaning from their mother’s milk begins shortly after their eyes open, as they start to develop a full coat of fur. This transition to a solid diet prepares them for their eventual emergence from the den. The young typically remain in the burrow for five to six weeks before they venture outside and explore the world above ground.
Once they emerge, the young groundhogs spend a short period learning foraging and survival skills from their mother near the main burrow entrance. By the time they reach two to three months of age, they are fully independent. This independence allows them to disperse from the territory where they were born and establish their own burrows before the onset of hibernation.