With Groundhog Day coming up on February 2, we thought it’d be fun to share a few fascinating sleep facts about this North American rodent. Who knows? You might just be able to incorporate some of their sleep habits into your own routine! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Much like how humans switch the summer decor to winter decor<\/a> in their bedrooms for that \u201ccozy\u201d vibe, groundhogs prep their homes for the change in season too. Typically, they burrow in grassy areas during the spring and summer, while they dig a burrow in the woods for the winter months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These burrows can be as large as 6 feet deep and 20 feet wide<\/a> with various entrances, exits, and chambers. Groundhogs are pretty tidy when it comes to their homes, switching out the nesting throughout the months. When the time comes for their long naps<\/a>, they create the ultimate comfy nest<\/a> made of grass and twigs to rest on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While we recommend you refrain from eating right before bed<\/a> for a sound night\u2019s sleep, for groundhogs, it\u2019s a must to consume a large amount of food right before hibernation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Groundhogs are herbivores, so their diets include fruits and vegetables, plants, tree bark, and grasses. They can consume about a pound of food per sitting<\/a>, and they spend the sunnier seasons stuffing themselves to build up and store fat as they don\u2019t eat during hibernation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This fat layer<\/a> is what their bodies feed on throughout the cold winter months while they\u2019re asleep, helping them survive the lengthy snooze. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As winter approaches, the days get shorter and the temperature starts dropping. These changes prompt a groundhog\u2019s body to release a hormone<\/a> that helps guide the rodent into hibernation. During hibernation, many things occur within their furry bodies, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For these reasons, groundhogs are considered \u201ctrue hibernators,\u201d<\/a> making it almost impossible to wake these little guys up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Turns out humans aren\u2019t the only ones who consider February the month of romance and love. Male groundhogs hibernate for about three months, while the females stay asleep for a few weeks longer. The males wake up around early February to prepare for mating season<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They scope out and make \u201chouse calls\u201d to female burrows near theirs. Once they know where their potential mates are, the male groundhogs return to their burrows to sleep for another month until early March. Once March approaches, they must wake at just the right time to breed and for their offspring to have the best chance at survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bottom line: Groundhogs take getting deep sleep<\/a> to a whole other level. Their existence\u2014including their mating season\u2014practically revolves around prepping for winter and hibernation. Talk about having the ultimate sleep routine! <\/p>\n\n\n\nGroundhogs eat a lot before hibernating<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Groundhogs switch into rest mode\u2026literally<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Groundhogs wake up for love<\/h2>\n\n\n\n