What is the Difference Between Gopher and Groundhog

The main Difference Between Gopher and Groundhog is that the gopher is smaller and lighter whereas the groundhog is larger and heavier. Apart from this, gophers have yellow teeth, which can be seen even when their mouth is closed. But groundhogs have white teeth, which can only be seen when the mouth is opened. The gopher and the groundhog or woodchuck are characteristic of two types of rodents. It is characterized by the presence of a pair of very sharp incisors used for chewing food.

The gopher is native to North and Central America while the groundhog is native to the United States. Groundhog is a rodent that belongs to the family of squirrels. It is also commonly known as Woodchuck. Rodents are mammals characterized by their two very sharp incisors which they use to chew food and bite their predators. They eat most anything, especially seeds and plants; They also chew wood which is food for them.

Difference Between Gopher and Groundhog | Gopher vs Groundhog

	Gopher	Groundhog
Definition	Gopher refers to the burrowing rodent with fur-lined pouches on the outside of the cheeks, found in North and Central America.	Groundhog refers to a small North American mammal with short legs and rough, reddish-brown fur.
Distribution	Gopher is native to North and Central America	Groundhog is native to the United States and North America.
Taxonomy	Gopher belongs to the family Geomidae	Groundhog belongs to the family Scuridae.
Species	About 35 species of gophers have been identified.	The scientific name of groundhog is Marmota monax.
Size	Gophers can grow to be 6 to 8 inches tall	Groundhogs can grow to be 16 to 20 inches tall.
Body	The gopher and the groundhog is that the gopher has fur-lined cheek pockets for storing food	Groundhogs have a thick physique and ephemeral legs.
Weight	Gophers can weigh up to 230 grams	Groundhogs can weigh from 2 to 4 kilograms.
Teeth	Gopher has brown to yellow, raised teeth	White teeth are hidden inside the groundhog’s mouth.
Tail	Gopher has a rat tail	Groundhogs have a cute tail.
Feet	Gopher’s feet are pink	Groundhog legs are dark brown or black in color.
Mode of Nutrition	Gophers are omnivores	Groundhogs are herbivores.
Litters	Gophers produce several litters per year	Groundhog produces one litter per year.

What is a Groundhog?

Groundhogs also known as woodchucks, are lowland creatures native to North America. He is more prominent than his cousins. They can grow up to 20 inches long and weigh between four and nine pounds. But if predators are rare, they can grow and weigh more. Groundhogs are close relatives of squirrels. If you look at them closely, you can see the similarities. The main difference between gopher vs groundhog lies in the teeth.

Woodchuck’s teeth are white and remain hidden when the mouth is closed. Groundhogs spend more time in open ground. But they sleep in dens or inside ordinary tunnels. They have separate dens for summer and winter. However, groundhogs do not store food in burrows. They gut themselves through the summer and some may even be active through the winter.

What is a Gopher?

They are also known as pocket gophers which are land-dwelling rodents. He lives in underground burrows off Central and North America. Their length can grow up to 8 inches, and they weigh a pound. He is much younger than his cousins. Because of that it is easy to hunt them. Pocket gophers often live underground. Attacks plant roots or other buried products such as carrots or potatoes. Speaking of rodents, they are closely related to beavers rather than squirrels, despite their size.

Also their teeth are always visible and their color is pale yellow as they use them for digging. Gophers have complex bill systems used by other animals as well. They spend most of their time inside their burrows. One of the main important features of the gopher is the presence of a cheek sac. They store roots and tubers, which are their main food sources. Gophers have burrows for pasture, food stores, nesting, and respite.

Similarities Between Gopher and Groundhog

Gopher and groundhog are two types of rodents.
They hibernate in the winter.
They belong to the order Rodentia.
Both have nearly brown fur.
They are mammals with a pair of very sharp incisors used to chew food.