Last updated on February 5th, 2022
Being an amateur gardener, I have always been concerned about burrowing animals that can wreak havoc in my vegetable or flower garden.
Animals that burrow under houses:
- Armadillos
- Skunks
- Groundhogs
- Rabbits
- Voles
- Foxes
- Raccoons
- Gophers
- Moles
- Rats
They can destroy vegetables that grow on the ground like cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and radishes. But recently, I realized that there are animals that can burrow under your house and can even cause damage to the structure.
I came to know of this when a friend of mine was carrying out construction in his house and came across a significant rat infestation in the home.
Such an infestation can prove to be dangerous if not controlled at the beginning. So I decided to help other folks like myself by compiling a list of animals that can burrow under houses.
Here are 10 animals that can burrow under houses.
1. Armadillos
Armadillos have sharp claws and are known to claw into the ground. These tiny creatures are excellent burrowers, and they can quickly burrow into the ground of the houses, especially when looking for lawn grubs.
The excellent burrowing capacities of the armadillos are known to cause structural damage to buildings.
Their sharp claws can scratch and even damage the wooden surface of the pillars that are underground.
The burrows made by these tiny creatures can be easily distinguished by the loose soil found under the building or houses.
You can also sometimes see the burrows left by an armadillo near woodpiles, sheds, and decks.
2. Skunks
If you find holes behind your house or porch, then there are chances that skunks have been digging holes behind your home.
Skunks are known as excellent tree climbers, but they can also burrow beneath your home.
However, skunks do not dig a hole directly; instead, the creature searches for cracks and holes in the ground.
Once it identifies a suitable crack, the skunk will increase the size of the crack by burrowing in it.
Skunks burrow beneath homes to create suitable crawl spaces. These crawl spaces are nests for skunks, and this is where they breed young ones.
3. Groundhogs
Groundhogs are dangerous rodents, and these can wreak havoc in your garden and can prove to be dangerous for the foundations of your home.
Groundhogs are known to dig more than one foot below ground level. If you have a groundhog infestation around your home, the first thing that it will attack will be your garden.
You will find that the groundhogs gnawed away parts of the vegetables and fruits in your garden and this is easily distinguishable by the burrows left near the plants.
The groundhogs are also known to burrow deep within the foundations of houses and they usually create an ‘L ‘-shaped tunnel as they dig beneath the ground.
This is the distinguishing feature of the groundhog tunnel or the burrow made by this creature.
4. Rabbits
Rabbits are typically found in burrows in fields, but it is not unusual to find these creatures digging holes near the foundations of houses.
If you regularly have rabbits visiting your garden or backyard, the chances are that the creatures are also looking for places to dig holes.
Rabbits are often looking for suitable places to burrow a hole and build nests. These animals can easily dig holes beneath your home with the help of their sharp claws.
A rabbit’s burrow beneath your home can go up to nearly three feet beneath ground level.
Rabbits tend to eat all types of fruits and vegetables. Therefore if you are an amateur gardener, there are chances that you will attract these creatures to dig burrows beneath your home.
5. Voles
Voles are rodents that are always in search of warm places. When the ground is covered with snow during winter, you will find voles digging deep into the ground, searching for warm places.
Voles have sharp claws, making it easier for the creature to dig deep into the earth.
The ability of the animal to dig quite deep makes it dangerous for the foundation of most homes.
Voles can tunnel right through your lawn into the foundation of your home and their tunnels can be deeper than moles and gophers.
6. Foxes
Foxes are excellent burrowers and you will usually find their holes in fields and open spaces. But it is not unknown for foxes to enter into suburban areas in search of suitable places to make nests.
If you have noticed a fox lurking near your home, then there are chances that the creature is looking for a suitable place to dig a hole and build a nest.
Foxes can build burrows that can reach the foundation of homes, and these deep burrows are ideal places for the creature to give birth to young ones.
Foxes usually dig burrows under houses when looking for a safe and warm place to raise their young ones as well.
These creatures prefer the underground nests because it helps to protect their young from lurking predators.
7. Raccoons
Raccoons are scavengers, and you will typically find these creatures near your garbage bins.
These creatures are not known to be excellent burrowers, and they do not tend to dig deep holes.
Scavenger raccoons will always be in search of food, and it is only to reach a suitable food source that raccoons will burrow under a house.
For example, if a raccoon has to reach for food on the other side of the fence of your home, then it will dig underneath the fence to reach the food.
Raccoons will burrow under your home only if they gain access to a new place.
Unlike other creatures, raccoons do not make deep burrows because they use these tunnels to find food or new scavenging grounds as access points.
8. Gophers
Gophers are dangerous creatures as these animals can burrow right down to the foundations of your home.
The primary reason why gophers burrow to the foundations and sometimes even beneath these is that they are usually in search of a source of water.
Being a solitary creature, you will find that gophers tend to dig deep tunnels that can break through your plumbing lines and your electric lines.
Once they have dug through your foundation, gophers can easily climb up through your plumbing lines and enter your bathroom.
Gopher infestation can prove to be quite challenging to manage, and you usually will need the help of an expert to ensure that you have removed the infestation.
9. Moles
Moles are excellent burrowers, and they can create a complex tunnel beneath your home. Their tunnels can start from the lawn or garden of your home and can go up to the foundations.
If you have a mole infestation at your home, it can prove dangerous as these creatures can damage the foundations of your home.
If your home has shallow foundations, it can attract the creatures all the more. Moles do not dig holes with their teeth but with their claws.
If you hear scratching noise beneath the floorboards of your home, then chances are there that it is caused by moles digging holes.
Therefore, to protect the foundations of your home, you will need to remove the infestations as early as you can.
10. Rats
Rats can create burrows from the edge of your home right down to the foundations. Usually, the burrow’s opening is located near a soft spot in the garden that will be covered by vegetation.
But rats can burrow deep into the ground, and these burrows can go right to the foundations of your home.
The holes that rats dig are usually two to four inches in diameter, but the tunnels can go quite deep.
A rat’s burrow can go up to nearly three feet below the surface and sometimes reach up to the foundations.
The foundations of your home can be damaged if the burrowing of the rats is not stopped early on.
Conclusion
The animals that burrow under houses are armadillos, skunks, groundhogs, rabbits, voles, foxes, raccoons, gophers, moles, and rats. The holes that these animals create can extend anywhere from 3 to 25 feet underground.
