Community Chat

[Pandalady]

Meet Beau:  Georgia's official prognosticator!  For 2023, he predicts an early spring!

[JeanLouiseFinch]

[Sooner]

I find it shocking--that people think this is abuse.  Have you seen little kids hoisted up and loving it?  Ball players.

Now I've heard everything.   

[Buffalogal47]

@Sooner : I watched the event live on TV this AM; Phil looked very happy and relaxed like any pet being held and petted by its owner. Phil is a very pampered little groundhog and as cute as can be too.  Some people just like to take the fun out of everything. 

[MyShadowLove]

@beach-mom ...What do you mean when you say that groundhogs are "mean"?...I'm sure that, when feeling threatened, they will become defensive and aggressive which would be understandable...Any living being would react the same.

In our first home, we had a large yard where our back property line abutted with an apple orchard and farm...There was a small shed that had signs of digging and dirt and we soon discovered that a family of groundhogs had made the shed their home...Being the animal lover that I am and respecting all living creatures, I convinced my husband to just let the shed be, as I didn't want to disturb them.

We had three cats at the time...one was strictly an indoor cat and the other two were indoor/outdoor cats...In the twenty years that we lived there, there were never any problems with the groundhogs bothering us nor were there any problems with our cats and the groundhogs...I'm sure that our cats and the groundhogs were wary of each other at first and eventually came to an "agreement" with each other...lol...but there were never any signs of aggression or meanness whatsoever...because they never felt threatened.

They soon came to realize that they were safe and we all lived peacefuly amongst each other.

[proudlyfromNJ]

I guess some know nothing about the hibernation process.

[KKJ]

@Buffalogal47  Looked happy?  Funny as I watched it and didn't think the poor guy looked too thrilled to me.

[beach-mom]

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@MyShadowLove wrote:

@beach-mom ...What do you mean when you say that groundhogs are "mean"?...I'm sure that, when feeling threatened, they will become defensive and aggressive which would be understandable...Any living being would react the same.

In our first home, we had a large yard where our back property line abutted with an apple orchard and farm...There was a small shed that had signs of digging and dirt and we soon discovered that a family of groundhogs had made the shed their home...Being the animal lover that I am and respecting all living creatures, I convinced my husband to just let the shed be, as I didn't want to disturb them.

We had three cats at the time...one was strictly an indoor cat and the other two were indoor/outdoor cats...In the twenty years that we lived there, there were never any problems with the groundhogs bothering us nor were there any problems with our cats and the groundhogs...I'm sure that our cats and the groundhogs were wary of each other at first and eventually came to an "agreement" with each other...lol...but there were never any signs of aggression or meanness whatsoever...because they never felt threatened.

They soon came to realize that they were safe and we all lived peacefuly amongst each other.

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Hi @MyShadowLove! What I meant is pretty much what you said. They are mean only when threatened. They won't chase you, but you can't touch them or they will bite. They won't come near people on their own. DH says their teeth are razor sharp. I asked him if he ever treated one, and he laughed and said, "They're not pets." The Phil who lives in the library does get veterinary exams. 

You notice the handlers always wear heavy gloves. Only a few members actually handle Phil; the other members don't touch him. 

As I understand it they are vegetarians and don't bother other animals. But other animals, including most cats, will go after them. 

The Inner Circle will insist there is and always has been only one Phil, but actually there are a number of groundhogs who represent Punxsutawney. Two live in the library year round.  There are a few the Inner Circle members take around to schools and organizations to teach others about them. One of those guys is the Phil we see February 2.  

[qualitygal]

If I were Phil and someone woke me up, thrust me into the cold, and said, now, is it gonna stop or keep going?  I'd be a bit testy!!! LOL  Nice warm, quiet, bed, not bothering anyone...tsk tsk tsk.   LOL

[Danky2]

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@Kitty Galore wrote:

@proudlyfromNJ   totally agree ,  poor thing .  I always thought it was cruel holding him up like that and people screaming !   Remember the time that idiot dropped him and he died ....jerk 😠

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The IDIOT did drop him .......forget about the groundhog ,he is a real jerk .