Gophers, sometimes called pocket gophers, are a kind of borrowing rodent from the family Geomyidae. Though they may appear cute from a distance, these rodents are far from cute and can lead to very destructive results if they infest homes. That’s because they consume and destroy garden crops, leave holes in one’s yard and can destroy underground utilities such as cable, electricity and gas lines.

Frequented Areas

Since gophers are burrowing rodents, their favorite habitat is the soil. But not just any soil. They love to build tunnels and pile mounds from soil with just the right amount of moisture. That’s usually soil during the months of autumn and spring. They also prefer soil with a high clay concentration.

These wildlife pests are present throughout the United States in areas including but not limited to Idaho, Texas and Wyoming. They may also be found in coastal and highland regions across both North and Central America.

Identification – Physical Characteristics of Gophers

Gophers generally have very soft furs that are black, brown or white. They measure about 5-8 inches

Identifying a Gopher

How to identify a Gopher

long and weigh between .5 and 2lbs. They also have small, flat heads and powerful front paws.

Gophers stand out from other rodents due to fur-lined pouches on their cheeks which they use to transport food. They also have small eyes, hairy tails and elongated front teeth, perfect for eating plants and roots or digging soil.

Though gophers are sometimes mistaken for groundhogs or moles, these pests can usually be easily identified based on their fur-lined pouches stretched full with food or the complicated burrows and mounds they build.

Special Characteristics

A gopher’s special characteristic is no doubt its cheeks with their fur-lined pouches. These pouches are like “pockets” which resulted in gophers being called “pocket gophers”. The pouches on its cheeks can stretch from the edges of its mouth to its shoulder.

These specialized cheeks come in handy since they help gophers pocket their delicacies which usually include bulbs, roots or other parts of plants.

Removal or Preventative Procedures

Gophers can be very difficult to get rid of once they start burrowing in your yard or building mounds across your lawn. They can also be hard to prevent from entering your premises since they can easily use their teeth to build tunnels at least several feet below ground. There are steps you can take to combat gopher infestation once you spot these wildlife rodents. These removal procedures involve setting gopher traps, repellants or gopher flares.

  • Use snap traps or live trap, adding bait such as fruit or vegetables if necessary
A pocket gopher emerging

 A pocket gopher emerging

Traps are best used at the entrance of a gopher’s horseshoe-shaped mount or within their network of burrows. Determine the kind of traps you want to use then add bait to increase your chances of attracting these wildlife pests. Also, consider rubbing the traps with fresh rosemary to conceal your scent.

  • Use scents to repel gophers

Gophers find certain scents very repulsive. These include castor oil, garlic, coffee grounds, moth balls and reportedly pepper sauce. Add drops of these ingredients around mounds, for instance the castor oil, or create a solution which you can then spray into the gopher tunnels.

  • Smoke them out with gopher flares

These flares contain a lethal mix of oxygen and propane. Purchase a few and ensure you read the instructions carefully before you place them inside the tunnels.

In Store or Chemical

Many sources online suggest homeowners and gardeners use poisons to control gophers. These poisons can easily be bought online or in stores. However, be very cautious before purchasing poisons as they

Repelling gophers flare style

   Repelling gophers flare style

can cause serious harm to other animals. Take for instance poisons containing strychnine. Once a gopher is poisoned by the substance, the poison remains in its body. This can pose a danger to your pets if they eat a dead gopher. These poisons can also kill birds and other animals that might eat the poisoned rodent.

If you determine that gopher infestation without the use of poisons is more than you can handle, get help from a certified pest control professional. They will know which solution will best reduce the pocket gopher population without causing harm to other animals.

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2 Comments

  1. Dana Attea 7:17 PM 6 July 2016

    Are they harmful to our pet dog/cat?

    • 3:08 PM 7 July 2016

      Hi there,

      Thank you for using this platform as a source of info.

      Are Gophers harmful to your pet dog/cat? This might not necessarily be in a physical sense, per say. For example, Gophers are more inclined to attack when cornered. However, in the event that should happen, they’d choose digging a hole to escape in. Your dog, cat or you can be harmed if you step in their holes or tunnels. You might end up with a broken ankle.

      Gophers tend to carry a lot of fleas, lice, ticks and mites so if your dog or cat happens to stumble in one of their burrows, you’ll likely have to contend with getting rid of fleas from your dog or cat. Worse yet, they might get on you. It’s best to have them stay away from what you’d probably call a ‘Gopher zone’.

      Also, you need to be careful. The first instinct a gopher gets when they see anyone is to flee. However, if you encounter a gopher that is just standing there and has no intentions of fleeing, that gopher might be sick. Gophers are carriers of rabies and monkeypox which affects the lymph nodes. You do not want them scratching you.

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