Frequently Asked Questions About Gophers
Of all the pests they keep America’s 27,000 pest control businesses operating, gophers are some of the worst. Gopher trapping is essential to preserving property values, lawns, services, and valuable landscaping. If you’ve ever wondered, “why do I have gophers?” or how to get rid of gophers, then read on for some frequently asked questions.
- Why do gophers even exist? Gophers are actually important animals in the food chain and the ecosystem. Their activity in digging up the dirt and making holes aerates the soil. They’re an important food source for other animals as well, such as foxes, skunks, and snakes. In the wild, they do a lot to get rid of unwanted and old plants and keep the landscape cleaned out for new growth. In your yard, though, they can wreak havoc.
- Why do they like my yard? Your yard is delicious and easy living for a gopher. Gophers love plants of all sorts and eat the roots, the stems, and everything else. There’s also plenty of water in the typical yard, which is something a gopher would want. The soil is typically very easy to dig in, as well. They tunnel under the yard and eat the roots of plants as they go along.
- Do I have to call for gopher trapping? Yes. They may look cute, but gophers are very destructive. One gopher can produce 10 to 30 mounds in one month. A mound can have enough dirt in it to fill a glass or a gallon jug. Gophers dig straight through anything that they find underground, and their tunnels can cover 200 to 2000 square feet. They chew through sewer lines, phone lines, utility lines, and tree roots. You won’t know how much damage they’ve done to your tree until it falls on your house. When they find small rocks to carry them out and put them on their dirt piles where you might very well run over one with your lawnmower. They also attract their predators, among them weasels, snakes, and skunks.
- When should I call a gopher removal service? You should call for gopher trapping as soon as you see any of their mounds. They will not stop, and once you see the damage begin, you can be sure they will continue until they are stopped.
- Why are gophers a problem in the United States? The Western Hemisphere is home to 34 species of pocket gophers, and 13 of these species live in the United States. A lot of gophers, and while we want them to perform their function in the wild, we need them to stay out of our lawns.
- Do gophers present any sort of health risk? Gophers can carry diseases like rabies and monkeypox. If you ever see one come out of its hole and show no fear in the face of you or your dogs, don’t touch it. A healthy gopher would never behave this way. Gophers are also carriers of lice, fleas, ticks, and mites and will spread these to your pets. Finally, the holes in tunnels that they dig can be a real hazard to your ankles and legs. If you have horses, gopher holes can result in severe injuries and even death to both horses and people.
- Do home remedies for gophers exist? Ther are various home remedies that you can find on the internet, however, none of them have been proven to be efficacious. Poisons are not very successful, and there is no known repellent that works. Most gopher services use gopher trapping or special poisons that cannot be obtained for the average citizen. Gopher trapping is the most humane way of getting rid of these little creatures. If you call for go for trapping as soon as you see a problem, you also ensure that the gopher has no time to breed and there are far fewer animals to be removed.
Gophers are a type of wildlife and should be treated as such no matter how cute they look. If you see evidence of gophers and your lawn, don’t wait until they have time to destroy your property. Call a gopher removal service and get it taken care of right away.
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