Gophers are cute little creatures and can grow to be up to 14-inches long. The adult gopher can weigh up to a pound. They have little pouches in their cheeks, which they use to store food and materials to build their nests. These animals live underground. They dig into the ground about 18-inches down, and they start to dig tunnels that branch off from the main one. They do this to protect themselves and also to forage for food. Unfortunately, the burrowing and foraging can wreak havoc on your property. If you suspect that there is a gopher living in your yard, it is essential that you hire a professional in gopher removal as quickly as possible.
The Gopher’s Habitat
Gophers prefer to make their burrows in loose, sandy soil, typically surrounding plant growth. Lawns are gardens are ideal nesting areas for these animals. They are also known for making nests and burrows under golf courses, hay fields, cemeteries and by the roadside. If there is a gopher in your yard, there is a good chance that it is alone. These animals tend to live alone, except if it is a mother raising her young.
What Type of Damage Can a Gopher Cause?
Many homeowners believe that since the gopher lives under the ground and out of sight, that they cannot cause any issues with the home. This is not true. Gophers spend most of their time burrowing underground, which can cause serious damage to your lawn. If you have a garden in your yard, the gopher can burrow under the plants, which can destroy the roots. They will also come up from the ground, and eat the plant leaves and the fully grown vegetables.
If you have a sprinkler system underground, the gophers can damage the waterlines when they burrow. To get past the system, they will gnaw at the lines, which can be a very expensive problem to fix.
When the gopher digs it’s tunnel, it can disrupt the flow of irrigation water under the ground, which can cause the soil to erode. When this happens, it can be almost impossible to plant a successful garden without digging up the eroded soil. This can be a very exhausting and time-consuming job.
When a gopher digs into the ground, they will leave a hole so that they can get underground and above ground easily. These holes are eyesores, but they can also be dangerous. If you or a member of your family aren’t looking out for the gopher holes, you can step in one, resulting in a nasty fall or a broken ankle.
Because gophers can wreak havoc on your yard and can put your family at risk, it is essential that you hire a professional in gopher removal.
Why Hire a Professional In Gopher Removal?
Gophers are tricky and intelligent animals. This is why gopher removal should not be a DIY project. Professionals in gopher removal understand the animal’s behavior and nesting patterns. This is necessary in removing the gopher from your yard. Not every tunnel under the ground is active. You can easily find a gopher hole leading to a tunnel in your yard, but you have no way of knowing that this tunnel is an active tunnel. A professional will be able to perform the necessary tests to determine if the tunnel is active. If you try to make gopher removal a DIY project, you could spend days at an inactive tunnel trying to catch the critter. If the tunnel is inactive, you will be wasting your time. Because gophers do more and more damage each day, time is of the essence. The several days that it takes to trap the gopher are several days that it can eat your garden and cause serious damage underground. When you call a pro, you can be sure that the problem will be eradicated quickly.
In some cases, the gopher can be trapped in a humane cage and then taken out to the woods, far away from your home. This is the most humane method. If the trapping method doesn’t work, the professional will use a chemical called Fumitoxin, which comes in a pellet form. When it is dissolved underground, it turns into aluminum phosphine gas. The gas will travel though the gopher’s tunnel, killing it within 48-hours. Because the gopher will be under the ground when it dies, you won’t need to worry about foul odors in your home or your yard. While this type of poison is very effective, it is best to be used by a professional. If you don’t have experience in gopher removal, you can end up wasting your time, or there is a risk of making your pets and other animals sick.
Preventing Another Problem
When the gopher has been removed from your property by either trapping or poison, it is important that you prevent another one from creating a nest under your yard. If your property was sufficient for one gopher, you can be sure that more will follow. To keep this from happening, you can build a fence around your property. Just be sure to have the fence dug over a foot under the ground. Even with fencing, it is possible for a gopher to get into your yard. This is why it is a good idea to do routine inspections of your property, looking for more gopher holes.
Final Thoughts
Gophers are tricky little animals, and unless you are an expert at gopher removal, they will outsmart you. Professionals understand the way they dig and the way they behave, making it easier to trap the animal. Also, experts who handle this type of work on a daily basis will be able to assess the situation, and use the best method necessary to remove the gopher. If poison is needed, it should only be done by someone who has been trained and is qualified to use it. A professional will have the knowledge, the tools, and the experience necessary to remove the gopher permanently, keeping your lawn and garden safe.
