Of all the furry mammals you might find in your yard, gophers may be the most bothersome. They build burrows beneath the surface and feed on the roots of plants, which can wreak havoc on your lawn and landscaping. The holes they leave behind are also tripping hazards. Start the process of gopher proofing your yard by perusing these six interesting facts.
35 Species of Gophers
Gophers are rodents, and they belong to the family Geomyidae. All 35 species live in North and Central America. The name pocket gopher is interchangeable with the name gopher — pocket gophers are not a distinct species. The most common species of pocket gopher found in California is Botta’s pocket gopher, or Thomomys bottae. This medium-sized gopher is about 10 inches long when mature. They are common in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Often Confused With Moles
Moles, like gophers, dig tunnels below ground. However, moles are not rodents and have different behavioral habits from gophers, so they have to be dealt with differently. We can help you distinguish between the two pests when attempting to remove them, and the easiest way to do that is to closely examine the holes and mounds they leave behind.
Moles leave a series of symmetrical, cone-shaped mounds when they dig through a yard. Gophers, on the other hand, leave crescent-shaped, irregular mounds with plugs of dirt present.
Both animals have the ability to dig through packed soil, even the hard, rocky terrain common throughout the Inland Empire.
Only Like Some Plants
Gophers are not terribly picky, but there are some plants they don’t like. Investing in plants gophers dislike is a good way to keep them out of your yard. Gophers dislike some flowering plants, including lavender, shasta daisies, and foxglove. Shrubs gophers dislike include fushsia, salvia, oleander, and pomegranate. Gophers also don’t like daffodils, hyacinths, and allium. All of these plants grow well in Riverside, Redlands, and surrounding communities.
Known for Their Pouches
Gophers earned the name pocket gopher because of the pockets or pouches they have on the sides of their mouth. Like hamsters, gophers store food in these pockets so they can feed on it later. Unlike hamster pouches, however, these pockets open up to the outside rather than being fully inside of the mouth.
Gophers also use these pockets to dig and harvest roots without getting dirt in their mouths. The gophers simply close their mouths behind their teeth, leaving both the teeth and pockets exposed.
Live Alone
Gophers are the ultimate introverts. They don’t live in colonies or even family units like many other rodents. Instead, gophers will leave their mothers when they’re a few weeks old, and each gopher will have to build their own, solitary burrow. In fact, gophers only purposely seek out members of their own species in the spring during breeding season. However, since gophers live alone it’s easier to get rid of them — generally, you only need to trap one.
Can Be Defensive
Gophers are not aggressive animals. It’s not normal for them to attack a dog or a human on sight. However, if your dog is aggressive towards the gopher and the gopher feels it has no other option, it may attack. Unfortunately, gopher teeth can cause serious puncture wounds. They can also carry rabies and infect any people or animals they bite. If you think there may be a gopher in your yard, keep your pets away and leave trapping the gopher to the professionals.
A single gopher can cause a lot of damage to your garden, sidewalk, and driveway as it burrows below ground and eats your plant roots. If you suspect there may be a gopher living on your land, contact one of our offices today. We use the Gopher X to eradicate gophers and other pests without the use of poisons.