How To Set A Gopher Trap To Reduce The Pest Nuisance

| Wednesday, January 14, 2015
By Enid Hinton


Gophers are rodent like creatures that lives underground. They can be confused with moles since they both dig underneath the ground. However, they can be differentiated in terms of the family they are in. Additionally, these rodents have pouches on the side of their mouth which they use to carry food. Gophers are just as irritating as the moles. They are destructive creatures and if not controlled can give yard owners a stunning surprise in a once beautiful made gardens. Therefore, strategies should be put in place to get rid of these rodents. Lawn owners should seek assistance from specialist who is well vast on how to set a gopher trap. This is to ensure the trap is put in the right way for it to be effective.

There are specific habitats where the rodents live. They prefer a moist surrounding to a dry one with soft soil which requires less effort while excavating. They spend most of their time excavating in search of food. The many networks formed are called gopher towns. The creatures are herbivores where they consume edible vegetation and small roots. However, they can eat insects or nuts as an alternative. Moreover, they have a great sense of smell and perfect hearing.

Tracking the presence of the rodents can be tricky. Presence of a heap of dirt is a sign of their existence. It does not necessarily have to be a heap to know they are present since the way in which the rodents get rid of their dirt is the least of their problem. Home owners may confuse a hole made by a mole and the rodent therefore when locating a tunnel, skilled personnel should be present. Additionally, the creatures are known to block their holes with dirt after feeding.

There are a few methods for catching the rodents including:

Use of poisons. For example, using strychnine. After usage, one should properly cleanse their hands. Moreover, if the rodent gets poisoned and dies, it should not be left for other animals to feed on it as it will result to their death as well.

Drowning. This method is applied by flooding the channels to lure out the rodent and later killing it as it escapes to a safer zone.

Using gopher traps. These snares can be purchased at any stores and are quite expensive but effective. When installing the snare several steps should be followed:First, one should have a shovel, gloves, purchased traps, wire to ensure the snares remain in their position and a plastic to cover hole and block light. Secondly, look for fresh and moist mounds as a sign for active channel and recent rodent activity. Thirdly, locate the tunnel. Sometimes the dirt might be seen at the surface but with no tunnel present. Therefore, one should be careful to locate the tunnels which will lead them to the main channel.

Fourth step is making a big hole using the shovel to ensure the burrow is fully exposed. Fifth step is installing the trap itself in several pass ways. They should be in a way that the gopher is assured to pass through it and not beside it. During installation, it is advised to wear gloves to prevent the rodent from detecting the human scent which will avoid sabotaging the entire procedure. The last thing to do is waiting till the snare does its job of trapping and killing the creature.




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