A gopher is a fur-lined external burrowing rodent that spends most of its life underground. It rarely comes to the surface, especially during the day. It spends most of the time burrowing as it searches for food from roots and grasses. It can cause a lot of destruction from the many tunnels it digs and with time it can destroy a garden completely. If you are wondering how to trap a gopher, this article will guide you on the best practice that will eliminate it before it completely destroys your garden or well-manicured lawn.
Because of the nature of the rodent and the damage it can cause, it is best to detect it early enough. This minimizes the damage it can cause to your garden. It also improves your chances of trapping it before it digs too many tunnels. To successfully trap a gopher, you need to detect its main tunnel or burrow. This is where most of the short lateral tunnels connect to. You get more success by setting traps or baits on the main tunnel.
Traps are the most common and effective ways of trapping them. The market has several types available that you can use. The box type traps are the most commonly used. They usually have triggers that the gopher has to push to get caught.
The box trap is easier to use and to set up. It is set in the main tunnel facing opposite directions. This enables it to intercept the gopher when it comes from either side. One thing that you should note about this trap is that it requires more excavation. It may not be your preference if the gopher is on your lawn.
After you set the trap, you will need to cover the tunnel and prevent light from entering it. You can use a soft material to cover and seal it properly using fine soil around the edges. The gopher may try to bury the trap with soil if it can see it.
Give yourself three days before you decide to check on the trap. This is ample time for the trap to be effective. If the gopher is not caught yet, you can set the trap on another point along the main tunnel. Sometimes the gopher can detect human scent on the trap and keep off.
Trapping a gopher is the most effective way of catching it and is also friendly. If one has other pets such as dogs and cats, baiting is not recommended. The bait is usually poisonous and is not advisable to be used as it can be exposed to children or other animals. Even though they are placed underground, some animals especially dogs are able to dig them out.
The best time to set the traps is during the spring and fall seasons. You can easily trap a gopher on your own if it just one or two in your garden. However, if you have a gopher community, you should seek professional help. In such a case a lot of time and experience is needed to successfully remove the colony from your property.
Because of the nature of the rodent and the damage it can cause, it is best to detect it early enough. This minimizes the damage it can cause to your garden. It also improves your chances of trapping it before it digs too many tunnels. To successfully trap a gopher, you need to detect its main tunnel or burrow. This is where most of the short lateral tunnels connect to. You get more success by setting traps or baits on the main tunnel.
Traps are the most common and effective ways of trapping them. The market has several types available that you can use. The box type traps are the most commonly used. They usually have triggers that the gopher has to push to get caught.
The box trap is easier to use and to set up. It is set in the main tunnel facing opposite directions. This enables it to intercept the gopher when it comes from either side. One thing that you should note about this trap is that it requires more excavation. It may not be your preference if the gopher is on your lawn.
After you set the trap, you will need to cover the tunnel and prevent light from entering it. You can use a soft material to cover and seal it properly using fine soil around the edges. The gopher may try to bury the trap with soil if it can see it.
Give yourself three days before you decide to check on the trap. This is ample time for the trap to be effective. If the gopher is not caught yet, you can set the trap on another point along the main tunnel. Sometimes the gopher can detect human scent on the trap and keep off.
Trapping a gopher is the most effective way of catching it and is also friendly. If one has other pets such as dogs and cats, baiting is not recommended. The bait is usually poisonous and is not advisable to be used as it can be exposed to children or other animals. Even though they are placed underground, some animals especially dogs are able to dig them out.
The best time to set the traps is during the spring and fall seasons. You can easily trap a gopher on your own if it just one or two in your garden. However, if you have a gopher community, you should seek professional help. In such a case a lot of time and experience is needed to successfully remove the colony from your property.
About the Author:
Get advice on how to trap a gopher, today. You can also view our selection of high-quality gopher traps at http://www.traplineproducts.com/pestidguide.html right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment