- Joined
- Mar 18, 2010
- Messages
- 1,019
Oh my gosh, it's like a plague over here...Now I have gopher holes in the yard...We have never had gophers in the 9 years we've lived here. Could they be a problem?
Gophers?!
- Thread starter pugsandkids
- Start date
- Status
OOOOMMMMMGGGGG!!! Uh, yes the little ba$#&rds are relentless....and will literally pull your plants into the ground, right before your eyes....ugggghhhhh, one of the most annoying destructive little creatures....oh, can you tell I have dealt with them and actually still do....
However, there is a stray cat that the neighbors set loose and since I put food out for her and a couple of the other strays...she has taken care of the ones that use to come up to the planted area around the front porch...she is a gopher and squirrel machine....do you have cats?
Someone has been watching to many cartoons They eat the roots they don't pull plants down. Now they most likely won't harm the tortoises if that is what you are asking, but they will destroy most of your plants.
If you wanna get rid of them i know how to trap them.
While I enjoy a good Spongebob episode from time to time Captain, I can absolutely, without hesitation....and with my hand on a stack of bibles....attest to my own eyes watching this cartoonish event.....not once, not twice---but more than 4 times less than 10....
Each time I was standing outside observing the world, minding my own business mind you....when out of the corner of my eye---a lone bush wiggles in the still air (which in itself is rare here in the High Desert--no wind) which of course catches my attention because there is no prevailing wind....I look, I focus and swooop--down into the earth it goes....exactly like that---well followed by a whole mess of ticketable words in some parts of the country....
So, yes---they will certainly chow down the roots---but apparently if the plant is of particular interest---or the object of desire---it can and will absolutely be sucked into the earth....
oh yeah....I have witnessed two of the CDTs natural dug burrows here completely backfilled by these little ba%$^rds....and I mean completely backfilled level to the ground....one winter I had to get on my hands and knees with a hand shovel to dig out Ghamara from a wet, freezing tomb as a result of the backfilling that they did to his burrow....now, they did not chew on him or damage of that type...but the situation sure could have ended up in a bad way had I not been a worry wart and a daily checker (multiple checks a day during that winter as a matter of fact, so they are fast at the earth moving)....just sharing is all....
Also, I do not know where you are located in the world, but here in our neck of the high desert, the gophers are HUGE in comparison to the little gophers in other parts of the world....
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2010
- Messages
- 1,019
Ours are little, I'm more worried about tort damage. Plants can be replaced. My big bad hunter cat has been gone for a week now. Once a summer he does this. Hopefully he comes back (cause I miss him) and eats the gophers.
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2012
- Messages
- 335
I love all animals but gophers really push my limits. They also love grass roots. They can ruin a nice healthy patch of grass. They often peak up out of their tunnels with cone shaped mounds of dirt on their heads. But we have gopher snakes here so...
ASCOTT would you please loan PUGSANDKIDS some of the hundreds of wild cats that run around your property.
ASCOTT would you please loan PUGSANDKIDS some of the hundreds of wild cats that run around your property.
I would love to....however, just not my striped tiger huntress....
Gophers are some of the most annoying little sh***. I dont know why they have to dig so much and screw all my enclosures over but they do. No matter what happens in my day as long as one of those guys dies its a successful one lol no joke.
dmmj said:
OH YES THEY DO!!! just like the cartoons! they come up grab a plant and pull it down the hole.. GONE!
AustinASU said:
Please tell us. Always looking for new and better ways to kill these evil little monsters. I use the "black box". It works very well, but I can only deploy it AFTER the gopher announces it presence with allt he damage...
I've never heard on them actually physically harming tortoise, but they do ruin the landscaping, destroy the yard and dig escape hatches for small tortoises.
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2010
- Messages
- 1,019
Escape hatches scare me. I came home to this ring of destruction...
Oh my gosh! My killer cat has not returned. I need him!
Oh my gosh! My killer cat has not returned. I need him!
So....I have no sure fire way to ward these awful furry creeps away....however, in moments of frustration I have;
Leashed the dog (my crazy one who thinks falling leaves are prey), got her all crazy at the front door inside, whispered get em get em, then we tore out the front door and I walked her over to the scene of the crime and she looked at me then caught scent of them right below her and within 30 seconds had 3/4 of her body in the hole---needless to say, it did not get rid of the critter but it felt good...
Brought the hose out and shoved it down the hole---turned the water on and stood back, proud and waiting to see them leave the scene...went in the house and came back an hour later to find the water coming out of a whole near a tree about 50 feet away!!!!!...Bas%^$ds!!! Did not do any good and really annoyed me---but the tree appreciated the water
Was out weeding and noticed one looking at me---bas%^$d!...so I went and grabbed the spade shovel---began totally destroying the hole and the tunnel----then smoothed out the destruction and went back to weeding just to look over and see that little **** looking at me from another hidden hole.....uuuuugggggghhhhh!!!!!!
The most appreciated and successful tool came my way courtesy of the neighbor....they let go a few cats on their property (then did not feed or water them) so I felt sorry for them and put a little can of tuna down and some water....so they began laying all around our porch and driveway.....at first I could have kicked myself (because I have never really successfully co habitated with cats before)...then when the first gopher stalk, kill and consumption occurred.....man was I impressed...an actual cat that does what a cat is suppose to do....amazing...so now when I pick up the dogs bag of food I also pick up a bag for the cats....
Thank you for letting me rant and vent on this topic....Now I can relax a little....wheewww....lol
Leashed the dog (my crazy one who thinks falling leaves are prey), got her all crazy at the front door inside, whispered get em get em, then we tore out the front door and I walked her over to the scene of the crime and she looked at me then caught scent of them right below her and within 30 seconds had 3/4 of her body in the hole---needless to say, it did not get rid of the critter but it felt good...
Brought the hose out and shoved it down the hole---turned the water on and stood back, proud and waiting to see them leave the scene...went in the house and came back an hour later to find the water coming out of a whole near a tree about 50 feet away!!!!!...Bas%^$ds!!! Did not do any good and really annoyed me---but the tree appreciated the water
Was out weeding and noticed one looking at me---bas%^$d!...so I went and grabbed the spade shovel---began totally destroying the hole and the tunnel----then smoothed out the destruction and went back to weeding just to look over and see that little **** looking at me from another hidden hole.....uuuuugggggghhhhh!!!!!!
The most appreciated and successful tool came my way courtesy of the neighbor....they let go a few cats on their property (then did not feed or water them) so I felt sorry for them and put a little can of tuna down and some water....so they began laying all around our porch and driveway.....at first I could have kicked myself (because I have never really successfully co habitated with cats before)...then when the first gopher stalk, kill and consumption occurred.....man was I impressed...an actual cat that does what a cat is suppose to do....amazing...so now when I pick up the dogs bag of food I also pick up a bag for the cats....
Thank you for letting me rant and vent on this topic....Now I can relax a little....wheewww....lol
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2010
- Messages
- 1,019
Man, I've been so lucky till now. My 16 year old cant wait to try the hose method. The whole yard can use the water, he'll do it after soccer tonight
LOL....rock on young man
ascott said:So....I have no sure fire way to ward these awful furry creeps away....however, in moments of frustration I have;
Leashed the dog (my crazy one who thinks falling leaves are prey), got her all crazy at the front door inside, whispered get em get em, then we tore out the front door and I walked her over to the scene of the crime and she looked at me then caught scent of them right below her and within 30 seconds had 3/4 of her body in the hole---needless to say, it did not get rid of the critter but it felt good...
Brought the hose out and shoved it down the hole---turned the water on and stood back, proud and waiting to see them leave the scene...went in the house and came back an hour later to find the water coming out of a whole near a tree about 50 feet away!!!!!...Bas%^$ds!!! Did not do any good and really annoyed me---but the tree appreciated the water
Was out weeding and noticed one looking at me---bas%^$d!...so I went and grabbed the spade shovel---began totally destroying the hole and the tunnel----then smoothed out the destruction and went back to weeding just to look over and see that little **** looking at me from another hidden hole.....uuuuugggggghhhhh!!!!!!
The most appreciated and successful tool came my way courtesy of the neighbor....they let go a few cats on their property (then did not feed or water them) so I felt sorry for them and put a little can of tuna down and some water....so they began laying all around our porch and driveway.....at first I could have kicked myself (because I have never really successfully co habitated with cats before)...then when the first gopher stalk, kill and consumption occurred.....man was I impressed...an actual cat that does what a cat is suppose to do....amazing...so now when I pick up the dogs bag of food I also pick up a bag for the cats....
Thank you for letting me rant and vent on this topic....Now I can relax a little....wheewww....lol
Omg... I can't stop laughing... My dad tells very similar story's of his gopher issues to the tee. I fortunately in the big city of Lakeland, Florida have never encountered one..
Wow....you do live in a far away fantasy world of mine.....I am now glowing green with envy....
I wonder if the water table level there has anything to do with that?????hmmm....I feel a research event for myself coming on....
I'm having Caddyshack flashbacks
ascott said:Wow....you do live in a far away fantasy world of mine.....I am now glowing green with envy....
I wonder if the water table level there has anything to do with that?????hmmm....I feel a research event for myself coming on....
Let me know what you find out.. They maybe around but I'm pretty well in the middle of our city , I'm A big city girl- country is to faraway from shopping and take out. Lol.. Do love to go camping though!
- Status
