Gopher or Prairie Dog?
It can be hard to distinguish the difference between prairie dogs and gophers. Both are small rodents that enjoy digging in yards. However, there are some differences in their habits and appearance. Look for these visual cues:
- Fur - Prairie dogs have coarse, light brown fur with white or black accents. Gophers, on the other hand, have smooth, pliable fur. It can be dark brown, yellow-brown, or gray in color.
- Claws - While prairie dogs use their short, muscular legs for digging, the front paws of a gopher are equipped with long claws.
- Teeth - Gophers have large, visible front teeth that help them loosen dirt, rocks, and roots. Prairie dogs have much smaller, less noticeable incisors.
Prairie Dog vs. Gopher Activity
Homeowners who spot an animal in the yard can also observe the pest's habits and behavior to determine whether it's a prairie dog or a gopher.
Prairie dogs are active during the day and spend plenty of time above ground. As such, the pests are easy to spot. They are also social animals, living with others in connected burrows.
Gopher sightings are much rarer. These rodents stay in their tunnels during most of the day and are solitary except during mating season.
Identifying Gopher or Prairie Dog Damage
Prairie dogs mostly eat grass, but will also consume flowering, leafy plants and roots. Gophers will also eat trees, which is the main difference between the prairie dog and gopher diet.
The feeding habits of both animals can cause issues in the yard. Subterranean burrows created by a gopher or prairie dog make the ground hazardous to walk on. Prairie dogs may also strip bark from trees, while gophers eat roots.
Prairie Dog Dangers
While both pests pose problems, prairie dogs are a greater threat to humans. One key reason is that they can carry plague-infected fleas.
Additionally, while gopher mounds have closed entrances, prairie dog burrows are open and often house other animals like rattlesnakes and black widow spiders.
Controlling Conflicts
When comparing problems caused by prairie dogs and gophers, it is clear that both are a concern for residents.
Modifying yards to be less appealing to the pests can help, but this is costly and time-consuming. The specialists at Critter Control have the training to remove nuisance wildlife safely and efficiently.
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Best Bat Removal
Brandon was out to please and make out lives easier with out bat situation. Above and beyond of the call of duty and got the job done. Thank you!
BAT POOP CLEAN-UP AND PREVENTION! Bat guano removed from gables. No bats found in attic, so put new screens on all gable vents, as one screen was close to breaking and then bats may have gotten in! Great work in
Tulsa!
Squirrels and chipmunks were in our attic. So we called Critter Control to do an inspection. Their representative climbed all over our very steep roof and found several places where squirrels had entered our attic.
Upon inspection of the attic, evidence of bats was also found. The Critter Control team came on time to completely caulk the entire perimeter of the house and create an exit strategy for the squirrels and bats.
Because
bat droppings can cause histoplasmosis, this also required total removal and replacement of our attic insulation and sanitizing the space. Not a small job in a 1,300 sq. ft. attic! While Critter Control’s cost was high, our homeowners insurance covered most of it. Everyone representing Critter Control was professional, courteous and timely. I would highly recommend them to anyone who thinks they might have unwelcome guests living in their attic
On recommendations from a nearby pest control company, I called Critter Control for suspicious
bat droppings.
Madison came out the same day to do an inspection. She was knowledgeable, thorough, and highly professional. She examined the ‘matter’ that had been scattered on my threshold and thought it was foliage. But she then asked to go up to my attic space where the bats could be roosting. She had to walk up 3 flights of stairs with a heavy ladder. She again spent some time searching all the nooks and crannies and found nothing.
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We noticed droppings on our brand new deck - we were given their number from our contractor. They came the next day. Brian looked at it and said - yeah, bats!! He then checked every area in our attic and he explained exactly what needed to be done.
He found evidence of a mice infestation, provided a referral and they are helping us as well. Great service, very informative, very professional! We are very satisfied and would recommend them to anyone who has any issues with any critters!
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