There's nothing quite like keeping a nice, healthy lawn on your Sacramento property, especially if you have a beautiful garden and landscape to go along with it. What happens if your lawn is too nice, though? Yes, unfortunately too much of a good thing still applies to lawns, as rodents such as gophers are gluttons for tasty roots and moist soil. So how are you supposed to keep your lawn looking fresh while staying gopher-free?
Digging Up Facts On Gophers In Sacramento
There are a few different species of gophers in California, but the most prevalent species found on Sacramento properties is the Botta's pocket gopher. These rodents are strictly herbivores, enjoying a wide range of different roots and plants as they burrow through the soil with ease. They're roughly 6 to 10 inches long, not including their short tail, and they have light to dark brown fur.
Truthfully, gophers do wonders for enriching and aerating the soil they burrow through. They help reincorporate plant matter and fertilizer into the ground, and their constant digging churns air and nutrients through the earth, even up to ten feet below surface level! The problem is, though, their constant digging and root munching habits will leave lawns looking rather lackluster:
Patchy grass
Dips and holes in the lawn
Half eaten garden plants
Raised lines and mounds of turf
Dangers Gophers Bring To Your Sacramento Property
No matter how beneficial a creature is to the environment, pests still create dangerous environments for Sacramento homeowners, and gophers are no different. Aside from the damage they cause to your lawn, they can also chew through underground electrical wires and pipes. That kind of damage isn't just costly to repair, it's hazardous for you and your family.
Lawn and structural damage aside, gophers will also bring nasty parasites into your yard, such as ticks and fleas. Both pests are bad enough on their own, but having biting insects along with gophers on your property creates a nightmare trifecta; property damage, structural damage, and the potential to contract a dangerous pathogen:
Lyme Disease
Anaplasmosis
Babesiosis
Ehrlichiosis
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rabies
Blood-borne parasites
Preventing A Gopher Infestation On Your Sacramento Property
There's no easy way to keep gophers off of your Sacramento property, but there are ways to make it less alluring and accessible for those underground menaces. Some companies will suggest chemical and natural repellent, but they can only be so effective; one good rain will come and wash it away, and you'll have to reapply regularly. Other options include metal mesh barriers underneath gardens, trenches around the perimeter of the property, and metal sheet barriers buried several inches below the surface of the soil.
How To Get Rid Of A Gopher Infestation On Your Sacramento Property
Rodents in general are difficult to get rid of, and trying to battle a rodent two inches shy of a foot is a terrifying thought in itself. Gophers build vast, deep burrows, and they're capable of breeding all year long; which means if you have one gopher, you probably have several hiding away. These rodents are wild animals who are skilled at hiding, so don't frustrate yourself with trying to get rid of them on your own. Call the pros at HomeShield Pest Control.
Our pest control technicians are expertly trained in eliminating rodent infestations, and we know all the tricks to getting rid of them and keeping them off of your Sacramento property. We offer rodent exclusion and proofing services, and we make sure all our methods are safe for the entire family. So get in contact with us today to start discussing your options.