WHAT IS A GOPHER?

Gophers are small, burrowing rodents that spend almost their entire lives underground. These specialized mammals create extensive tunnel networks that damage lawns, gardens, and landscaped areas throughout Southern California.

## Gopher Physical Characteristics

Gophers are compact, cylindrical rodents perfectly adapted for underground life:

**Size:** 6-10 inches long, weighing 2-5 ounces

**Body:** Stocky, torpedo-shaped for tunnel navigation

**Eyes:** Small and positioned high on the head

**Ears:** Tiny external ears that don't interfere with tunneling

**Teeth:** Large, prominent front teeth for digging and cutting roots

**Claws:** Powerful front claws designed for excavation

**Tail:** Short, nearly hairless, used as a sensory tool in tunnels

## How to Identify Gopher Activity

Gophers rarely appear above ground, but their presence is obvious from the damage they create:

**Gopher Mounds:** Volcano-shaped soil piles with a plugged hole off to one side. Fresh mounds appear daily during active periods.

**Tunnel Systems:** Extensive underground networks 6-18 inches below ground. Main tunnels connect feeding areas, nesting chambers, and food storage rooms.

**Plant Damage:** Roots, bulbs, and underground plant parts disappear. Plants may suddenly wilt or get pulled underground.

**Lawn Damage:** Brown patches where tunnel construction severs grass roots. Soft, spongy areas where soil has been loosened by tunneling.

## What Gophers Eat

Gophers are herbivores that feed exclusively on plant material:

A single gopher can destroy significant landscaping by consuming roots from below ground where the damage isn't visible until plants die.

## Gopher vs. Other Pests

**Gopher vs. Mole:** Gophers create volcano-shaped mounds; moles create surface ridges and symmetrical hills.

**Gopher vs. Ground Squirrel:** Gophers stay underground; ground squirrels are visible above ground and create burrow openings without mounds.

**Gopher vs. Groundhog:** Gophers are small tunnel-dwellers; groundhogs are large surface animals.

## Professional Gopher Control

Understanding what gophers are helps property owners recognize when professional control is needed. Rodent Guys specializes in gopher identification and elimination throughout Southern California using chemical-free methods safe for families and pets.