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Ground Squirrels Extermination | Pest Control Methods

Ground squirrels live in a wide variety of natural habitats and are called many different names, gophers, whistle pigs, sage rats, etc. They usually avoid thick chaparral, dense woods, and wet areas. Populations can be particularly high in grazed rangelands and in areas disturbed by humans such as road or ditch banks, fencerows, around buildings, and in or bordering many crops.

Ground squirrels live in a burrow system where they sleep, rest, rear young, store food, and avoid danger. The burrow openings can vary in size considerably depending on the species. The burrows can be 5 to 100 feet or more in length and can extend 2 to 4 feet below the soil surface. Often there is more than one opening in a burrow system. Ground squirrels live in colonies that can include several dozen animals in a complex of burrows.

Ground squirrels are active during the day, mainly from midmorning through late afternoon, especially on warm, sunny days. Ground squirrels have two periods of dormancy during the year. During winter months most ground squirrels hibernate, but some young can be active at this time, particularly in areas where winters aren't severe. During the hottest times of the year most adults go into a period of inactivity, called estivation that can last a few days to a week or more. During these periods, the burrow appears open at the entrance, but the squirrel plugs it with soil near the nest.

Ground squirrels breed once a year, averaging 7 to 8 per litter. Timing of breeding varies with location. In Southern California breeding begins in December, in the Central Valley the timeframe is February through April, and in the mountain ranges breeding begins somewhat later. Aboveground activity by adults is at a maximum at the height of the breeding season. The young are born in the burrow and grow rapidly. When they are about 6 weeks old, they usually emerge from the burrow. At 6 months they resemble adults.

Ground squirrels are primarily herbivorous, and their diet changes with the season. After emerging from hibernation, they feed almost exclusively on green grasses and herbaceous plants. When annual plants begin to dry and produce seed, squirrels switch to seeds, grains, and nuts and begin to store food. Ground squirrels usually forage close to their burrows. Their home range typically is within a 75-yard radius of their burrow.

Ground squirrels can harbor diseases harmful to humans, particularly when squirrel populations are numerous. A major concern is bubonic plague transmitted to humans by fleas that the squirrels carry. Ground squirrels are susceptible to plague, which has wiped out entire colonies. If you find unusual numbers of squirrels or other rodents dead for no apparent reason, notify public health officials. Do not handle dead squirrels under these circumstances.

Rodenator Pest Control Methods for Ground Squirrels

Treating ground squirrels is a fairly straight forward process that can be performed anytime of the day or night. In most rural areas where combination treatments on pocket gophers are made in the early mornings, this activity may help in keeping most ground squirrels in their burrows for later applications. What makes the treatment of ground squirrels most effective is the ease of the application and the animal's natural defense mechanism of retreating to their burrows at any sign of danger.

This "flee and hide" mechanism gives the Rodenator process a higher success rate since the majority of the target animals are within their burrows at the time of the application.

Ground Squirrels Extermination - The Rodenator Process

When making your first application to a burrow entrance, the resulting underground shockwave will also exit through connecting tunnels that are part of the treated burrow system. The resulting smoke, steam and debris exiting these holes clearly show which burrow system have been treated.

The key to effectively maintaining control of ground squirrels with the Rodenator process is to treat every burrow system that does not appear to have been part of the initial application and immediately fill-in these holes with dirt, pack them tight and level any mounds. Keep in mind that the squirrels in adjoining tunnel systems that were not treated will aggressively try to dig into the tunnels that you have just shoveled shut. If you do not pack the holes shut tightly, the effort for the squirrels to re-open the tunnels will be minimal.

This method will reduce the chance of re-infestation by neighboring ground squirrels and will alert you at a later time if another ground squirrel has dug back into the burrow system.

When performing the application, please observe the safety protocols as detailed in the Operators Manual - Position and Stance, especially for the Rodenator R1

Making Your Application

Before starting your work, carefully plan your application area. Start by locating the entrance of the burrows. Place marker flags to identify the burrow entrances. Most ground squirrel burrows have multiple entrances. Some are also for escape, air or water diversion.

It is important to know the location of all holes when performing the application in order to properly position yourself away from the exiting shockwave.

Determining Soil Composition or Plasticity for Ground Squirrels

Soil composition or plasticity is the determining factor in the amount of gas mixture that is injected in the burrowing animals' tunnel system for successful results.

If the soil is composed of a denser material such as clay with minimal moisture, the amount of gas necessary to inject into the tunnel would be considerably less compared to soil that is lighter in density as with sandy or loamy compositions.

Application in a dense dry clay soil helps contain the underground shockwave by allowing the shockwave to travel deeper into the tunnels without absorption of the shockwave by the tunnel. This type of soil composition may require the minimal amount of gas during the application process.

Ground squirrel burrows that are in light sandy or moist clay soils have a tendency to absorb the shockwave and may require more gas during the application process.

Insert the Nozzle of R1, or Rubber Extension Attachment on R2, and R3

Ground Squirrels make large burrow openings and live in deep underground den sites. To identify the main entrance, look for an opening where the entrance has been smoothed over by the animal entering and exiting many times.

The end of the Rodenator device needs to be inserted into the entrance of the burrow (the hole) as deep as possible in order to inject the gas mixture properly. This also assures that the gas mixture is not being drawn out of the hole by any slight breeze.

Note: for maximum effectiveness, try to avoid applications to ground squirrel burrows on windy days.

If you do perform applications on windy days, a flam proof cloth, damp towel or rag placed behind the application nozzle during the injection process will assist in preventing the gas mixture from being drawn out by a breeze.

Inject the Gas Mixture

Inject the gas into the hole using the Gas Timing Chart for Ground Squirrels. (Refer to Timing Chart)

Perform your application with a watch or stop watch to accurately dispense the gas into the tunnel.

Igniting the Gas Mixture

Immediately after releasing the gas (and closing ball valve on R1 Rodenators) depress the ignition button to detonate the oxy/fuel mixture.

Remember to follow the safety protocols for Open Hole Tunnels - Position and Stance

Cover the Hole After the Shot

To assure that the application was successful and to prevent re-invasion of another animal into the burrow, the hole should be buried and packed immediately after the application.

Any evidence of the entrance, including mounds or depressions, should be leveled.

Follow-up

Carefully examine the previous days work. Repeat the same application process for reopened burrows.

When the infestation in the area is acute, repeated gas applications are often necessary.

Evaluation

During the application process, the sounds coming from the burrow opening may vary. In most cases, the target may have a large opening and sound may be as loud as a shotgun blast.

You may be able to reduce the sound by packing dirt around the nozzle during the injection of the gas mixture.

Ground Squirrel Timing Chart