Skip to main content

Why Aren't the Ground Squirrels Hibernating?

Burrow Blocker Ground Squirrel & Prairie Dog Control
Chunky California Ground Squirrel - skipping hibernation and stealing food from the chickens.
What happened to ground squirrels hibernating? We've all heard and maybe even read that California ground squirrels hibernate in the winter. Lately, it looks like the ground squirrels didn't get the memo to go underground and take a hiatus from their daily digging and destruction.

Makes me wonder if those jittery squirrels discovered the magical powers of coffee?

In Southern California, caffeine isn't the reason for all of ground squirrel activity - December is the beginning of mating season. That means, unless you do something about all of those ground squirrels, soon you'll have even more of the them to deal with. 

Ground squirrels are out in the winter for different reasons. In higher elevations and colder areas, they are more likely to hibernate. In Northern California, the male ground squirrels, hibernate a month earlier than the females and young. They also wake up a month earlier. When the weather is warm like it has been, they postpone and sometimes even avoid hibernation altogether. The young males are more likely to skip hibernation.

With some of the ground squirrels hibernating, it may seem like your rodent issues aren't as bad. Just because you can't see them, doesn't mean that you you no longer have a problem. This is an excellent time to use the Burrow Blocker. Eliminate the holes and your ground squirrel problem at the same time.

If you choose not to treat the problem, don't be surprised if the ground squirrels are still out digging and devouring this winter and preparing to add to their numbers this spring. I suggest you pour yourself a cup of coffee and give me a call. We can discuss your ground squirrel problems and I can provide you with a green solution.

(925) 634-9204

Comments

  1. squirrel control caledon helps protect homes from damage caused by gnawing, nesting, and contamination. Professional wildlife removal services ensure safe, humane, and effective solutions. By addressing entry points and preventing re-infestation, experts provide long-term protection for residents while maintaining balance with local wildlife.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Squirrel infestations can damage property and create health hazards. Our Squirrel Control services provide safe and efficient removal, preventing nests in attics, walls, and gardens. Experienced professionals use humane techniques to protect your home while ensuring long-term prevention, giving you peace of mind and a squirrel-free environment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. FixitFusion delivers reliable pest control services in California, offering safe, eco-friendly solutions for homes and businesses. Their expert team handles termites, rodents, ants, and more with customized treatment plans, fast response times, and long-term prevention strategies—ensuring clean, pest-free environments and complete customer satisfaction.pest control services in California

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Lives in that Hole?

Admit it. Holes can be mysterious. When we see a hole, we wonder what lurks below. Even Alice found the rabbit hole intriguing. Maybe it's because we know that there is more than meets the eye. It may not be Wonderland, but ground squirrel burrows can be 6 feet deep and 35 feet long. They have multiple entrances and have nursery, food and sleep chambers. A kit fox's home often has a key hole shaped entrance. A badger's entrance is often shaped like the letter D and gophers can make a crescent, C-shaped mound. If only all holes could be identified with a letter from the alphabet at their entrance! HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN THAT HOLE? Unless you are some nature TV host getting paid the big bucks, it's not such a good idea to just stick your hand in the hole to reach for whatever is inside. 1.    OBSERVATION -   Start by getting a comfy lawn chair, a cool drink and sitting back and relaxing awhile. Observe who g...

Ground Squirrel Control Remedies Can Make You Nutty

Are ground squirrels making you a little nutty? What crazy methods have you tried to control them? Before we created the Burrow Blocker, our ranch was over run by ground squirrels. We were so desperate for solutions that we tried almost everything to get their population under control. Since we didn't want to risk poisoning our dogs, cats or other wildlife with pesticides, we tended to get pretty creative. Here are a few crazy things that we've tried: Wrigley's Gum - I'm not sure why it had to be Wrigley's gum but we heard it worked, so we tried it. First we put the sticks of gum in the holes and a few weeks later, when the ground squirrels were as plentiful as ever, we thought maybe we should have chewed it first. We had lots of holes and lots of gum and our jaws got tired pretty quickly. All we ended up with was fresh breath and gum stuck to our shoes...and still too many ground squirrels. Water - The next idea was to just fl...

Ground Squirrel Dogs

Dogs love to hunt for ground squirrels. Below, is one of our squirrel hunters from the ranch. Actually, Pepper is more of squirrel chaser and not much of a catcher. We rarely have squirrels at the ranch, so Pepper doesn't get much practice. Here she is sitting on her buddy, Brutus, in the duck blind. (Don't tell Mike, but his great duck hunting dog is really a cuddly lap dog - even in the duck blind.) Dogs really can help with ground squirrel control. Jack Russell Terriers, Rat Terriers or pretty much any dog that is feisty enough will make an excellent squirrel hunter. It takes a tremendous amount of energy and patience to get those digging rodents. Unfortunately, when a large property is ridden with hundreds of holes, the task becomes pretty much impossible for a dog. Of course, it doesn't mean that the dog won't love trying! When our dogs go up on the hill, they are on high alert for ground squirrels. Sometimes they get lucky and a neighboring squirr...