5 Ground Squirrel Facts We Bet You Don’t Know

Ground Squirrels Do More Than Dig

1. Ground Squirrels Climb Trees
They don't spend as much time in trees as Tree Squirrels do, but they do run up trees to escape predators. Ground Squirrels also strip the bark of of young trees and eat fruit and nuts.

2. One Acre of Land Can Be Home to 100 Squirrels
It's like an over-populated underground squirrel city! Imagine all of the burrows and holes - and rodents! Large populations of ground squirrels lead to disease, erosion, and their holes are a dangerous liability.

3. Ground Squirrels are Cannibals
They are not vegans. A small part of their diet is cannibalizing their own kind, and eating road kill. Quail and pheasant eggs are also on their menu.

4. Ground Squirrels Can Fight Snakes - and Win

(Warning - the video below shows an actual fight and it's violent & bloody.)

5. You Can't Trap & Release
California Fish and Game Code specifies it is illegal to release ground squirrels elsewhere without a written permit. That means, even though you treat the ground squirrel problem on your land and squirrels keep invading from your neighbor's property, you cannot trap them and return them to your neighbor's side of the fence. It also means that you can't drop off trapped ground squirrels at a nice park or school. (People actually do this!)

If you have questions about ground squirrels or prairie dogs and how to control their over-populations, please call (925) 634-9204 or email me.

Another option is visiting me in person. If you need California DPR continuing education units, I'll be speaking at the upcoming PAPA Seminars:

03/03/20 Ukiah
03/26/20 Morgan Hill
04/09/20 Fresno
04/15/20 Salinas
04/30/20 Escondido
05/13/20 Modesto
05/14/20 San Leandro
05/20/20 Sonoma

Lisa

Burrow Blocker

lisa@burrowblocker.com

(925) 634-9204

Comments

How To Get Rid of Ground Squirrel Holes

It looks simple. There is a ground squirrel hole. Just start shoveling dirt in it and soon the hole will be gone. Some athletic fields are so riddled with dangerous holes, they bring in tons of dirt and use bobcats to fill the holes. Surprise! Before the next day, most of the holes reappear! Fill it again and the same thing happens. Those ground squirrels are persistent little diggers. Why doesn't filling in ground squirrel holes using a shovel work? Shoveling in the holes is often unsuccessful, because the hole is topped off with dirt. The ground squirrel is hiding in a lower portion of the tunnel system and they dig their way out as soon as you leave the area. What is the best way to fill ground squirrel holes? The Burrow Blocker machine is a fast, easy, and effective way of filling in ground squirrel holes.The patented machine pumps a slurry of sand and water into the hole. The water is absorbed into the soil and all that remains is the sand. The b...

Is it a Ground Squirrel or a Gopher?

Do you know the difference between a Gr ound Squirrel and a Gopher ? If you are battling burrowing rodents on your property, after awhile you might just start channeling Carl Spackler, Bill Murray's character in the movie, Caddyshack. Remember when Sandy McFiddish, the head groundskeeper of the golf course told Carl, in his rich Scottish accent, "Carl, I want you to kill all the golfers on the golf course."? Carl replied, " Correct me if I'm wrong Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers they'll lock me up and throw away the key." Sandy yelled, " Not golfers, you great fool! Gophers, rodents! THE LITTLE BROWN, FURRY THINGS!" Carl replied, "We can do that. We don't even need a reason." Remember that destructive dancing gopher in Caddyshack? (Be patient...it has a long intro.) Most of the people that visit this blog, do have a reason. They want those destructive diggers to just stop destroying ...

The Best Way to Fill a Ground Squirrel Hole

Ground squirrel holes! They can destroy beautiful landscaping and make athletic fields and pastures hazardous. Ground squirrel holes are much more than an unsightly nuisance, they can cause serious injuries. How do you get rid of ground squirrel holes? Often people grab a shovel and start pushing the dirt surrounding the hole back in. That's usually not enough dirt on the outside, so they get more dirt and keep shoveling it in until it looks full. Surprise! The next day the hole is back. After trying dirt, rocks are often the next choice. Again, the next day, the hole is often back. Why doesn't filling in ground squirrel holes using a shovel work? Shoveling in the holes is often unsuccessful, because the ground squirrel is hiding in a lower portion of the tunnel system and they dig their way out. What is the best way to fill ground squirrel holes? The Burrow Blocker machine is a fast, easy, and effective way of filling in ground squirrel holes.The patented ma...

Ground Squirrel and Prairie Dog Solutions

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