There are hundreds of methods out there for getting rid of pesky vermin that have moved into your yard. You’ll read about methods such as the Gopher Blaster or gopher repellent. Not only are many of these do-it-yourself methods ineffective, they can also pose risks to your children, your pets, and wildlife that you may want to keep around. Our guide gives you a breakdown of the hazards posed with different DIY mole and gopher removal techniques.

Rodenticides

Anticoagulant and non-anticoagulant pesticides can be used to poison the rodents and quickly eliminate them. The treatments often require multiple bait feedings, which can increase the risk of accidental poisoning of children, pets, and natural predators like foxes, hawks and eagles.

Another possible mishap with rodenticides is the pollution of groundwater, lakes and streams.

Fumigants

Using fumigants – the fancy word for tenting your property and piping in poisonous gas – is often looked to as a means of removing moles and gophers. DIY exterminators might pipe nauseous gasses down tunnels and hope it does the trick. While these may seem like an easy, effective treatment, you could end up wasting a lot of money, and even more time. Fumigants are gasses, so they will just seep back up through the ground. If your pests feel threatened by the gas, they may plug tunnels and create new ones to escape.

Wiring

Wire gopher baskets are sometimes used to protect the root of plants in a garden. While baskets may help the destruction of your plants, but they have to be used on a plant-by-plant basis, so they don’t make much financial sense if you have a large garden or farm.

Wire fences, on the other hand, don’t even protect your roots. Moles and gophers will simply tunnel below the stakes. Wire fences are sharp and can be dangerous for children and pets.

The best way to ensure a permanent solution to your rodent infestation is to use custom traps that will eliminate the problem, rather than simply masking it. Do-it-yourself traps can be dangerous and costly, so it is best to always leave the removal care to the experts. LandCare Mole and Gopher will keep your plants, children and pets safe. Call LandCare for a safe, rodent free summer.