Hi! In this article, I share all my most recent and most effective findings related to poisoning gophers. You will learn why these critters are considered dangerous for your household and lands, what is the best gopher poison, and how to get rid of these creatures forever.
But what makes gophers dangerous? First of all, they are always hungry, and their hunger leads them to eat nearly all the plants that they can find around your garden. Secondly, they dig holes and tunnels to travel around, making your lawn ugly and even dangerous to walk as you can fall into a hole, twist your ankle, or even get bitten.
Gopher bites are not only painful but also potentially dangerous for your health. These small mammals carry diseases, such as rabies, monkeypox, plague, and hantavirus. If you see this animal on your lawn, hurry up to do everything to stop the infestation as soon as possible.
I also recommend you to get acquainted with detailed management guidelines for pests in gardens to be ready for infestations beforehand.
Top 5 Best Gopher Poisons
- Sweeney’s S6006-4 Mole & Gopher Poison Peanuts
- JT Eaton 166004 709-PN Bait Block Rodenticide
- The Giant Destroyer (GAS KILLER)
- Bonide Products Inc 1 Lb Moletox
- Victor M6006 Poison Peanuts Mole & Gopher Killer
Below are 5 best gopher killer products that proved to be effective against these critters during multiple tests of my pest control team. Using one of these remedies, you can stop the infestation rather fast and prevent more serious damage to your household.
1. Sweeney’s S6006-4 Mole & Gopher Poison Peanuts – Convenient Gopher Poison Pellets
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Sweeney’s Poison Peanuts come in 4 convenient cone tubs that you can open from both sides, depending on the application method. The thin cone applicator lets you inject the container into tunnels though the ground to deliver the poison straight to the lair core. If you cannot find the main tunnel, open the tub on the thicker end and simply put the peanuts into burrow entrances.
There are also special gopher bait applicators available on the market that will make this process even easier (like this one).
If the infestation is low, you may reach the needed result in less than 24 hours. However, you will need up to 1 week to get rid of a large brood. Сheck for pest activities in the tunnels every 24 hours to ensure that the treatment works. Repeat the procedure in another place if it wasn’t successful. Usually, a teaspoon is enough to kill rodents within one burrow.
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2. JT Eaton 166004 709-PN Bait Block Rodenticide – Tasty Gopher Pesticide
Specifications:
- Active ingredient: Diphacinone 0.005%
- Number of Items: 144
- Capacity: 9 Pounds
- Package Dimensions: 11 x 11 x 10 inches
- Target Species: Rats, Mice, Gophers
Block-shaped rodenticide by JT Eaton is a unique anticoagulant remedy that attracts rodents with a delicious peanut butter smell. Despite the large size (1 ounce) of the bait, critters can’t stand to taste it as soon as possible.
The active ingredient of the item is Diphacinone 0.005%. This dosage is effective against small rodents and provides a lethal effect in a few days after consumption. Such low toxicity makes it one of the slowest killers, but also one of the safest ones for your household members. It’s still important to keep it away from pets and children to avoid painful troubles with digestion.
It’s very difficult to put these blocks into main tunnels, but you can easily put them into entrances without negative effects on efficiency. The critters won’t neglect such a huge bait, and it’s easy to dispose of the blocks when the pests are dead. It’s a good solution for dealing with large infestations as the container includes 144 blocks.
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3. The Giant Destroyer (GAS KILLER) – Best Gas Chunks for Poisoning Gophers
Specifications:
- Active ingredient: Carbon 9%, Sodium nitrate 50%, Sulfur 38%
- Number of pieces: 4 x 1.75 oz. each
- Item Weight: 10.1 ounces
- Package Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.2 x 7 inches
- Target Species: Moles, Gophers, Woodchucks, Norway Rats, Skunks, Ground Squirrels
Unlike the majority of its competitors, this creative rodent killer doesn’t leave any hazardous traces after treatment, which makes it totally environmentally friendly in a long-term perspective. It’s also one of the fastest ways to kill gophers. All you have to do is inject the fuse into the cartridge, ignite it, and put it quickly into the burrow.
But follow the instruction to avoid burns and inject the stick with the right end. When you do, the poisonous gas fills the entire tunnel system, suffocating rodents to death.
All the components of the gas bomb are organic and fully biodegradable, so that you don’t have to worry when using them on fertile soils and public lawns. This item is rather expensive, but such speedy results are really worth it.
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4. Bonide Products Inc 1 Lb Moletox – Powerful Zinc Hhosphide Gopher Bait
This 2% zinc phosphide is a powerful poisonous bait. You have to place it on animal runaways in active burrows. The substance is very attractive to rodents and kills them within hours. A single teaspoon is enough for a single burrow. Due to the strong smell, the bait isn’t appealing for cats and dogs.
However, I recommend you to mark poisoned areas with flags or something to notice if your animals start digging nearby. This remedy comes without a dispenser, so you have to find a way to deliver the treatment into burrows safely.
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5. Victor M6006 Mole & Gopher Poison Peanuts – Quick Small Infestation Solution
Specifications:
- Active ingredient: Zinc Phosphide
- Item Form: Pellets
- Item Weight: 8.8 ounces
- Package Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 10.2 inches
- Target Species: Moles, Gophers
These poisonous peanuts by Victor offer the same effect and convenient cone-shaped package as the item by Sweenie. However, it’s available in a 1-container package, which costs much cheaper, letting you treat a small infestation without overpaying.
You can make holes in the tunnel roof using the sharp plastic cone. Choose this solution if you don’t have any extra equipment, and there are just a few burrows on your land.
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Buyer’s Guide
The first thing that you should ensure is that the poison is attractive enough to compete with other natural goodies that gophers can find around your yard. The remedy will simply not work if gophers don’t eat on time.
These rodents are very clever and can get very suspicious if there’s something new around, so the temptation must be strong enough to fool them. It’s also recommended to choose the treatment that won’t attract your pets and non-pest animals to prevent them from poisoning.
Give preference to products that have mostly positive reviews and don’t include chemicals prohibited by the law. It’s also beneficial when poison comes in a container that’s convenient for application without a third-party dispenser.
Related Post: Best Gopher Traps Reviewed
How Does Gopher Poison Work
All gopher pesticide types have similar work mechanisms. First of all, the target has to eat it. It’s impossible to achieve a lethal effect otherwise. Most products contain zinc phosphide, which is an effective alternative to the extremely dangerous strychnine.
Zinc phosphide starts a chemical reaction when it contacts the stomach acid. The process results in the production of highly toxic phosphine gas that penetrates the blood system and kills small mammals that ate it very fast.
How to Poison Gopher
The first thing that I want to recommend is to use a dispenser. It will help you to avoid direct contact with chemicals and let you carry the poison into the main tunnel of each burrow. Don’t ever try to do it with your hands to avoid bites and dangerous spills of chemicals.
Although dispensers are convenient, you should ensure that gopher poison pellets don’t get stuck within the dispenser pipe. It can’t happen if you are using round pellets but can occur with oblong seeds.
Your aim is to put deadly chemicals into the main tunnel of every burrow around the yard as it’s the best way to make rodents trust the bait and eat it. You can put the bait outside the burrows too, but it will expose your domestic animals to the potential hazard.
When the infestation is over, you should dispose of all the dead gophers properly. Wear gloves and dispose of trunks in sealed trash bags or used containers that are difficult to open for other animals. Next, you have to look for poison leftovers, remove all of them if possible, and destroy all burrows by digging them up and pouring water inside.
Using Poison for Gophers Correctly
Unfortunately, all anti-gopher products that contain zinc phosphide and strychnine are dangerous for all small animals and people. You must keep children and curious pets away from the area that requires pest control measures.
Keeping animals and people away from places of gopher activity, you protect them from bites and accidental poisoning. If your pet or child eats the bait anyway, you must induce vomiting and go to the doctor as fast as possible.
You can also give activated charcoal to reduce the intoxication level. Always read the unique instructions to the detoxing remedy to avoid side effects.
You should also put the minimal required amount of poison into the burrows to minimize the possible number of leftovers. If your area is accessible for animals of your neighbors, you must inform them about the infestation and tell them to keep their animals away from your yard until you finish treatment successfully.
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FAQ
What Does Gopher Poison Do?
Different types of poisons have unique effects on animals.
- Strychnine – it is a dangerous substance with an incredibly high penetration rate. It can kill the critter almost instantly so that the animal won’t be able to get back to its burrow. Unlike more modern agents, this one can last more than 10 days and remain active within the poisoned body’s stomach, blood, and even muscles. Learn all facts about strychnine before applying it.
- Zinc Phosphide – this chemical isn’t as severe as strychnine, but still very effective against rodents. It causes the production of a deadly gas within the digestive tracts of poisoned organisms. The gas penetrates blood vessels and kills the animal, without leaving traces that could lead to secondary poisoning if something eats the trunks.
What if My Puppy Eats Gopher Poison?
It’s important to protect your pets while using gopher baits. While your cats aren’t likely to eat something poisonous due to their natural prudence, dogs are exceptionally curious. It means that you have to keep them confined while treating the infestation to prevent them from digging into the mud piles and holes in the lawn.
How Long Does Gopher Poison Last?
Even the best gopher poison bait has a limited active period. In most cases, the remedy works from 5 to 10 days. If the critter is still alive after 10 days, it means that you have to repeat the treatment once again to ensure the consumption of the product.
Do Cats Eat Gophers?
Your well-fed home cat isn’t likely to hunt and kill gophers, because it doesn’t have the motivation to look for food. However, in some cases, domestic cats hunt for these critters just for fun.
Still, I’d recommend you to ward off your domestic cat from gophers as there’s always a chance for a cat to become a disease carrier by contacting with wild animal’s blood.
If your cat brings this critter to your door, throw the trunk away, congratulate your pet with something tasty, and bring it to the vet for blood analysis. As for feral cats, they are always happy to hunt and eat a gopher as it’s a very nutritious catch.
Ready to Fight
Now you know what the most reliable poisonous remedies against gophers are. You’re also aware of how to use them properly to achieve the needed effect as fast as possible and avoid harmful effects on your pets. Always use only legal and thoroughly tested products and follow the unique instruction on the package of the purchased item.
Have you tried poisoning gophers before? If yes, please, share your experience in the comments. If you know about other effective remedies, you’re welcome to tell about them as well. If you have any questions left after reading the article, leave them below, and I will gladly reply as soon as possible.
References:
- Pocket Gophers (Roger A. Baldwin, Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, UC Davis):
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7433.html - Facts About Strychnine (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services):
https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/strychnine/basics/facts.asp - How do I protect my pets while using mole/gopher baits? (Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency):
http://npic.orst.edu/faq/moles.html
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