Prairie dogs can be a destructive nuisance. Because they are social animals, if you have one, you’re likely going to have a dozen or more—and if you don’t, you soon will!
So trapping and removing prairie dogs becomes a major concern. How do you do it?
You can try DIY, if you’re up for it. It is required that you use humane traps for prairie dogs, and then relocate them. The most common way to do this is to use a two-door trap baited with a suitable food. Horse sweet mix works well. Peanut butter is also recommended for trapping prairie dogs (just like baiting mouse traps).
However, you’re likely to find trapping prairie dogs is harder than you might think. Older prairie dogs are very suspicious of newly-introduced elements in their environment, making them hard to trap.
You also have to check the traps regularly to make sure the animals don’t spend too much time in the traps without food or water.
You also need to obtain a permit for trapping and relocating, which can be obtained through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife and should be obtained before you begin the process.
The most common species of prairie dog in Colorado, the white-tailed, Gunnison, and black-tailed prairie dog, are considered a nuisance animal, and you are allowed to shoot or poison them. However, shooting is generally an ineffective method of controlling the prairie dog population. Prairie dogs quickly become gun shy and it’s hard to kill enough of them to make a difference on a population of any size.
You can poison prairie dogs using poisoned baits, but you have to have an appropriate license to handle the poison. Poison gas can be used, but it’s not very effective, kills many other species, and requires a black-footed ferret survey before it is used.
Prairie dog removal can be accomplished much more quickly and surely by a professional. We have experience with trapping and we know how best to approach it to quickly reduce or eliminate the prairie dog population on your property.
If you are unhappy with prairie dogs on your property anywhere along the Front Range, from Fort Collins to Castle Rock and the entire Denver Metro area, please contact Animal Pest Control Specialist, Inc. today.
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