If you’re facing a gopher problem in your garden, then perhaps you should do something quickly.
These rodents can destroy your favorite plants in just a few days and they are also known to carry diseases like rabies. Therefore it’s important to get rid of them on time and effectively.
Now, there are some commercial products which are easily available and known by everyone. But, what about some home remedies?
Does Juicy Fruit Gum Kill Gophers?
As we all know, bubble gum doesn’t have any type of poison in it that can specifically kill these pests. There is no scientific evidence about the working of this, but still, there are many people who claim that it works really well.
Believers of this home remedy say that when these rodents consume it, it gets stuck in their intestines, resulting in an intestine blockage, internal bleeding and ultimately death. Again, because of this, we recommend trying more well known and humane options first.
But not everyone can afford more expensive gopher killing products so it is still an option for some.
How to Use Juicy Fruit Gum to Kill Gophers
There are a lot of different suggestions out there on how to use Juicy Fruit. Some suggest using multiple full sticks of gum. Others claim you need to chew the gum first to soften it. Here’s one method that seemed to make more sense to us:
- First, you need to cut the bubble gum into various small pieces so that gophers can eat them. No larger than 1/2″ squares.
- With the help of a hand spade or shovel, dig into the gopher tunnels, slowly remove the soil from it, and place one or two pieces of gum in it.
- Put back the soil so that it doesn’t look suspicious to the rodents.
- Now, repeat steps 2 and 3 for any other active tunnels that you find.
If you do these steps right, then there’s a chance that it will work, and you’ll be able to kill gophers with chewing gum without much effort at all.
Related: Do Gophers Hibernate in Winter?
What to Do if it Doesn’t Work?
As we mentioned before, there’s no scientific proof that this home remedy actually works outside of urban legends. If you have a few spare sticks, there’s no harm in trying it. But what if it doesn’t work?
A more reliable commercial method is to buy some gopher traps such as GopherHawk or a cinch trap.
You can also contact some pest control professionals to take care of this problem for you.
- Includes Wedge and Probe tool
- Sets without digging up your lawn or garden
- No poisons or bait required
Home Remedies with a Better Track Record
At RMC, we have a lot of hands-on experience with home remedies.
Some of these are more effective than others, but no remedy (including commercial chemical options) are 100% guaranteed to work.
Here are two great remedies with an excellent success rate.
Coffee Grounds
As any fellow student knows, coffee is one of the most important parts of the day.
When you’ve finished brewing, consider setting the used grounds aside.
- If you use coffee filters, save the used ones as well, and if you use K-cups, cut the top open and dump the grounds out.
- Sprinkle the grounds on the ground or dump into the gopher holes.
- If you tear up the used filters, it will help the coffee turn to compost.
- Gophers and other critters will avoid the grounds due to their strong scent.
Peppermint Oil
Essential oils are an affordable and popular home remedy against all sorts of critters.
You only need a few drops in a spray bottle of water for it to be effective, and you can mix and match other essential oils for more potency.
Simply spray around the gopher holes to repel these annoying rodents.
Just remember to reapply every few days or after it rains.
Home Remedies You Should NOT Try
Here are a few remedies that are not only inhumane but possibly dangerous.
One horrible piece of advice is to stick a garden hose in your tailpipe and the other end into the ground, then run the car.
We shouldn’t have to point out why this is a terrible idea.
Another bad idea is to sprinkle poison pellets into the gopher mounds.
While this will be quite effective, it also means you’ll have a dead gopher rotting under your garden, which can lead to all sorts of unwanted infestations and a terrible smell.
You also run the risk of contaminating the soil or killing innocent critters.
Mothballs are the third terrible idea.
The characteristic smell of naphthalene is actually toxic, and even the newer mothball formula is dangerous for the environment.
Using these will create a strong smell that can make you or your family sick and contaminate the soil.
Mothballs are also a regulated substance and it’s illegal to use them improperly.
Get Rid of Gophers Through Pest Control
Trying to eliminate gophers with DIY remedies like bubble gum is a long shot which may or may not work.
However, in the case of a heavy gopher infestation, it is advisable to hire a professional exterminator who will efficiently remove these buggers from your property.
For more information, click the link below to get free quotes from various local Pest Control companies so that you can choose the right and most fitting pest control for your gopher infestation problem.
Final Words
So, now you know that Juicy Fruit gum or any bubble gum can theoretically be used to kill gophers on your property.
You just have to purchase a juicy fruit gum, cut it into small pieces, place inside the hole, and cover it with soil. If it works, then it’s the best gopher killer for you, because you’re not spending any big amount on these rodents.
However, there’s a good chance this method will fail to give you the desired results. In that case you always opt for more proven home remedies, commercial products, or professional help.
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How painful is it for the critter to die of ingesting chewing gum? I’m okay with killing gophers and moles, but I would like to do so as humanely as possible.
I had the same question. But it looks like the author was simply trying to answer the question regarding this myth (I’ve heard it before). Probably not much different than poison but I wouldn’t try it.
Intestinal blockages cause slow painful death, as do most poisons. At least with the gum it’s not as likely to hurt or kill anything that feeds on the carcass.