Questions and Information on Git-R-Done Pest Control Inc.

Frequently asked questions on Black Tailed Prairie Dogs - more information.

Black Tailed Prairie Dog – Licensing – Credentials – Pest Control Services – FAQ.

Are you properly licensed to provide wildlife services?

Yes, we carry all the necessary licensing and comply with all local, State and Federal regulations.

 
Commercial Applicator License: Commercial Applicator License from the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture

Do you have the proper insurance coverage?

Yes, we carry $2,000,000.00 of general liability insurance.

Certificate of Liability Insurance

What training or qualifications do you or your technicians have?

We more than met the amount of training required by the Colorado State Department of Agriculture in both classroom and field experience. The owner is and old farm boy who has been controlling nuisance wildlife throughout his lifetime (School of Hard Knocks has taught us well).

When you guarantee your work and have to go back a second time, you make changes in your operation. Our first 4 prairie dog towns in 2007 had to be done a second time. Since 2007 we have had to retreat one prairie dog town because the landowner covered the holes immediately after we left the first time. Although it was his mistake, we didn’t charge for the second treatment.

How much does it cost for your prairie dog removal or control services? What's your pricing?

Please call Git-R-Done Pest Control for current pricing information. Prairie Dog Removal Contract Document Updated March 2016

I view Set Up and Inspection Fees very similar to the fees used car dealer use, they are nothing more than added profit. There are no added fees when dealing with Git-R-Done. I’m not a used car salesman and never want to be compared to one.

Do you accept credit cards for payment?

Yes; we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.

Do you guarantee your prairie dog removal services?

Our guarantee to you is that you will receive a complete wildlife service with humane consideration to the animals. If you have neighbors with prairie dogs around your property we cannot guarantee control on your property. If you are surrounded, they will cross into to your area, eat bait that was for your prairie dogs, and start relocating immediately. We suggest your neighbors treat at the same time.

A lady who had 178 burrows talked her neighbors into treating and we ended up doing over 18,000 in her area. Typically with the Rozol we will achieve greater than 95%, near 100%, please refer to our Testimonials; I have additional contacts with local government etc. that use our services for information on our effectiveness. No one can guarantee the effectiveness of the other methods. Feb 14, 2016 I retreated at no charge and area east of Denver, DOT property is located on the west and south side and they had re-infested his property following an October treatment, we treated about 40 burrows the initial treatment for over 4000 burrows. Happy customer!

How do you keep track of the number of burrows treated?

(A) Rozol, electric and mechanical counters.
(B) Aluminum Phosphide we use paper bowls to fill the burrows and keep track of the number.
(C) Carbon Monoxide we count of sticks used.
(D)We do not treat with Zinc Phosphide for prairie dog eradication in Colorado, in our opinion there is a higher risk to the environment and non-target animals and possibility of a low efficacy.

How do I get in touch with my technician once prairie dog trapping has started?

We will check the traps daily toward evening. If you see a prairie dog in a trap feel free to call, 970-371-0245 and I will give you additional numbers for my technicians.

We check messages often. You may call at any time of day or night. Please leave a message and we will return your call promptly.

You may also email Git-R-DonePestControl@hotmail.com if you have a non-emergency question.

Whom do I contact if I have a general question?

Feel free to call at 970-371-0245 or email Git-R-DonePestControl@hotmail.com. We do not use an answering service.

Git-R-Done Pest Management Considerations for Species Listed as Threatened and Endangered

Preble’s meadow jumping mouse is a threatened species, Git-R-Done Pest Control consults EPA Endangered Species Bulletin (ESB) to check for Preble’ mouse locations in Colorado, Preble’s mouse is in true hibernation by Oct 15st, treatment is delayed until after Nov 1st to be on the safe side.
While Western Burrowing Owl is not listed in (ESB), precautions are taken to reduce chance of harm while treating any area according to the burrowing owl protocol.

Black-Footed ferrets are an Endangered species in Colorado. Their listing in Colorado is Experimental Population, Non-Essential with restrictions in place for pest management in Las Animas County.

Are Prairie Dogs an Endangered Species?

US Fish and Wildlife Service

Are prairie dogs an endangered species?

How many prairie dog cages do you use?

We will use up to 100 traps with a minimum of one by each burrow for less than 100 burrows.

Do you relocate other Colorado wildlife animals?

No; in most cases we do not relocate. Unless you relocate a long distance, relocating is probably not a solution to your problem. Also, some animals are not allowed to be relocated: coyotes for example.

If you have someone that wants your animal, then we will relocate for a fee. Feral cats are taken to a local shelter.

Am I assured that the relocated animals won't come back?

No.

What method do you use if an animal must be put to sleep?

A method approved by the American Veterinary Association.

Will prairie dog catches in traps be picked up seven days a week?

Trapping is a seven day a week job, we will check tramps daily and remove all animals found. That is a reason for the high cost associated with trapping.

Can I trap and relocate animal species myself?

Yes, you may here is info from the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Colorado Wildlife Relocation download .pdf

Who is responsible for checking the prairie dog cages?

Git-R-Done Pest Control, Inc

Prairie Dog Facts

Prairie dogs are large burrowing ground squirrels. The length of an adult black-tailed prairie dog is approximately 14-17 inches with a black tipped tail. The weight ranges from 1 1/2 to 3 pounds with a life span of three to five years. Black-tailed Prairie dogs have reddish fur, large eyes, short ears and a broad round head similar to, another rodent, tree squirrels. (Rodents are distinguished by constantly growing incisors have no canine teeth and an inability to vomit or burp.) Individual appearances within species vary in mixed colors of brown, black, gray, and white. A white-tipped tail is characteristic of white tailed prairie dogs; all species are diurnal, burrowing animals. Black tailed prairie dogs do not hibernate, White-tailed and Gunnison’s prairie dogs hibernate from about October to March, depending on elevation while black-tail enter a state of tupor to conserve energy. White tail can be found from 6000 feet of elevation and above, black-tail are found below 7000 feet.

Families are composed of one adult male, three or four adult females and up to six pups, family units are called coteries.

Prairie dogs form colonies also referred to as prairie dog towns for protection from predators. According to Defenders of Wildlife the largest recorded town was in western Texas, both Wikipedia and National Geographic estimated the number at perhaps 400 million.

What do Prairie Dogs Eat?

Prairie dogs spend much of their time above ground eating and looking for plants to eat. They primarily eat grasses, forbs, and sedges that are present within their territory. Grasses make up most of a prairie dog’s diet on a grass-dominated prairie dog town.

Forbs, however, become more prominent in their diet during the fall as green grasses become scarce. They also clip tall plants to allow a better view of predators in their area. In preparation for colder weather, prairie dogs eat seeds and occasionally insects that are high in fat and protein. In the winter, black-tailed prairie dogs will eat any available parts of plants, especially the roots.

The paragraph content above is attributed to the following authors or sources.

Scott E. Hygnstrom, Professor and Extension Wildlife Damage Specialist
Dallas R. Virchow, Extension Project Coordinator—Distance Education, Wildlife Damage
© 2002 University of Nebraska, School of Natural Resources

Where Do Prairie Dogs Live?

Species of prairie dogs found in United States of America: the black-tailed (Cynomys ludovicianus), white-tailed (C. leucurus), Gunnison’s (C. gunnisoni), and Utah (C. parvidens) prairie dog. Cynomys means “dog-mouse,” which characterizes this group of rodents with the dog-like bark. The black-tailed prairie dog is the most abundant and widely distributed species of prairie dog. They occur across the Great Plains from southern Canada to northern Mexico and from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains eastward to about the 98th Meridian, usually at elevations below 6,000 feet. White-tailed, Gunnison’s, and Utah prairie dogs all have white-tipped tails. White-tailed prairie dogs live in arid grasslands and shrub-grasslands from 5,000 to 10,000 feet. They are about the same size as black-tailed prairie dogs, although females are considerably smaller than males. Gunnison’s prairie dog, the smallest of the species, inhabits open grassy and brushy areas from 6,000 to 12,000 feet. The Utah prairie dog is a threatened species and is currently limited to central Utah.

The paragraph content above is attributed to the following sources.

Scott E. Hygnstrom, Professor and Extension Wildlife Damage Specialist
Dallas R. Virchow, Extension Project Coordinator—Distance Education, Wildlife Damage
© 2002 University of Nebraska, School of Natural Resources

What is the Prairie Dog Lifespan?

With a gestation period of 28 to 34 days three to eight young are born in March and April. Young venture out when they are five to six weeks and at this time yearlings and a few adults disperse, mainly within two miles, twenty miles have been reported in Kansas. They live in burrows approximately 10 yards apart, depth range from 3 to 14 feet with a length of 10 to 100 feet. A density of 35 black-tailed prairie dogs burrows per acre common, 120 burrows per acre has been witnessed by Git-R-Done.

While Prairie dogs are cute, appear to warn others of danger and seem to be kissing they are in fact infanticidal cannibalistic murderers. Not all species of prairie dogs merit such horrendous accusations. However, thanks to work by John Hoogland, Behavioral Ecologist at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, who discovered cannibalism among black-tailed prairie dogs. “We noticed that almost all the females were mating, but very few were weaning babies,” said Hoogland, who began researching the rodents in 1974. The team also noticed females going into the burrows of their closest female relatives, and “when they come up, they frequently had some blood on their faces.” Mothers in those burrows stopped showing any signs of maternal behavior. Eventually, after much effort, “we found decapitated babies that had mostly been cannibalized down there,” Hoogland said. “Now we had the smoking gun.” Another species, the Utah prairie dog, also eats its young but the behavior is rare or non-existent in other species. “My guiding hypothesis,” he said, “is that competition is so extreme that sometimes natural selection favors prairie dogs to kill the offspring of close relatives because doing that raises the chances that their own babies make it. “In that sense,” Hoogland says, “it really is a dog-eat-dog world.” Posted by Liz Langley in Weird & Wild on January 14, 2014 from National Geographic.

Are Prairie Dogs Endangered?

According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Press Release 12/02/2009, prairie dogs occupied an estimated two million acres across the Western USA. That number has increased from 364,000 acres in 1961. Colorado Division of Wildlife report in 2006-2007 estimated 814,284 prairie dog occupied acres in Colorado and that number is growing every year.

Are Prairie Dogs Cannibalistic Animals?

Please visit to the following link to a report from National Geographic and form your own opinion.
 
Prairie Dog Cannibalism

Human Health Concerns

Plague can be transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected flea or by handling infected animals. Also known as “black death,” it was responsible for the loss of one-third of the human population in Europe in the 1300s, before the advent of modern medicine and hygiene. During the past decade, 10 to 15 cases of human plague have occurred each year in the United States, of which 13% were attributed to contact with prairie dogs or their fleas. Symptoms often resemble those of the flu, including chills, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. The disease is curable in humans if diagnosed and treated in its early stages. The risk of contracting plague from prairie dogs is small. Awareness and avoidance are the keys to protecting you and your family from exposure. Two other threats to humans in prairie dog towns are rattlesnakes and black widow spiders. Both are quite secretive and avoid contact with humans when given the chance, hut they can deliver painful and potentially dangerous bites if threatened or disturbed. Rattlesnakes often rest in prairie dog burrows during the day and move through towns at night in search of food. Black widow spiders are most often found in abandoned or infrequently used prairie dog holes where they form a web and have their young. Bites from these animals are rare. You can safely enjoy exploring prairie dog towns if you use a little caution.

The paragraph above is attributed to the following authors or references.

Scott E. Hygnstrom, Professor and Extension Wildlife Damage Specialist
Dallas R. Virchow, Extension Project Coordinator—Distance Education, Wildlife Damage
© 2002 University of Nebraska, School of Natural Resources

It has been reported to Git-R-Done Pest Control that house cats which have been allowed to roam free outside in plague areas are at risk of bringing the flea back into the house, thereby infecting the humans within. This came from a friend who’s friend contracted the plague and thought it was from his cat.

What can I do if wildlife is causing damage on my property?

Following is an excerpt from Colorado Parks and Wildlife

“ 1.) WHAT CAN I DO IF WILDLIFE IS CAUSING DAMAGE ON MY PROPERTY?
Statute 33-6-107(9) and Wildlife Commission Regulations (WCR) 306(A), WCR 1000(A)(5), WCR 313(C) & WCR 327 If wildlife is causing damage to crops, real or personal property, or livestock – a person (or any employee or agent of the landowner) may hunt, trap, or take the following wildlife on lands owned or leased by the person without securing a license to do so:
• Black-billed magpies, common crows, starlings, English or house sparrows, common pigeons, coyotes, bobcats, red foxes, raccoons, jackrabbits, badgers, marmots, Prairie Dogs, pocket gophers, Richardson’s ground squirrels, rock squirrels, thirteen-lined ground squirrel, porcupines, crayfish, tiger salamanders, muskrats, beavers, exotic wildlife, and common snapping turtles.
• Additional species include: tree squirrels, cottontail rabbits, marmots, porcupines, bats, mice (except Preble’s meadow jumping mouse), opossums, skunks, voles, rats, and ground squirrels. “