Who Has Gassed Rats / Voles or Other Underground Pests?

TomJoad

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Jul 13, 2020
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420
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CO
I lived in Oceanside CA for a while and had extensive battles with pocket gophers in our yard. I tried just about everything and would catch them or kill them in a few at a time but there was no catching up. Eventually I got so frustrated I rolled my Ducati into the back yard (no cat) and used a silicone tube to go from exhaust into one of the holes. I didn’t block or board up anything else, just started the bike and let it idle. Killed every damn one in 20 min. Didn’t have a single disturbance for an entire year. First sign of a new hole, I repeated the same procedure with the same result. Too easy.
 
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IDLassie

Lil-Rokslider
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May 11, 2018
Messages
126
Location
Idaho
You have to be careful with the Rodentator.
You can crack tile ditches, Underground irrigation main lines and foundations around houses.
Seen it happen to many times.
 

bradyhunt

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 27, 2021
Messages
112
Location
Durango, CO

The detonator thing doesn't work well, I've used it at scale in personal ag property.

Have also used tractor implement that builds tunnel and drops poison, works ok.

Have used different poison baits applied by hand to fresh holes, maybe 10% efficiency.

What has been VERY effective is aluminum phosphide pellets, technically a fumigant and in my state, very regulated.
 

SonnyDay

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Jul 22, 2019
Messages
597
I had a skunk under my coop a few years back. Luckily they aren’t terribly skittish, so I was able to come from upwind and nail him with a couple darts from the blow gun. Once he died, I bagged him and put him in a nearby dumpster. Only had to wash my clothes twice!
 
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TX_Diver

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May 27, 2019
Messages
2,590
Kind of need to identify the pests. Some rodents do not have the ability to expel gastric gases (fart) and a mixture of 50% baking soda, 25% cocoa powder like you make hot chocolate with and 25% powdered sugar. They I get it and the baking soda off-gases and those guys expose. Works gray in my shop.
Probably rats if I had to guess.

Leaning towards trying the car exhaust adapter as it seems least impactful to anything not in the tunnels (chickens, dogs, kids, etc.).

The gopherhawk looks good also and I may try that too if still needed.
 

Brewski

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 12, 2018
Messages
172
I use the gopher hawk and have killed alot of gophers. Don't use poison if you have dogs.
 
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Messages
354
We've had great success with an ozone generator in our storage room, it might be plumbable into a tunnel. Alternatively, dry ice would displace all the oxygen in the tunnels, and would accidentally explode.
 

BluMtn

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Joined
Nov 24, 2016
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1,050
Location
Washington
I really really want this


Even if it doesn't solve the problem it would sure feel like I'm fighting back
I had one of those Propane wands. You find a hole and shove it in and I would count to 30 (For 30 seconds) and hit the igniter. It would lift about 25' of tunnel. ONE time I let it run for about 5 minutes and hit the igniter. It blew dirt about 20' in the air for about 100'. It rained dirt for what seemed like 15 minutes and the concussion felt like Mike Tyson had punched me in the chest. I did not do that again. But once you get the timing figured out they work real well, I got rid of my gopher problem that summer and it was a while before they came back.
 

Extrapale

WKR
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
426
I have had great success using the exhaust adaptor and a rubber hose connected to my 2200 watt generator.

I also use a metal hose section that is about 36" long, into a hot water hose and finally a regular garden hose. The metal and hot water hose are to prevent hose melting.

My 1/2 acre was infested with voles. I run the hose into one hole and plug all the others with newspaper. Let it run for 30 minutes, move and repeat. They are gone. I occasionally get a hole show up, but I knock them out quick.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 
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TX_Diver

WKR
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May 27, 2019
Messages
2,590
I have had great success using the exhaust adaptor and a rubber hose connected to my 2200 watt generator.

I also use a metal hose section that is about 36" long, into a hot water hose and finally a regular garden hose. The metal and hot water hose are to prevent hose melting.

My 1/2 acre was infested with voles. I run the hose into one hole and plug all the others with newspaper. Let it run for 30 minutes, move and repeat. They are gone. I occasionally get a hole show up, but I knock them out quick.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

Generator is a good idea. I can get that a lot closer to the holes than my truck.
 

Extrapale

WKR
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Aug 29, 2012
Messages
426
Is there a best hose adapter? Was thinking of throwing one on my SS
They sell one at my local hardware store just for this purpose. It has steps from 4" down to 1". Cut off at the size you need.

I could not get it to stay on a v8. Not enough volume for the exhaust. Any single cylinder small gas engine would work.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 
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