LIFE CYCLE:Gophers breed only once or twice a year, typically in the spring. The male will not mate until the following spring. The female gopher gives birth 1 to 10 babies per litter but the average has a gestation period of only 18 days and will have 3 or 4 young ones in a litter. The young develop rapidly and by 5 weeks are weaned and are ready to establish their own burrows.
Gopher’s eyes & ears are tiny, their tail is fairly short, they have large curved front claws, and the yellowish incisor teeth is always exposed in front. The ears are set far back on their head. Their front feet have long, sharp claws. They have brownish soft fur, large check pouches and flattened head. Their hairy tails are about 5 cm long and are used to navigate through tunnels when moving backwards. Gopher’s colour varies from white to black. The males are larger than the females and can nearly double their weight.
Gophers are small, destructive animals that live in burrows below the surface of the earth. Their days are spent creating extensive networks of subterranean tunnels. They create fan-shaped mounds that are often large and destroyed landscapes and leave stunned homeowners staring at their once immaculate lawns in disbelief.
The body length is up to 150-200 mm long and the tail length is about 25 to 51 mm. The weight averages about 250 gms. The Teeth may grow up to 14 inches.
The maximum lifespan of the gopher is approximate 2-3 years.