Habitat: Western pocket gophers prefer well drained farmland soil, which is easy to dig, but they also live in deserts and upland meadows. They usually travel at night. Gophers use their four incisors (chisel edged teeth at the front of the mouth) to cut away roots. They then dig the soil with the large claws on their forepaws. Their numerous burrows include nesting chambers as well as food storage areas. Each gopher fiercely defends its territory against other gophers, male and females, except during breeding season. Territories seldom overlap, but boundaries change as individual gophers search for food and water.

The male’s territory is between 250 and 300 square yards. It is often twice the size of the female’s territory but is still small for a mammal of this size. Where a male’s territory touches the territory of one or more females, burrows and nesting chambers may be shared during breeding, although each animal has its own tunnels. A gopher uses its forelegs to clear soil from a burrow entry. A tapering body lets the pocket gopher move easily through its burrows. Gophers may appear in winter, but usually they block their snow tunnels with soil.

Food and Feeding: Pocket gophers feed only on plants. Above ground, they eat leafy vegetation and often fill their cheek pouches to transport food underground. Below ground, they eat the juicy roots and tubers that they find when burrowing. The exact diet depends on the location, but pocket gophers eat mainly grasses and other fleshy plants. A gopher in a dry area often adds water rich cacti to its diet.

Breeding: Most female gophers breed at least once each season, but many males are infertile. Gophers in agricultural areas may breed year round and raise several litters, while those living among natural vegetation breed seasonally. Newborns are completely dependent. Cheek pouches open at about 24 days, eyes and ears two to three days later. Some species take up to 100 days to grow an adult coat. The young are weaned at 40 days but stay with the mother for about 60 days. Then they create shallow burrows nearby. Before the breeding season, they establish their own territory and dig a full size burrow system.

Key Facts:
Sizes:
Length: Male, 5-9 in. Female smaller
Weight: 2-14 oz. Male usually twice the weight of female

Breeding:
Sexual maturity: Male, 1 year. Female may breed at 10 weeks
Mating: Season and number of litters per year vary with location
Gestation: 17-20 days
No. of young: Usually 5

Lifestyle:
Habit: Aggressive. Separate territories except when breeding 
Diet: Leafy plants above ground, roots and tubers below
Lifespan: 4 years in the wild

Related Species: The 6 species of Thomomys are closely related to eastern pocket gophers of the genus Geomys.
Distribution: Found in North and Central America, from western Canada to the southwestern Untied States and Mexico.
Conservation: Many efforts have been made to control the population of western pocket gophers because they damage crops and irrigation systems. Their numbers remain high, however, because they reproduce at a rapid rate.

Special Features of Western Pocket Gophers:
Pouches: Extend back to the shoulder. Can be turned inside out for cleaning. Gopher packs them with food to carry back to its burrow.
Incisors: Used in burrowing. Lips can close behind them to keep soil out of mouth.
Feet: Powerful, with long claws to aid burrowing. Forelegs can push soil from burrow.
Tail: Sparsely haired. Gopher uses it to feel its way when it runs backward in burrow.

Did You Know:
Pocket gophers in areas with hard, dry soil tend to have bigger incisors than those in areas with soft soil.
Gophers can run as quickly backward as forward – both on and underneath the ground.
To clean soil from their eyes, pocket gophers “cry” a thick fluid from their tear ducks.
Separated by impassable mountain ranges, colonies of pocket gophers have evolved in complete isolation. For example, the valley pocket gopher has more than 185 recognized subspecies.
Gophers can promote plant growth by breaking up and aerating the soil, but large numbers can damage crops with their huge appetites and vigorous digging.

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