Cheetah Industries, Paso Robles, California, USA 93446 (805) 227-0624  M-F, 9AM-5PM, PST     www.cheetahrodentcontrol.com     deborah@cheetahrodentcontrol.com

Cheetah Guide for Eradicating Squirrels, Prairie Dogs and Groundhogs

The Cheetah’s 2-cycle engine produces carbon monoxide (CO) which is the lethal gas that asphyxiates burrowing animals. Open rodent burrow systems are associated with ground squirrels, prairie dogs, groundhogs, and badgers, among others. Tunnel entrances are open and interconnect underground with one another. Burrow size can run from 15 feet to over 200 feet in total tunnel length. The  method of fumigation is the same for all rodents except with the length of fumigation time which directly relates to the size and weight of the rodent

Tips to improve kill rate and reduce labor time -

1. Sometimes there are hundreds of tunnel entrances in a area but only a few rodents above ground at any time.  To save labor it is advisable to target only the rodents that you see dive down into their burrow.
2. If you are having trouble eliminating all rodents from a particular burrow add a few minutes to the treatment time. Do not run longer than 15 minutes per entrance.
3. Having tunnel entrances dug out days after treating a burrow is not necessarily an indication that your fumigation efforts failed. Rodents that were either missed or in areas that were not accessible will open up treated tunnels entrances within days. This is normal due to their feeding and exploratory range, which is approximately 300 to 400 feet.
4. For large burrow systems it is advisable to treat more than one tunnel entrance. Survey the burrow and pick two or three tunnel entrances that will be fumigated. These entrances should be more than 25 feet apart. Fill in with soil all tunnel entrances that are within 15 feet of the tunnel you are fumigating.
5. It is the operators responsibility to check with their state, and local jurisdictions to make sure which pests can be taken using carbon monoxide and ensure that non targeted species are not harmed.
6. The efficacy rate for first time fumigation is from 80% to 85%. Reinfestation times vary and may not occur for as long as 3-6 months. Normally you can tell when rodents have returned when you see fresh soil at their entrances and when you walk up to them they scurry into a nearby tunnel instead of running off your property to seek shelter.
7. Never treat a rodent tunnel that might exit into a building.
8. Hearing and eye protection should be used when operating the Cheetah.

Ground Squirrel

Prairie Dog

Groundhog

Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. The five different species of prairie dogs are: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In the US, they range primarily to the west of the Mississippi River, though they have also been introduced in a few eastern locales.

On average, these stout-bodied rodents will grow to be between 12” to 16” long, including the short tail, and weigh between 1 and 3 lb. Prairie dog burrows are 15 to 35 ft long and 6 to 10 ft below the ground. The entrance holes are generally 4” to 12” in diameter and can have up to 6 entrances. Sometimes the entrances are simply flat holes in the ground, while at other times they are surrounded by mounds of soil either left as piles or packed down hard. Some mounds, known as dome craters, can be as high as 12”. Other mounds, known as rim craters, can be as high as 3’.

Prairie dog tunnel entrances are always left open and interconnect underground with one another. Fumigation is very effective on prairie dogs and is easy to accomplish.

Black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison’s prairie dogs are typically classified as unprotected or nuisance animals, allowing for their control without license or permit. The Utah and Mexican prairie dogs are classified as threatened and endangered species, respectively. Contact your local wildlife agency for more information.

How to use the Cheetah on Tunneling Rodents

• Pick a tunnel entrance that is centrally located among the group of burrow entrances.
• Insert the flexible exhaust tube into the tunnel entrance and cover with a few inches of soil.
• Start engine then pull the throttle trigger approximately ¼ inch.
• Rotate the cruise lever back until it stops, release the throttle.
• Fill in with soil all tunnel entrances that are within 15 feet of the tunnel you are fumigating.
• After 4 to 5 minutes for squirrels and 8 minutes for prairie dogs, and groundhogs, push the cruise control lever forward and remove the exhaust tube.

… fast, efficient, deadly