F.A.Q.

Prairie Dog Pros meets industry standards on all required Automobile and General Liability insurance. We can provide a certificate of insurance at your request.

Prairie Dog Pros is licensed through the Colorado Department of Agriculture and we comply with all federal, state and local guidelines.

They are not on the endangered species registry. However, some cities and counties in the State of Colorado have put restrictions on what control methods can be provided within their borders.

All labels pertaining to the use of Aluminum Phosphide clearly state that the applicator must check the “ Pesticide Bulletin For Endangered Species “ and perform a pre-control survey before work begins. The purpose for these requirements is to protect non-target wildlife as well as endangered species from the potential hazards of a fumigation treatment. Pre-control surveys allow us to survey the treatment area and establish property lines, potential obstacles and restrictions indicated by the fumigant label. The label of all Aluminum Phosphide products clearly states that there shall be no application of this product within one hundred feet of a structure that is or could potentially be inhabited by a human, livestock or domestic animal. We will strictly follow this and all other label requirements.

If our clients need pre-control survey documentation from a certified biologist we will be happy to refer you to the appropriate resources.

We guarantee that we will treat all active prairie dog burrows on your property during the initial treatment. We also guarantee that we will perform a follow up treatment – within ten days – where we will retreat any prairie dog burrows that were possibly missed or reopened by predator animals searching for a meal.

Prairie Dog Pros, LLC will not guarantee any and all treatment areas that have surrounding properties with active live prairie dog colonies ( towns ). We strongly urge property owners to do their best to make prairie dog management a community effort. Properties with live prairie dog towns left untreated that are bordering their property will experience immediate reinvasion of their property. Customers considering prairie dog management and control measures should align their expectations on all possible treatment methods and their outcomes before treatment begins. Considerations on possible treatment outcomes should include:

• Weather conditions out of our control.
• Non cooperative neighboring properties.
• Moisture conditions inside treated burrows.
• Restricted treatment areas as per label directions.

There are many circumstances that will determine the outcome of a prairie dog fumigation service and its effectiveness. A written pre-control survey outlining the potential success and failure will be supplied to the customer for signature before work begins.

Black tailed prairie dogs are highly social animals. Population density varies from 5 to 35 prairie dogs per acre with typically 30 to 50 prairie dog mounds per acre present on normal sized colonies. Colonies ( also called Towns ) are divided into wards which are typically 5 acres in size. Wards are further divided into coteries. Coteries typically consist of one adult male, one to four females and any offspring less than two years old. Coteries are typically one acre in size. Breeding in Colorado usually takes place in February through March. Gestation is 28 to 32 days with young born in March through May. Black tailed prairie dogs typically have one litter per year where 3 to 6 pups are born. Pups will generally emerge 5 to 6 weeks after birth to begin grazing on the surface. You can expect to see pups on the surface early May through June. The expansion of the existing prairie dog colony is difficult to estimate in a given year but it is not uncommon to see considerable growth and invasion into new areas. Natural barriers such as streams, roads, vegetation and dense tree lines will help control the spread of existing colonies. Having natural predators in your area will also help maintain some reduction in the prairie dog population. We recommend starting a prairie dog management plan right away to avoid higher costs later on.

Aluminum phosphide will react to atmospheric and ground moisture conditions to create phosphine gas. Phosphine gas can remain active inside a prairie dog burrow that has been sealed for up to 7 to 14 days under ideal conditions. The length of time the gas remains active will depend greatly on the moisture conditions inside the burrow at the time of application and the type of soil inside the burrow. Sandy loam soil conditions will leach the gases more readily while heavy clay soil conditions will hold gases inside the closed burrow for a much longer period. Soil and ground moisture are a significant factor in prairie dog fumigation services. We will apply the the lowest dosage rate possibleto effectively complete the fumigation service successfully.

We accept Visa, Discover, Mastercard and American Express. We also have the option to accept payment by ACH for your convenience.

Prairie dogs usually have a life span of three to five years although some females have been documented as living up to eight years under ideal conditions.

Grasses make up sixty to ninety five percent of a prairie dog’s diet. Prairie dogs will also eat forbs, seeds, roots and shoots of grasses. Prairie dogs will also occasionally consume grasshoppers and other invertebrates.

The daily water requirements for a prairie dog are usually met by the vegetation they consume.

Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs are buff, tan, or brown on top with pale buff coloring below. The tip of their tail will be black in color. Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs are about 11 to 13 inches in length and generally weigh 2 to 3 pounds. The Black-Tailed Prairie dog will rarely be found above 7800 feet above sea level and is found widespread below 6000 feet above sea level. There are two other types of prairie dogs which are generally found at higher elevations called the White-Tailed Prairie Dog and Gunnison’s Prairie Dog.

There are three types of plague – bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic. Bubonic plague is the most common and is very treatable in humans if caught early. Plague can become a problem inside of a prairie dog town. Prairie dogs are not known to be carriers ( or reservoirs ) of plague but actually fall victim to the disease. The disease is maintained in other wildlife species and periodically devastates a prairie dog population. Once plague enters a prairie dog colony the disease normally kills all of the prairie dogs present in the colony. The bigger threat to humans and domestic pets is the flea associated with the prairie dogs. Almost all prairie dogs have fleas and these fleas can bite humans and pets potentially infecting them with plague. It is advisable that you and your pets not roam through prairie dog colonies. Your pets can potentially pick up fleas and bring them into your living environment. Dogs are mostly immune to plague but cats are extremely susceptible to the disease. Most of the time there should be little concern if the prairie dogs in the colony nearby are visibly active and healthy. There should be some concern if the prairie dogs start dying or disappearing without evidence that human control methods have taken place.

No, Aluminum phosphide tablets will break down into the harmless elements of Phosphoric Acid and Aluminum. Both are harmless to the environment.