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Botta's Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae)
Botta's Pocket Gopher, California. Photograph by Ken-ichi Ueda - used with permission.. Some rights reserved. (view image details) 
Botta's Pocket Gopher, Zion National Park, Utah Photograph by M J Chalup. Some rights reserved. (view image details)
BOTTA'S POCKET GOPHER FACTS
DescriptionBotta's Pocket Gopher has smooth short fur. There is considerable color variation - they can be pale grey, brown, tan to almost black. The underside is slightly paler. The body is stocky with short legs with long front claws. The eyes and ears are small and the tail is bare at the tip. Pocket gophers have fur-lined external cheek pouches that are used for transporting food. The gopher can close its mouth behind its front teeth, so it can dig without getting dirt in its mouth. Other Names Valley Pocket Gopher Size Body length: 15cm - 28cm. Tail length: 4cm - 9.5 cm. Males are larger than females. Weight: males 140g; females 90g. Environment grassland, forest, mountain valleys, deserts, agricultural areas. Gophers dig a system of deep burrows and shallow tunnels. The deep burrows can be 1-3 meters below ground and contain nesting and storage chambers. Food roots, bulbs, tubers, plant stems and leaves. Breeding A litter of 3-7 (average 6) is born after a gestation period of 19 days. The young weigh 3g - 4g at birth and are weaned between 36 and 40 days. Range southern Oregon and central Colorado to central Mexico Classification
Relatives in same Genus Northern Pocket Gopher (T. talpoides) Home | Mammals | Reptiles | Birds | Insects | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Contact Us |