Question...what type of grass do prairie dogs eat ?

[NDAR15MAN]

I lived in North Dakota for a few years. Did some Prairie Dog hunting.
I never could get a specific answer to my question from ND folks always would say short grasses ? What the heck does that mean .... so will try here... Question... what is the names of the types of grasses prairie dogs eat ? They are not found every were only were certain grasses are. So please name types of grasses and food they eat. Was wondering what makes the perfect prairie dog townbut really wondering the names of these grasses prairie dogs eat. Thanks. Marty

 

[Bill K]

I have no idea for a answer to your question, but I bet if you contacted your local BLM or USFS biologist they could answer your question.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

From Wikipedia:

"Prairie dogs are chiefly herbivorous, though they eat some insects. They feed primarily on grasses and small seeds. In the fall, they eat broadleaf forbs. In the winter, lactating and pregnant females supplement their diets with snow for extra water.[7] They also will eat roots, seeds, fruit, and buds. Grasses of various species are eaten. Black-tailed prairie dogs in South Dakota eat western bluegrass, blue grama, buffalo grass, six weeks fescue, and tumblegrass,[7] while Gunnison’s prairie dogs eat rabbit brush, tumbleweeds, dandelions, saltbush, and cacti in addition to buffalo grass and blue grama."

If you want to read the primary literature, search for "prairie dog diet" on Google Scholar. For example, here is one result of that search:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3898704?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

 

[1lnbrdg]

Just feed them Lead, preferably copper jacketed.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Prairie dogs eat boat tail grass at ranges closer to 1k.. If you sneak up on them real close you can see them eating common flat back grass..

Ray

 

[NDAR15MAN]

ok. that helps me. boat tail grass , bluegrass, blue grama, buffalo grass, six weeks fescue, and tumblegrass, thanks. marty

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

ok. that helps me. boat tail grass , bluegrass, blue grama, buffalo grass, six weeks fescue, and tumblegrass, thanks. marty

If you want to plant boat tail grass, the seeds look like this:

 

[NDAR15MAN]

That’s a good one. Boat tail grass. Ha ha ha. I was just wondering on the types of grass. I hunt on a ranchers place that allways had a lot of prairie dogs now not so much and it looks like he re-planted a different type of grass for his cattle.
Like to get pictures of each type of grass prairie dogs eat. Thanks. Marty

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

Like to get pictures of each type of grass prairie dogs eat.

Google each one and click on "images". Plenty of good info out there.

 

[NDAR15MAN]

Ok will do. Marty

 

[Toddmack]

That’s a good one. Boat tail grass. Ha ha ha. I was just wondering on the types of grass. I hunt on a ranchers place that allways had a lot of prairie dogs now not so much and it looks like he re-planted a different type of grass for his cattle.
Like to get pictures of each type of grass prairie dogs eat. Thanks. Marty

While it may have happened, I highly doubt the rancher re-planted a pasture. %99.999999 chance that he's ever planted any grass unless he's put some crop land into the CRP program.

Edited to address your question. I've not been in too many dogtowns but all that I have seen were in Buffalo grass. These towns were all in KS.

 

[6xcshooter]

they each others dead bodies too

 

[Milo 2.0]

Green

 

[Rich Lee]

I lived in North Dakota for a few years. Did some Prairie Dog hunting.
I never could get a specific answer to my question from ND folks always would say short grasses ? What the heck does that mean .... so will try here... Question... what is the names of the types of grasses prairie dogs eat ? They are not found every were only were certain grasses are. So please name types of grasses and food they eat. Was wondering what makes the perfect prairie dog townbut really wondering the names of these grasses prairie dogs eat. Thanks. Marty

Prarie dogs will eat almost any kind of grass including alfalfa and wheat when its short and green. Where they reside depends more on the type of soil you have more than the type of vegatation. They will even eat a lot of different weeds and they keep it ate down so they can see preditors coming.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Same grass as cattle.

 

[odie]

PD eat about anything that grows even at times there own dead.

 

[NDAR15MAN]

I am sure it is different then the type of grass they have lets say in Iowa , ILL , WI , Etc. Just wondering what they like the best. I do know it seems like it is different than the grass found East of Mississippi river. I might have to ask a Biologist from ND or SD or MT. But thanks for trying. MD

 

[OKyote73]

Here in western OK they seem to like buffalo grass and blue gramma. I believe this is because these are high in nutrition but more importantly low in stature. I think they reside where these short statured grass species live more for the ease of "removal" due to safety. We also have CRP grasses but the PD's only touch on the edges of these crops more than likely due to the "safety" factor. I also believe soil type plays a big role, some Sandy country around here but few PD's located there. They like more firm types of soil locations which plays back into grass species which grow better on firmer soil types, i.e. buffalo and blue gramma where I'm located. We call it short grass prairie...

 

[ranger3]

They like the grass to be short but they don't seem to be fussy about the variety of it.

 

[rogina]

I lived in North Dakota for a few years. Did some Prairie Dog hunting.
I never could get a specific answer to my question from ND folks always would say short grasses ? What the heck does that mean .... so will try here... Question... what is the names of the types of grasses prairie dogs eat ? They are not found every were only were certain grasses are. So please name types of grasses and food they eat. Was wondering what makes the perfect prairie dog townbut really wondering the names of these grasses prairie dogs eat. Thanks. Marty

Here in Montana, they will eat any grass but not skunk weed or russian thistles.