Use poison baits ONLY outside in areas protected from children and pets. The chipmunks' habit of storing food generally means that poison baits are carried to the burrow and homeowners will not see any immediate effect. These will need to be cleaned out regularly if you do not have gutter guards on the rain gutter. Exclude chipmunks from rain gutter down spouts with wire mesh coverings. Chipmunks are especially troublesome in clogging rain gutter downspouts, which can cause water to back up along foundation walls and soffits. Attach a screen to the bottom of a clothes dryer vent if the vent is near the ground. Seal holes where gas lines, cooling lines, electric cables, dry vents or cable TV lines enter the house. It is illegal in most states to release trapped animals on county, state or federal lands.Įxclude chipmunks from buildings whenever possible. Homeowners cannot trespass on other property to release trapped animals. Releasing live animals into unfamiliar territory is not recommended and usually results in high mortality among the released animals. Garden and feed stores generally sell these traps. Homeowners can use live traps such as Hav-a-hart® (No. Place snap traps perpendicular to the wall or near burrow entrances. Place traps along runways at burrow openings or in other areas of chipmunk activity. Peanut butter alone or mixed with oatmeal makes good bait. The large wooden-base snap traps used in rat control are effective in chipmunk control. Trapping is the easiest method to control chipmunks. Occasionally they will gnaw the bark from shrubbery. They will also dig up and consume flower bulbs. Individuals will gnaw into bags containing dog food or bird seed. Burrow system entrances and exits are kept free of excavated dirt.Ĭhipmunks eat grain (corn), nuts (acorns), seeds (sunflower or other seed in a bird seed mix), mushrooms, insects (caterpillars) and some carrion (dead animal tissue), although carrion is rare in their diet.Ĭhipmunks are territorial and rarely become abundant enough to cause a lot of damage, although populations can reach 20 individuals in a single urban yard. Openings are usually located at the base of stumps or fallen logs or beside large stones or walls. The Eastern Chipmunk has an extensive burrow system that may be 30 ft or more in length with one or more hollowed out cavities where young are reared. Food and protection offered by shrubbery, flowers and gardens attract chipmunks and allow them to become a pest that can threaten the appearance and well being of landscaping and flowerbeds. They are often found in open wooded areas with plenty of food-producing trees and bushes and can commonly be found along the edges of forests and in urban backyards. Chipmunks move quickly and are very alert to danger. They may be identified by three dark dorsal stripes on an otherwise reddish-brown coat and by their habit of running with their tail sticking straight up in the air. Chipmunks are primarily ground dwellers, but they do climb trees and shrubs for food and protection when necessary. The Eastern Chipmunk is a small rodent measuring 8 to 10 in. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
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