Chasing Chipmunks

Getting rid of chipmunks can be a tiresome task.  I just received an email from Kawai who wrote:

I saved a baby chipmunk from my cat and I was going to put it in a box so it could rest and recover…but it got away and my cat chased it again, now it’s loose in my room.  What can I do to catch it?

Well Kawai, that’s quite the dilemma.  I too have battled chipmunks and so I have a few tricks to share that I think will help.

 

Chipmunks are ground dwellers and exist in the entire lower 48 states. Chipmunks thrive in suburban areas as well as parks and empty lots.  Chipmunks eat almost everything, so the first thing you should do is remove any possible food sources from your property.

Slugs, Snails, Insects, small birds, eggs, mice, seeds, fruit

Vegetables, seeds, flower bulbs, pet food

 

Chipmunks will eat all these and more if given the opportunity.

Outside pet food bowls, bird feeders, nut trees, gardens, flowers or insect colonies can all attract chipmunks.  Don’t let the cute chubby cheeks of a chipmunk charm you – chipmunk infestations can explode once they’ve moved into your property, they can be difficult to remove!

 

Before I cover ways to remove chipmunks from your premises, here are 10 reasons why chipmunks shouldn’t be welcomed guests:

 

1) damaged and destroyed garden vegetables and fruits

2) chipmunks devour seed in your bird feeders.

3) chewed up cable , air conditioning and electric lines.

4) burrows which can cause water damage to patios, driveways, crawlspaces and foundations

5) destroyed flowers, bulbs and other plants

6) Flea problems that transfer from chipmunks to your pets or inside your home

7) fungus growth in planting beds caused by tunnels filling with water

8) retaining walls weakened and damaged from tunnels and water damage

9) burrows near your foundation can attract termites

10) Chipmunks will inevitably attract snakes which will come looking for the chipmunks for food.

 

For around $20 and a quick trip to your hardware store you can purchase a small live trap.  Smear some peanut butter and bird seed onto the bait tray and place the trap under your deck or a bush – anywhere you’ve seen a chipmunk.

 

If you’d rather make your own trap take a 5-gallon bucker or similar container.  Fill the container ¼– ½ full of water.   Now, take a board and make a ramp leading to your bucket.  Have some wine corks lying around?  Place them in the bucket so they are floating on the water, disguising it.  Now sprinkle in some bird seeds and wait for the chipmunk.  He’ll jump after the seeds and then get stuck in the water.  You can then put a lid on the bucket and take your chipmunk for a little ride to a local park or forestry for release.

 

There are other ways to eliminate a chipmunk problem that I don’t recommend:

·         poison peanuts

·         rat traps or glue traps

·         flooding tunnels with water or gasoline

 

Live trapping is the preferred, humane method for removing your chipmunk Charlie.

 

Well, that’s all for today.  Thanks for listening and if you have any comments or ideas, please send us an email the address is [e-mail].  To learn more about how House Help connects homeowners with reliable quality contractors, visit our website, www.freehousehelp.org.