Unwanted Guests? 11 Ways to Control What’s Attracting Chipmunks

What Attracts Chipmunks To Your Yard? There are quite a variety of troubling rodents that may cause issues throughout your garden and all over your property, although several homeowners despise mice, rats, Ground squirrels, Possums, and even moles.

The chipmunk, on the other hand, is a rodent that many people ignore.

Chipmunks belong to the same family as squirrels (Sciuridae), although they are relatively small and prefer to live on the ground.

Chipmunks can climb yet prefer to roam and eat on the land surface, where they dwell in deep holes they create.

This little rodent is adorable and exciting to observe in action, however, it may cause issues within your lawn and yard.

When chipmunks are posing difficulties around your house, you’ll need to understand what exactly draws them to your yard like pet food, human food plant birdseed, etc, and also ways to deal with chipmunks.

Quick Answer

Chipmunks are attracted to yards that provide easy access to food, water, shelter, and nesting locations. Common attractants include birdseed, pet food, flower bulbs, nuts, berries, vegetable gardens, wood piles, dense ground cover, and burrowing areas. Reducing these attractants is one of the most effective ways to discourage chipmunks in your yard.

What Do Chipmunks Appear Like?

To truly understand methods to remove chipmunks, you must first understand what they seem like. Appropriate identification would further assist you in selecting the best removal method.

• Chipmunks have always been little rodents that range in size from 5 1/2′′ to 6 1/2′′.
• Chipmunks have brown fur with black stripes along their shoulders and lower body, and also a white line along the center of their back.
• Chipmunks‘ distinct color serves as a disguise in the environments in which they live.
• Chipmunks, notwithstanding their adorable look, are conceivably harmful pests since they may transmit infections to people.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chipmunks could spread dangerous diseases such as tularemia as well as the plague, all of which could very well have catastrophic repercussions for people.

Therefore, should you feel driven to offer the chipmunk within your garden a brief embrace, do not really?

What Are the Differences Between Both a Squirrel And a Chipmunk?

Here’s a table showing the differences between squirrels and chipmunks:

Feature	Squirrel	Chipmunk
Tail	Long and bushy	Shorter and less bushy
Size	Generally larger (10-20 inches)	Generally smaller (4-7 inches)
Color	Varies (gray, red, black)	Reddish-brown with distinctive stripes
Stripes	No stripes on the back	Stripes on the back and face
Habitat	Trees and urban areas	Ground burrows and forests
Diet	Nuts, seeds, fruits, insects	Nuts, seeds, fruits, small insects
Activity	More active during the day (diurnal)	Mostly diurnal but can be crepuscular
Cheek Pouches	Not present	Present for storing food

Size

• Chipmunks are generally smaller than squirrels. The body of a squirrel ranges in dimension between 9 to 12 inches.
• They have quite a tail which adds an extra 12 inches to their whole size! A chipmunk’s overall length ranges between 3 to 5 inches.
• The Chipmunk’s tail extends its overall size by 3 to 5 inches.

Habitat

• Squirrels prefer to dwell in wooded areas or playgrounds. They construct their nesting sites somewhere within trees or upwards amid the branches.
• Their environment provides a haven for their offspring as well as protection from enemies.
• Chipmunks may be found in deserts, woodlands, and even mountainous areas. They particularly reside inside burrows with a network of passages.
• These little rodents may construct tunnels in which to raise their babies, stockpile food, plus stay hidden from enemies.
• Chipmunks can utilize buried drainage pipework as their network of tunnels in certain suburban regions.

Appearance

A chipmunk’s skin is covered with brown fur. This animal is distinguished by its black and white patterns on its rear and shoulders.

Squirrels have gray and otherwise brown fur on their backs and heads, plus white hair on their bellies. There are no patterns on it.

Lifespan

• In the forest, tree squirrels may live for roughly 12 years, but chipmunks may survive for approximately 6 years.
• Researchers thought squirrels live longer since they are nimble and also can break away by climbing trees, which most attackers cannot pursue.
• The chipmunks reside on the land surface and are therefore simpler to grab by predators. Furthermore, chipmunks face a broader range of predators.

Diet

• Each of these Sciuridae species consumes nuts as well as seeds. Chipmunks, on the other hand, consume berries plus bugs.
• Squirrels consume bugs on occasion, however, they are classified as herbivores, whilst chipmunks are classified as omnivores.
• These creatures, the same as other animals, would take whichever meal is most available in their environment.

Hibernation

• Over the cold season, chipmunks fall into a semi-sleep.
• That suggests they hibernate for a couple of days before going out to find food and dispose of excrement.
• Squirrels, on the other hand, devote the fall to building fat for their bodies and stockpiling nourishment so they wouldn’t have to rest or hibernate during the colder climates months.

What Attracts Chipmunks To Your Yard?

Chipmunks have always been common in picnic spots and campgrounds; however, they are also common in suburban as well as rural home gardens.

They, as with most rodent pests, are drawn to food sources. Among these typically involve, and are not restricted to:

What Attracts Chipmunks The Most?

Attraction	Risk Level
Birdseed	Very High
Pet Food	Very High
Flower Bulbs	High
Acorns & Nuts	High
Fruit Trees	Medium
Compost Piles	Medium
Water Sources	Medium
Wood Piles	Medium
Dense Shrubs	Medium

Chipmunks create burrows that can be close to 30 feet deep. Chipmunks lay their eggs and raise their young inside the burrows.

• Chipmunk invasions are unusual in a particular location since these animals are possessive and stay competitive for shelter.
• Chipmunks can, nevertheless, be seen in groups of approximately 20 inside a garden.
• Although chipmunks normally have 4 to 10 children a year each, the young chipmunks are obliged to leave the nest at around 10 weeks of age.
• When there is no place for them around, they must seek shelter somewhere else.

When it’s the chilly period and you believe you’ve addressed your chipmunk situation, don’t be too quick to rejoice; chipmunks remain mainly inactive and remain within their holes between mid-fall and early spring.

Whereupon they resurface to resume looking for sustenance. Throughout the cold weather, they depend on their meal reserves.

Checking for Chipmunks As Well As Chipmunk Holes

While you look for solutions to your concern about ways to clear out chipmunks, you will discover that you have several alternatives.

Once you’ve discovered what chipmunks seem like as well as what draws them to your property, the next phase is to understand when and how to check for chipmunks.

• These rodents are particularly operative throughout the day, and they are frequently seen throughout the mid-morning as well as mid-afternoon.
• Begin your hunt for these creatures at a period of the day when you anticipate they will be operative.
• Discovering chipmunk tunnels inside your yard will boost your likelihood of encountering one. Chipmunks are fiercely defensive of their tunnels and will make sounds if you go too near.
• Chipmunk’s burrows are tiny holes on the surface that are commonly seen around footpaths.

It is unusual to experience chipmunk trouble inside your home. These creatures prefer to remain outdoors, although they do sometimes make their way inside.

According to the Humane Society, a certain chipmunk inside your house does not intend to be there but is only looking for a way out.

Signs Chipmunks Are Living In Your Yard

Look for these common signs:

• Small chipmunk burrows
• Missing flower bulbs
• Disturbed mulch
• Disappearing birdseed
• Nuts and seeds being carried away
• Small holes near patios and walkways
• Frequent chipmunk sightings

Approaches to Getting Rid Of Chipmunks

Chipmunks can be controlled in a variety of methods, which would include prevention, catching, and releasing, plus the use of DIY chipmunk sprays.

Since tiny chipmunks seem to be rodents, several of the identical measures employed to manage them are also applied to remove mice, rats, as well as squirrels.

Exclusion with prevention, on the other hand, has been the most compassionate and frequently the most successful approach.

1. Exclusion

To limit chipmunk disruption and occupancy, the Humane Society as well as other wildlife experts propose implementing adjustments to your yard. The fundamental suggestions are as follows:

• To deter ground chipmunks from digging, put L-shaped constraints of ¼ inch thread fabric (and perhaps other blocking stuff) along your home’s foundation, and also walkways, terraces, patios, balconies, and concrete structures.
• Plant-free pebble borders can be used to enclose your yard or property.
• Place flower bulbs underneath a covering of ¼ inch thread fabric or inside bulb cages to keep chipmunks from ripping them up. Soil should be applied to the fabric. Plants will grow above the fabric grid, however, the bulbs would be safe.
• Around yards and flowers, use 1/4-inch weave hardware linen as a fence.
• Maintain firewood, leaves, and waste stacks far from your house to prevent chipmunks from starting tunneling behind the stack, and perhaps underneath the structure.
• Allowing trees, bushes, or other plants to stretch continually from forested areas toward your residence can attract chipmunks.

2. Trapping And Releasing

Trapping or even sending a chipmunk further away from your house is an acceptable option to cope with a very tenacious critter.

Before endeavoring to catch a chipmunk, research your local rules and guidelines for moving chipmunks within your region.

Relocating might not even be permitted in all jurisdictions. Consider these simple guidelines for capturing and moving a chipmunk:

• Use a tiny trap (about 10 or 20 inches in length) with thin wire mesh to prevent a chipmunk from escaping.
• Set this trap in locations where chipmunks are observed to converge, such as along roads and nearby holes. Spots under the enclosure are preferable to exposed regions.
• Prepare the trap such that chipmunks won’t be able to get it from somewhere else.
• Adding peanut butter straight to the trigger serving dish of the trap typically works effectively.
• Inspect your trap regularly, and remove the critter as pretty shortly as it is caught.
• It should be released in an appropriate environment at approximately 5 miles beyond your house, or as required by local legislation.

3. Repellents

There are very few repellents that have been expressly approved for application towards chipmunks, thus their usage is rather debatable.

The Humane Society, on the other hand, claims that packaged repellents that claim to be able to deter squirrels will likewise repulse chipmunks.

Here under are a few squirrel repellents:

• Thiram is used to treat plant roots, shoots, and bark.
• Placement of mothballs and perhaps flakes (Naphthalene) inside gardens is an option for chipmunks’ repellents.
• To produce a DIY chipmunk repellent, use the following ingredients: 1 tablespoon of Lysol, 4 liters of water, plus 3 ounces of Epsom salt.

What Effects Do the Seasons Have On Chipmunks?

Striped chipmunks, the same as other creatures, possess their biological clocks as well as a primitive understanding of the seasons.

Meal accumulations speed up throughout the autumn as chipmunks brace for the winter seasons.

Autumn and Winter

Whenever winter approaches, so does a period of the dormant stage. Chipmunks, on the other hand, do not hibernate throughout winter.

They withdraw inside their tunnels and go into a dormant condition, relying on their food storage.

Summer and Spring

Chipmunks end up leaving their burrows during early spring throughout their first of two breeding periods.

Once the weather warms up, they emerge from their tunnels and run around above the land surface, staying within a quarter of a mile of them.

Their second mating season occurs amid the summer weather.

The Predators of Chipmunks

Most animals rely on these cute chipmunks as a form of food. As a result, it has a massive range of enemies.

Hawks, weasels, snakes, rodents, coyotes, raccoons, and owls are a few examples. Chipmunks do, nonetheless, occasionally fall victim to house cats.

Most of these animals’ predators seem to be agile and dwell in similar environments.

• A coyote could follow and creep up behind a chipmunk when it is feeding outdoors.
• A hawk could quickly spot a critter hunting for meals on the land surface and dive downwards to capture it.
• Even as chipmunks try to flee, a snake might keep pursuing it by pursuing it into its burrow.
• It’s not unusual to come upon these creatures dead on the side of the street. They reside in the very same neighborhoods as several humans, making them exposed to speeding cars and trucks.

When Can You Hire a Professional to Clear Out Chipmunks?

Without any genuine expertise or insight, it might be tough to clear chipmunks off yourself.

If you are unable to work out ways to remove chipmunks inside your yard, it is necessary to contact a professional.

A competent exterminator can further employ a systematic evaluation as well as a treatment strategy that is tailored to your specific circumstances and has been proven to work in the past.

This would assist them in determining the location of the chipmunk tunnels and whether they pose a hazard to your property.

Furthermore, the specialist will build a focused plan of approaches that match your demands, which might involve whether or not you own plants and companion animals to safeguard and if either the chipmunks found their way into your home.

While their tried-and-true methods are more expensive than do-it-yourself approaches, they entail very little trial and error.

Prevention of Chipmunks Inside Your Yard

In conjunction with the restriction procedures described earlier in this article, there are several simple precautions you may take to avoid drawing chipmunks.

• Most significantly, do not leave food outside, particularly pet meals as well as birdseed, except it is inside rodent-proof enclosures.
• Remove possible concealment and food sources by clearing debris and rock heaps and pruning back plants far from the home.
• Instead of burying hardware cloth over flower bulbs, grow bulbs that chipmunks wouldn’t want to consume, including daffodils (Narcissus) and perhaps even allium.

Are Chipmunks Good For Your Yard?

Chipmunks are not always harmful. In fact, they can provide several benefits to your local ecosystem.

Benefits of Chipmunks

• Help disperse seeds throughout the landscape
• Consume some harmful insects
• Serve as food for local wildlife
• Contribute to natural biodiversity

Drawbacks of Chipmunks

• Dig up flower bulbs
• Damage vegetable gardens
• Create burrow systems
• Steal birdseed
• Disturb newly planted seedlings

Most homeowners choose to manage chipmunks rather than completely eliminate them.

What Time Of Day Are Chipmunks Most Active?

Understanding chipmunk behavior can help you spot them before they become a major problem.

Chipmunks are most active:

• Early morning
• Mid-morning
• Late afternoon

Unlike many rodents, chipmunks are generally active during daylight hours.

This makes them easier to identify and monitor than mice or rats.

How Many Chipmunks Can Live In One Yard?

Most chipmunks are territorial animals.

A single yard may support several chipmunks if:

• Food is abundant
• Shelter is available
• Burrowing locations are plentiful

However, large populations are less common because chipmunks often defend their territories from one another.

Plants That Naturally Help Discourage Chipmunks

Some gardeners report fewer chipmunk problems around strongly scented plants.

Examples include:

• Garlic
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Peppermint
• Marigolds
• Alliums

While no plant is guaranteed to stop chipmunks completely, these options may help reduce activity when combined with other prevention methods.

Chipmunk Prevention Checklist

Use this quick checklist to make your yard less attractive to chipmunks.

• Clean up spilled birdseed
• Store pet food indoors
• Remove fallen nuts and fruit
• Repair gaps under sheds and decks
• Trim dense vegetation
• Reduce wood and brush piles
• Protect flower bulbs with hardware cloth
• Remove standing water
• Monitor for new burrows
• Use humane deterrents when needed

Completing this checklist regularly can significantly reduce the chances of attracting chipmunks to your yard.

Expert Tip From GardeningLovy

In our experience, bird feeders are one of the biggest reasons homeowners suddenly notice increased chipmunk activity. Many gardeners focus on the chipmunks themselves while overlooking spilled birdseed underneath feeders. Regularly cleaning this area can significantly reduce visits from chipmunks.

FAQS: How To get Rid Of Chipmunks In Your Yard

Conclusion

The undeniable truth is that chipmunks are amongst the finest pests on this planet. However, they could still induce harm to your yard as well as possibly disperse disease.

This article covers things that Attracts Chipmunks To Your Yard, and a variety of humane solutions for repelling and clearing out chipmunks.