How to Manage Chipmunks

The Eastern chipmunk is found across eastern North America. They are small ground-dwelling rodents. Their fur is rusty red to chestnut brown with five distinctive, dark brown stripes down their backbone and sides. They also have a cream-colored strip on each side. Adults are 9 to 10 inches long and weigh about 3 ounces.

They eat both plants and animals, including acorns, sunflower seeds, plant bulbs, insects, birds’ eggs, and snails. Their tunnel system can reach up to 30 feet in length and consist of a complex network of tunnels and burrows, depending on the type and amount of cover in a given area. They make separate burrows for rearing young and storing food, along with other distinct burrows and escape routes. 

If they decide to take up residence in your landscape, they can cause trouble by digging up seeds, eating flower bulbs, or tunneling under foundations or patios. 

Homeowners have a few choices when it comes to controlling them. 

Exclusion

Use hardware cloth, caulk, and other materials to close openings to buildings. You can also lay hardware cloth in flower beds to prevent digging. 

Trapping

This method is very effective. Set live-catch, wire mesh traps or rat snap traps near the entrance or exit of their tunnel. You can buy these at garden and feed stores. Good baits include nut meats, sunflower seeds, and cereal breakfast grains. Check traps daily and release chipmunks at least one mile from the trap site. Keep in mind rat traps will kill the animal. 

For more information about chipmunks and how to control them, check out the information from our friends at University of Missouri Extension and the University of Georgia.