Less commonly, chipmunk burrows can undermine the earth below retaining walls, decks, patios, and other outdoor structures, and even under house foundations. Also, even though they live in their burrows, chipmunks will enter homes and other buildings in search of food. Most repellents that deter squirrels will also repel chipmunks. This includes solutions like anti-rodent spray, granular repellents to add in the soil, and taste-aversion repellents the contain Bittrex and thiram. Though they last a bit longer than natural repellents, these still need to be reapply regularly. Despite the trouble they can cause, chipmunks are cute little creatures that naturally live in our environments. If you don’t enjoy their company, here are four expert-approved ways to get rid of chipmunks without harming or killing them.
4 Ways to Get Rid of Chipmunks
Excluding
The Humane Society and other animal experts recommend making changes to your yard to reduce chipmunk damage and presence. The basic recommendations include:
Bury L-shaped barriers of 1/4-inch hardware cloth (or other barrier material) around the home’s foundation as well as sidewalks, porches, patios, decks, and retaining walls to keep chipmunks from burrowing. Surround the yard or home with a plant-free gravel border. Prevent chipmunks from digging up flower bulbs by planting the bulbs beneath a layer of 1/4-inch hardware cloth or in bulb cages. Cover the cloth with soil. The plants will sprout through the mesh grid, but the bulbs will be protected. Place 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth as fencing around gardens and flowers. Keep firewood and leaf and debris piles away from the home to keep chipmunks from burrowing beneath the pile (and possibly under the home’s foundation). Do not allow trees, shrubs, or other plantings to run continuously from wooded areas to the home, as this will draw chipmunks in.
Repelling
There are no repellents specifically registered for use against chipmunks, and the use of repellents is somewhat controversial. However, the Humane Society states that “commercial repellents that promise to repel squirrels will also repel chipmunks.” Some squirrel repellents include:
Thiram applied to plant bulbs, stems, or barkMothballs or flakes (Naphthalene) placed around gardensTo make a homemade chipmunk repellent, mix together:1 teaspoon Lysol, 3 ounces Epsom salt, and 1-gallon water
Trapping and Releasing
Trapping and relocating a chipmunk far from your home is an ethical way to deal with a particularly persistent animal. Check the local laws and recommendations for relocating chipmunks in your area before attempting to trap a chipmunk. Relocation may not be legal in all areas. Follow these basic tips for trapping and relocating a chipmunk:
Choose a small trap (approximately 10 to 20 inches long) with small wire mesh so the chipmunk cannot escape.Place the trap in areas of known chipmunk activity, including traffic paths and near burrows (if you can find them). Locations under cover are better than exposed areas.Bait the trap so that chipmunks cannot retrieve it from outside the trap. Applying peanut butter directly to the trap’s trigger plate often works well.Check the trap often, and relocate the animal as soon as it is trapped. Release it in a suitable habitat at least 5 miles from your home, or as specified by local law.
Protecting Bird Feeders
Chipmunks are ground feeders and are attracted to seed spilled from bird feeders. To help keep them away from bird feeders:
Regularly clean up spilled seed. Choose seed to which chipmunks (and squirrels) are not attracted, such as thistle. Place bird feeders at least 15 to 30 feet away from any structure. Follow standard steps to keeping squirrels away from bird feeders.
What Causes Chipmunks?
Chipmunks are a familiar sight on picnic grounds and campsites, but they’re also no strangers to backyards in suburban and rural areas. Like most animal pests, they’re attracted by food sources. These include but are not limited to:
Seeds from plants Birdseed Corn and other grains Acorns and other nuts Caterpillars and other insects Mushrooms Many types of human food Pet food Flower bulbs Bark (typically from shrubs) Carrion (less commonly)
Chipmunks dig extensive tunnels extending up to 30 feet long. They nest and rear offspring in the tunnels. Large infestations of chipmunks in a given area are uncommon because these rodents are territorial and compete for space. However, they can be found in numbers up to 20 within a backyard. While chipmunks typically bear 4 to 10 babies per year, the offspring are forced to move out and find their own nests at about 10 weeks from birth. If there’s no room for them nearby, they have to find homes elsewhere. If it’s the cold season and you think you’ve solved your chipmunk problem, don’t celebrate just yet; chipmunks are largely dormant and stay inside their burrows from mid-fall to early spring, when they emerge to begin foraging for food (they rely on stockpiled food during the winter).
How to Prevent Chipmunks from Living in Your Yard
In addition to the exclusion tips provided above, there are some basic steps you can take to ensure that you’re not attracting chipmunks. Most importantly, do not keep food items outdoors, including pet foods and birdseed, unless they are stored in rodent-proof containers. Eliminate potential areas of cover as well as food by removing wood and rock piles and trimming back plantings away from the house. As an alternative to protecting flower bulbs with buried hardware cloth, you can plant bulbs that chipmunks do not like to eat, such as daffodils (Narcissus) or allium.
