Chipmunk Removal and Control

Before you start Chipmunk removal and control it is important for you to understand a little more about this little critter.

Our Eastern Chipmunks inhabit mature woodlands and woodlot edges.  They will also inhabit areas in and around our suburban and rural homes. They are generally solitary except during courtship or when rearing young.

Our least chipmunk inhabits low sagebrush deserts, high mountain coniferous forests, and northern mixed hardwood forests.

The home range of a chipmunk may be up to 1/2 acre (0.2 ha). Defending this area is done only by the adults. They will defend a territory of about 50 feet (15.2 m) around the burrow entrance. We find most Chipmunks are active during the early morning and late afternoon.

 The Chipmunk burrows often are well-hidden near objects or buildings.  They use objects like stumps, wood piles or brush piles, basements, and garages. Their burrow entrance is usually about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. They leave no obvious mounds of dirt around the entrance. They carry the excess dirt in its cheek’s and spread it around the burrow. This makes the burrow entrance less conspicuous.

In most cases, the chipmunk’s main tunnel is 20 to 30 feet (6 m to 9 m) in length, but complex burrow systems occur where cover is sparse. Their burrow systems normally include a nesting chamber, and one or two food storage chambers.  They will also have various side pockets connected to the main tunnel, and separate escape tunnels.

With the onset of cold weather, the chipmunk enter a restless hibernation and are relatively inactive from late fall through the winter months. Chipmunks do not enter a deep hibernation as do ground squirrels, but rely on the cache of food they have brought to their burrow. Some individuals become active on warm, sunny days during the winter. Most chipmunks emerge from hibernation in early March.

Eastern chipmunks mate two times a year, early spring and again during the summer or early fall. They have a 31-day gestation period. After the gestation period, two to 5 young are born in April to May They will breed again and have more young in August to October. Their young are sexually mature within 1 year. Adults may live up to 3 years.

Adult least chipmunks mate over a period of 4 to 6 weeks from April to mid-July. They will produce 1 litter of 2 to 7 young in May and June. Occasionally a second litter is produced in the fall.

Chipmunk pups appear above ground when they are 4 to 6 weeks old–2/3 the size of an adult. Young will leave the burrow at 6 to 8 weeks.

Population densities of chipmunks are typically 2 to 4 animals per acre (5 to 10 ha). The Eastern chipmunk population densities may be as high as 10 animals per acre (24/ha). However, if sufficient food and cover are available to them, home ranges often overlap among individuals.

In some parts of the country it is common for chipmunks to enter our buildings around the foundation and occasionally the attic. They can often be heard running across the basement ceiling. The best way to solve chipmunk problems is to first trap and remove the chipmunks, and then to seal up the entry holes.