Having Chipmunk Problems?
They may look like tree-living squirrels with their tiny noses, puffed cheeks, and bushy tails, but chipmunks are not baby squirrels. Believe it or not, the two are different but related animals. Chipmunks are ground squirrels; they are the burrowing cousins of the larger tree-climbing species. This, of course, explains the pockmarked look of your garden lot. These furry critters dig and build their homes and shelters underground. This is what sets them apart from their tree-loving relatives, which spend most of their time in trees.
Aside from their choice of real estate and relative smallness, chipmunks differ from their cousins by possessing identifying stripes. Chipmunks are distinguished by two broad black stripes that run from the tops of their heads to their rounded rumps. This is the most telltale sign that the critter chewing your spring flower bulb is a chipmunk. That, and the shrill "chip chip" retort they make when you dash out at them with your newspaper in hand.
Approaches to Chipmunk Control
Before deciding on how to get rid of chipmunks, it is important to learn their habits. Chipmunks are mighty eaters. They spend their life eating, foraging, and storing food. What is the key to getting rid of chipmunks? The key is finding out what chipmunks eat. Chipmunks eat anything and everything from grass to your pizza crusts. Their main diet usually includes fungi, plants, nuts, grains, seeds, and the occasional insect. If worse comes to worst, chipmunks are also known to catch small birds and small rodents like shrews though they do not actively look for these hardy protein sources; they are content to search the ground for edible finds. Chipmunks are not born to be climbers, but they have been observed climbing roofs, poles, trees, and bird feeders to gather seeds, acorns and nuts.
Aside from food, chipmunks are also wary of very open spaces, which is not surprising since they live underground. They tend to stay within shaded areas even while looking for food. Their burrows are usually built in the shade of solid matter like a tree stump or your porch. In your bid to eradicate chipmunks, these are two weaknesses you should exploit to put an end to your chipmunk problems.
*Reader Tip* Several readers have had success with the "bucket method." Here's the original tip from Jonathan: "You can get a bucket of water and float sunflower seeds at the top. Make a ramp to get to the bucket. It's a foolproof method: the chipmunk cant get out."
Getting Rid Of Chipmunks
Now that you know their weaknesses, it's time to put your knowledge into action. As much as these furry critters wreak havoc in your garden, one can hardly think of shooting them into extinction. There are many other ways to get rid of chipmunks so be creative.
An inexpensive chipmunk control option is to keep a pet. In the urban jungle, cats can be an effective (and fuzzy) weapon against these feisty fur balls. If you're feeling adventurous, take your pick from badgers, weasels or hawks. These are the natural predators of chipmunks. They stalk their prey in the shade and the poor chipmunk won't have any idea what happened until it hits the predator's tummy.
For a less morbid option, live chipmunk traps are effective elimination tools that are sold in most hardware stores. You can get a couple of comfortable size traps and just add seeds, nuts, oats or whatever your chipmunk fancies. Secure the traps in shaded areas or wherever your enemy frequently hangs out. Patience is not even required because where there is food, chipmunks will come. Once trapped, drive to the far side of town and let the critters out. Better yet, drop them off in the nearest national park.
If these don't work, just give these fur balls a taste of their own medicine. The trick to getting these chipmunks to leave your place willingly is to limit their food supply. You don't have to strip your garden bare; just spray pepper solution or hot sauce on your plants and the places where your furry friend stays and surely, they'll move out.
Still, if these tricks don't work, your chipmunks are a hardy bunch. Just dial pest control and invest in a professional chipmunk extermination program. Now, that's a foolproof way to get rid of chipmunks.
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