what to feed a chipmunk

by Briana Simonis Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

^{Favorite foods for pet chipmunks include:}

Pears
Apples
Peaches
Oranges
Walnuts
Chestnuts
Pine nuts
Carrots
Tomatoes
Lettuce

Aim for food options that are as close to what they would find in nature as possible. Don't feed them processed foods, dairy, or meat. Try healthier options like small pieces of grapes, apples, cucumbers, strawberries and dry raisins. Other good nuts to try in moderation are pine nuts, walnuts, and almonds.

What are chipmunks favorite food?

The way in which you position your bait should:

Force the chipmunk to fully enter the trap (body and tail).
Encourage the chipmunk to engage the trigger (step on the metal plate).
Take into consideration the trap's door configuration (1 vs. 2-door):

How often do you have to feed Chipmunks?

You will need to feed small amounts many times a day. The act of feeding is followed by helping the animal urinate and defecate which will help you understand if you are over-feeding the animal. The best thing to feed a baby chipmunk is puppy milk replacer.

What do chipmunks eat and how often?

Their diets are more diverse during the warmer months, during which time they hoard nuts and seeds in their burrows to eat in the winter. Some favorite foods include: Chipmunk Behavior. Activity: Chipmunks are active in the daytime during spring, summer and fall. Chipmunks remain in their deep burrow systems during the winter, where they enter patterns of torpor (deep sleep and lower body temperature) interrupted by periods of feeding.

What do chipmunks eat in the wild and as pets?

Here are some signs of chipmunk damage:

structural or foundational damage from chipmunk burrows
holes in lawn or garden from digging for plant roots
seed piles underneath bird feeders
uprooted bulbs
chipmunk tracks: tiny prints with four toes in the front and five in the back (front and hind feet are generally reversed)

Is it OK to feed wild chipmunks?

Small pieces of fruit or even a handful of oats would be better feeding options. With a little patience you can train wild chipmunks to eat from your hand. Every wildlife expert will tell you that hand feeding a wild animal is a bad idea but I understand if you want to get a chipmunk to grab a peanut from your pocket.

What is the best thing to feed a chipmunk?

Choose healthy foods like grapes, cut-up apples, pieces of avocado, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, oats and dry raisins. Put pieces of your chipmunk's food in a small dish in a cage if you have a pet chipmunk at home. The chipmunk will eat straight from the dish when hungry and possibly save food for later in its cheeks.

What can chipmunks eat?

Chipmunks aren't particularly choosey about what they eat. Along with seeds and fungi they scarf grain, fruit, nuts, insects, worms, bird eggs and even nestling birds and baby mice.

Can you hand feed chipmunks?

If you'd like to feel wild chipmunks, you can always leave them a healthy meal! If you're feeling brave, you could always try feeding them by hand, but beware of a bite. Help Them Out 🙂 Chipmunks are always foraging, and will definitely appreciate a readily available snack!

Do chipmunks eat apples?

Chipmunks eat nuts (acorns, hazel nuts, beechnuts), seeds (from many ornamental trees, wildflowers, clover, ragweed, and sunflowers, and birdseed), flower bulbs, berries (such as raspberries, strawberries, black berries, and chokecherries), fruit (watermelon, apples, pears, peaches, cantaloupe, cherries), and wild ...

Do chipmunks need to drink water?

Chipmunks drink water – the liquid required by all living things on Earth to survive.

Can chipmunks eat lettuce?

Lettuce is high in nutrients, a good source of beta carotene, and an excellent addition to your chipmunk's diet. Nuts- peanuts, almonds, acorns, pecans, cashews, pine nuts, and walnuts are good sources of fats and proteins. In winter, chipmunks eat nuts as they previously stockpiled these in autumn.

Will chipmunks eat vegetables?

You can also provide a pet chipmunk with nuts such as acorns, pine nuts, pecans, and hazelnuts. Chipmunks may eat a small amount of fresh fruit such as apples, berries, pears, or bananas. Optional vegetables include carrots, sweet potatoes, bean sprouts, and leafy greens.

Do chipmunks eat dry cat food?

Your chipmunk will need protein, too. You can get mealworms at the pet store, or you can cook some meat or eggs to offer them. Some chipmunks will also eat dog or cat food, both of which are likely to be loaded with protein.

Do chipmunks remember humans?

They can remember humans and can recognize the people that can be trusted as a source of food. Their memory is evident in studies where they were able to navigate a maze. Chipmunks are not social and friendly. They would not even make a good pet and always try to stay hidden.

Can chipmunks eat bird seed?

Chipmunks enjoy feasting on bird seed. Chipmunks are small striped animals with bushy tails and large, round eyes. At first glance they seem cute and harmless, but can quickly become a real nuisance around wild bird feeders. They not only forage on spilled seed, but also climb onto the feeder if they can gain access.

Are chipmunks friendly to humans?

Although chipmunks are not aggressive creatures, they will bite or scratch if they are cornered or feel threatened. Since they are known to carry diseases such as plague and rabies, among other things, it is never a good idea to try to remove a chipmunk, or any other wild animal, on your own.

How to feed a chipmunk?

How to Feed. When you feed the chipmunk it should be laying on its stomach with its head tilted up just like it was nursing from its mother. You can use a dropper or small syringe to offer drops of food.

What are the three things that chipmunks need to be addressed?

If you just found an orphaned chipmunk, which typically happens in the late spring, then the three most critical items you need to address first are warmth, dehydration and stress . Any of these issues can easily cause a newborn to die. Here is what you need to know about each issue.

What happens if a chipmunk eats too much?

A chipmunk that is receiving too much food will have diarrhea and should have its feeding amounts reduced.

How long does it take for a chipmunk to burrow?

Chipmunks are a member of the squirrel family which means they are rodents and must gnaw to start grinding down its front incisors. After 9 weeks the chipmunk is fully developed and this is the time at which it would naturally leave its burrow.

What temperature do chipmunks die at?

The natural body temperature of a chipmunk is about 95-100F and you will need to recreate conditions that will mimic the newborn sleeping in a burrow with the other babies and its mother.

How do chipmunks lick their babies?

You can mimic the licking activity by dampening one end of a Q-Tip with warm water and lightly rubbing it on the anal/genital area of the animal.

How much should a newborn be fed?

These newborns typically weigh around 3-5 grams so should be offered around 0.2 mL per feeding. Babies that have fur but still have closed eyes will need to be fed 5 to 6 times per day. Increase feeding amount per 5% weight guideline. Babies that have their eyes open will need to be fed 4-5 times per day.

What to feed a chipmunk?

Don’t feed them processed foods, dairy, or meat. Try healthier options like small pieces of grapes, apples, cucumbers, strawberries and dry raisins. Other good nuts to try in moderation are pine nuts, walnuts, and almonds. Chipmunks have also been known to love dry oats.

How to keep chipmunks away from my house?

Build Trust & Keep Them Coming Back 1 Start by watching to see where chipmunks frequent most on your property. Leave a couple of shelled peanuts for them to find. 2 Next wait for them to show up, and leave one or two peanuts a little closer from their spot to your seating area. Leave the food out in an open area and step far back. Give the chipmunk lots of space to feel comfortable to approach it. Shelled peanuts or sunflower seeds are good to entice them to come over. 3 Repeat the pattern of feeding every other day at the most, to not make the chipmunk too reliant on you for food. You don’t want them to abandon their natural hunting instinct. 4 As a relationship is established, start slowly putting food in your hand and letting the chipmunk take it from you. This is where you can introduce more types of food. (You can also grab your phone and join the Instagram trend with your new chipmunk).

How to get a chipmunk to come over?

Leave the food out in an open area and step far back. Give the chipmunk lots of space to feel comfortable to approach it. Shelled peanuts or sunflower seeds are good to entice them to come over. Repeat the pattern of feeding every other day at the most, to not make the chipmunk too reliant on you for food.

How long do chipmunks live?

Chipmunks hibernate through the winter, but wake every few days to eat. Chipmunks have a life expectancy of 2-3 years. Have fun with your new outdoor pet, and don’t forget to name them. Ours are named Alvin, Simon, and of course, Theodore.

How many species of chipmunks are there in North America?

There are 21 identified species of chipmunks in North America. Chipmunks can make burrows more than ten feet in length. Chipmunks mate between February to April and usually produce 2 litters a year. The young are on their own by eight weeks old. Chipmunks hibernate through the winter, but wake every few days to eat.

Can chipmunks come over to your cottage?

You may have a brave chipmunk at your cottage that boldly comes right up to you, making this very easy. However, most of them are pretty skiddish and will take some coaxing to get to come over.

Can chipmunks eat sunflower seeds?

But overfeeding a chipmunk with peanuts can be bad for their diet. If feeding them becomes a habit, try to limit the amount of sunflower seeds and peanuts that you feed them. The high calorie content may result in the chipmunk becoming ill. Peanuts can swell in their stomachs making it potentially harmful. Instead, offer a variety of treats. It may entice your chipmunk to come back more often for more.

What do chipmunks eat?

Chipmunks primarily eat vegetative food sources including grains, nuts, seeds and fungus. However, chipmunks are omnivores and are know to occasionally supplement their diets with earthworms, small insects and bird eggs. There are over 25 types of chipmunks that live in different geographies and terrain so they will not all share ...

What happens when a chipmunk is cold?

When the weather gets cold a chipmunk will retreat to its burrow, drastically slow its metabolism and heartbeat and go into a hibernation like state. Every few days the chipmunk will awaken and take the time to eat a little food and eliminate waste before returning to the state of torpor.

Do chipmunks eat tulips?

Some highlights from the guide include: Chipmunks avoid plants with fragrant foliage, have hairy leaves, or are toxic. Chipmunks love tulips and will either dig out and eat the bulb or will eat the emerging shoots. Chipmunks will eat any tender seedling so do not bother trying to sprout/start plants in the garden.

Do chipmunks gnaw on their teeth?

A defining characteristic of rodents is that their front incisors never stop growing. As a result chipmunks need hard substrates like animal bones or antlers to gnaw on. The gnawing keeps their teeth sharp and short while also providing a source of calcium.

Can you train a chipmunk to eat from your hand?

With a little patience you can train wild chipmunks to eat from your hand. Every wildlife expert will tell you that hand feeding a wild animal is a bad idea but I understand if you want to get a chipmunk to grab a peanut from your pocket.

Can chipmunks eat plants?

The website Davy & Tracy has an excellent guide on plants that chipmunks will not eat and plants that chipmunks love based on years of experience gardening along side ...

Can chipmunks get rabies?

While you do not need to worry about catching rabies from a chipmunk the bite is still going to hurt and runs the real risk of turning into a nasty infection. From the health of the chipmunk you should be mindful of what and how much you are feeding. If you want to feed them peanuts then make sure they are unsalted.

What Do Baby Chipmunks Eat?

Chipmunks that have been abandoned or orphaned are most likely to be dehydrated and chilled. Instantly get the chipmunk acclimated. Place him in a warm area with no draught. For extra heat, place the chipmunk beneath a 100-watt bulb.

How To Feed Pet Baby Chipmunks?

Whether you’re feeding a pet chipmunk or a wild one that comes by frequently in the vicinity of your home, it’s an enjoyable experience. Chipmunks are omnivores like hamsters.

How To Feed Wild Baby Chipmunks?

It is not a simple operation to save a wild baby chipmunk. Even if the baby chipmunk will eventually eat, it does not imply that it is completely domesticated. The ASPCA does not support the keeping of wild animals as pets because they are unpredictable and for the animal’s safety.

What Are The Natural Predators of Baby Chipmunks?

Chipmunks are delightful little animals, and we can sit and watch them scamper for hours. Of course, humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy seeing chipmunks. Chipmunks are eaten by a variety of animals, both wild and domestic. Chipmunks are considered tasty snacks and excellent meals by a number of species of animals.

How Do Baby Chipmunks Protect Themselves From Predators?

Chipmunks build multichambered underground dwellings, such as the eastern chipmunk. They store their provisions, rear their young, sleep, and spend the winter in their burrows. Chipmunks utilize the safest locations in which they may lay their eggs, such as hollowed-out logs or bushes that offer some protection from potential dangers.

Is it Safe to Feed a Chipmunk By Hand?

With their distinctive tail and pouched cheeks, the chipmunk has a truly charming look.

What Do I Feed My Pet Chipmunk? 4 Food Most Chipmunks Love

If you’re lucky enough to have adopted a pet chipmunk, you’re sure to be doing some research on the best things to feed them – and what you’ll want to avoid.

How Can I Feed Chipmunks (In the Wild)?

If you’d like to feel wild chipmunks, you can always leave them a healthy meal!

Final Words

So, if you were wondering, ‘is it safe to feed a chipmunk by hand?’ now you have your answer.

Best Bait for Chipmunks – Live Trap Bait

The best bait for chipmunks will likely involve combining two or more of the baits from the following list. Let’s start off with peanut butter.

Switching and Rotating Chipmunk Bait

Try testing different types of bait until you find one that works. This could take a while, so make sure to be patient and persistent when testing new baits.

Homemade vs Manufactured Chipmunk Bait

Homemade chipmunk baits work. There isn’t a need to buy something that you can easily make at home. Give it a few days and you will eventually capture a chipmunk.

Live Trapping Chipmunks

I’m a strong believer in live trapping and relocating chipmunks. This is an effective solution because it removes the chipmunk from your property and prevents future generations of these pests.

What Do Chipmunks Eat in Your Yard?

Before placing live bait traps in your yard, it is good to know what chipmunks are already eating. Your bait needs to be a least as attractive to the chipmunk as the food it is already eating.

Conclusion – Best Bait for Chipmunks

I have found that the most effective chipmunk is peanut butter and strawberries. If we have fresh strawberries at home, I always use one strawberry on a spoonful of peanut butter right in the middle of my chipmunk trap. Works every time!