Eliminating Chipmunks

Tap to Read ➤ Girija Shinde

Though chipmunks look innocent and adorable, most of you will agree that they can wreak havoc in your garden! And we don't even want to hurt them because they are such cute and cuddly creatures! Here are the best tips to eliminate chipmunks without harming them.

Chipmunks are small animals that belong to the squirrel family. There are around twenty-five different species of chipmunks. Most of us imagine chipmunks to be cute and cuddly and wouldn't dream that they could be destructive pests.

Those having a garden love gardening know how destructive chipmunks can be. They can eat entire flower beds, seedlings, bird seeds and even gnaw on barks of a shrub. If you have kept pet food and bird feeders outside, these cutie pies will feast on them too!

A unique feature of chipmunks is they stuff food in their cheek pouches and carry it to their burrows. They can make burrows in your patios or driveways. In short, they will eat up all things meant to flourish your garden. One good thing is that they hibernate during winters so your garden is safe at least then! But as spring arrives, they do cause trouble.

How to Get Rid of Chipmunks

You must have realized that getting rid of chipmunks is important if one wants to have a nice, green garden. First get rid of any food morsels or rotten fruits in the yard so that they find no easy food sources. Check for cracks and holes and seal them up with cement or you'll see the whole family residing there in no time. Try these other simple steps too.

Humane Traps

Humane traps are most effective way of chipmunk removal. You get them at a hardware store or buy them online. Set the trap in your yard or anywhere as they are safe around children and pets. If there are any burrows around, it is best to set it near the burrow.

Get peanut butter or sunflower seeds in the trap. Remember, it is illegal to free the animal anywhere on the road or in a public park, so once you have caught it, call up the animal rescuer to take it away. Do not use rat traps as these will kill them whereas humane traps won't harm them at all. Do check the laws to ensure that you are not violating any.

Repellents

Moth balls are said to be effective repellents, so use them liberally. These will keep chipmunks and also other insect/bugs/animals also at bay.

But the most effective chipmunk repellent is said to be their predator's urine, like fox urine, which is available in the market. Blood meal and un-chewed gum sticks can be kept around plants and their burrows. Castor oil and ammonia soap could be some more options.

Pets

Though this is not a conventional remedy, keeping pets to drive away the chipmunks is sure to work. If you have a pet cat or dog, let it roam in your garden.

You can even set up owl boxes to attract their predators in your yard. It will certainly frighten the chipmunks into leaving your garden! If not real, you can buy some solar or battery-operated rotating birds. Also, anything that makes a sudden startling noise can be useful.

Plant Spray

Plant sprays always work as effective pest control method. It is good to avoid chemical pesticides as these will harm the plants and the rodents. For a homemade chemical-free pesticide, make a solution of hot peppers and water, and spray it on the plants.

Chipmunks do not like the smell of hot peppers, and thus, will be driven out of your garden. You can use hot sauce also. You can try planting some unattractive plants, like narcissus flowers, which will keep them away. Daffodils are also a good option to maintain beauty in your garden and drive these animals away at the same time.

Fence

If you love chipmunks and do not want to chase them away, but also want to protect the plants, put a fence around your plants. Wire fences will serve the purpose. Do not use a razor wire fence, as it will hurt the chipmunk.

For protecting flower beds, you can use hardware cloth. Chipmunks won't be able to surpass the hardware cloth. They love the shade and places to hide, so if you can clean and cut shrubs regularly, it would prove helpful.

Bucket Trap

A warning though, this method is quite effective but can be cruel to the animal. If you are desperate to eliminate them, fill half the bucket with water and place a wooden plank (any piece of wood will do) leading to the bucket. Spread some sunflower seeds on the plank and inside the bucket.

The chipmunk is sure to get tempted by the seeds, and in the attempt to eat them, will slip and fall into the water. They will try to swim for hours and then eventually drown. It's always better to take steps that don't harm them. Also, in some places, it is illegal to kill them so do make sure of that.

You can distract them by feeding them at the other end of the garden where they cause no damage. Thus, you will protect your garden and can also enjoy watching them. There are some other ways like rat traps or poison but we don't think anyone would like to hurt or kill these heart-warming animals! So get rid of chipmunks the easy way without hurting them!