How To Get Rid Of Chipmunks: 7 Humane Methods
While chipmunks may look adorable, they can be real menaces. These rodents are actually one of the most destructive pests you can have the misfortune of dealing with. They are omnivores which means they devour everything from bugs, to bulbs, to seeds from the bird feeder. But chipmunks aren’t destructive only to your garden. These pests love to dig tunnels under your house. This can potentially destabilize your home’s foundation, which is very dangerous and can cause a ton of problems. While chipmunks are most commonly found in forest, some do find their way into your yard. And if you see them scurrying around your property, it’s best to take measures before they wreak havoc. That’s why today we will share with you some of the most effective humane methods when it comes to how to get rid of chipmunks.
While chipmunks may look adorable, they can be real menaces
In this article
What Is a Chipmunk?
While Alvin and The Chipmunks was a fun representation of this animal, it wasn’t exactly spot on. Chipmunks are small rodents that grow no more than six inches and weight about nothing (well they do weigh a couple of ounces). They are usually a brownish color, but have two white stripes that are flanked by a dark brown or black stripe running on their backs. These little creatures are superfast and run with their tails high in the air. As we mentioned, they can eat everything. So, if you have bird feeders filled with seeds, as well as berries and other delicious delicatessens, your yard becomes a prime target. The easiest way to find out if you have a chipmunk infestation is by seeing them run around your yard. You may also hear scratching noises if they have made their way indoors to nest, but it’s more likely you will see them outside. While they do make tunnels, there are no mounds of dirt surrounding the holes and they can be harder to spot.
Chipmunks are small rodents that grow no more than six inches
How To Get Rid Of Chipmunks
Even though these creatures are tiny, they can make a lot of damage to both your home and garden. So, don’t let their cuteness fool you. These small rodents will have no problem ravaging your garden, burrowing underground tunnels, stealing food, and nesting in your home. Yikes! If this sound like something you want to avoid, we’ve got you. We will show you the most effective methods for getting rid of Chip and Dale. And they are all humane, so no harm will come to these little creatures, but they will stay clear from your property.
Even though these creatures are tiny, they can make a lot of damage
#Ultrasonic repellents
Ultrasonic repellent machines are a humane way to deter a variety of pests, including chipmunks, far away from your garden. It produces high-frequency noises that are made to be unpleasant to the unwanted pests. This makes your garden an undesirable spot and makes it unlikely for the chipmunks to stay for long in your area.
Ultrasonic repellent machines are a humane way to deter a variety of pests
#Plant specific flowers
Instead of constantly trying to protect your plants and bulbs from hungry chipmunks with buried hardware clothes, you can simply start planting plants that they dislike and will not eat. This is a good alternative if you have a lot of chipmunks in your area and it is hard to keep them out of your yard. Some plants that chipmunks prefer to steer clear from are peppermint, daffodils, marigolds, lavender, sage, and alliums.
You can simply start planting plants that chipmunks dislike and will not eat
#Trap and release
If you are dealing with just a couple of chipmunks, you can set some traps that can catch them. There are plenty of humane traps that will only catch the chipmunks without hurting them. It’s best to get traps that have one or two doors and that are ten to twenty inches long. Make sure you wear gloves when setting down the traps around the garden, as you don’t want any of your smell rubbing off on them. Once you have placed the traps around the prime sports, add some nuts, seeds, or peanut butter inside for bait. The bait should be placed directly on the trigger plate. However, always make sure you always read the manufacturer’s instruction so you are sure the trap it set correctly. After that just wait until a chipmunk is caught and release it far away from your home to a safe wooded area.
You can set some traps that can catch them
#Clean bird feeder
While a bird feeder is a great way to attract birds to your garden, it can also attract other wildlife, including chipmunks. Since these rodents are ground feeders they will be attracted to any spilled seeds. That’s why it is important to regularly clean up any seeds you see on the ground. Not only that but try to use seeds that aren’t that appealing to chipmunks, like thistle. Make sure to also place the bird feeder further from any structures.
Since these rodents are ground feeders they will be attracted to any spilled seeds
#Remove food sources
One of the most effective ways to ensure chipmunks won’t feel at home at your property is to remove all types of food sources. Like any other pest, chipmunks are attracted to places where they can find their main needs: food, water, and shelter. If your home fits those needs, they will most likely take advantage of that. Not only that but these rodents tend to be quite the opportunistic feeders. This means they will go ham eating nuts, seeds, bulbs, fallen fruits, veggies and whatever else they see fit. So, make sure to remove any easily available food sources that may be attracting these creatures to your yard.
Remove all types of food sources on your property
#Keep the yard clean
Tidying and decluttering your backyard is a great way to keep chipmunks and other rodents away from your garden. These creatures love to burrow and take advantage of leftover leaf piles, brushes and other types of debris to use as their home. So, cleaning up and keeping everything tidy will ensure there is no place for the chipmunks to set up their new crib. It’s an easy and cheap method to discourage these pests from staying in your garden.
These creatures love to burrow and take advantage of leftover leaf piles
#Use a natural repellent
There are a variety of natural repellent you can use around the garden to help deter chipmunks. One effective repellent is human hair. The smell of humans really freaks chipmunks out, so the hair’s smell will keep them away from your home. You can ask your local barber or salon for leftover clippings and sprinkle them around the garden. While it may seem weird, it will drive the chipmunks out. Another thing you can use is fox or coyote urine. Chipmunks know it belongs to a predator and try to steer clear from it. However, the downside to this is that you will also be smelling the strong scent of the urine.
One effective natural repellent is human hair
These were some of the best methods on how to get rid of chipmunks in a humane manner. We hope you found this article useful. These little rodents won’t be bothering you and your property anymore!
These were some of the best methods on how to get rid of chipmunks
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