Outdoor Animal Control - Chipmunk Control

I have a chipmonk infestation. They dig tunnels in my front landscaping and under my front porch. They eventually end up floating drowned in my garden pond and if i dont notice them it starts stinking.

Any ideas on how to get rid of these cute little buggers would be helpful....

jobad72,

It would be helpfull to know if you are in the city or a rural area and if you are prepared to destroy them or would rather relocate them.

Chipmunk infestations can be difficult to remove. Chipmunks are cute, but they can create havoc in the landscape. They dig up flowers and bulbs and eat garden veggies and fruit. They can chew through wires, cables, and pipes. Tunneling under patios, driveways, and sidewalks can lead to cracks and destruction. They carry fleas and ticks which get on pets, and they carry disease. Tunneling around foundations can lead to structural damage and breakdown of termiticide barrier. Tunnels attract snakes which feed on chipmunks.

Baits tend not to be effective. Pouring solutions down holes tends to send chipmunks to another area of the yard. Mothballs are for moths, not chipmunks. And, dogs and cats tend to not make a major dent in the population.

Some folks report success with coyote urine and commercial repellents. Frequent reapplication and persistence are required for success. The use of poisons is not recommended because of concerns about non-target animals.

Trapping is therefore the recommended, most effective method of chipmunk control. Peanutbutter mixed with bird seed makes for a great bait. Set live traps near holes. Live chipmunks must be relocated far from home. There are battery-operated, electronic traps that can be baited in the same way as live traps. Chipmunks are electrocuted and can be disposed of.

With patience and persistence and a combination of repellents and trapping, chipmunks can be controlled. Continued use of repellents tends to keep chipmunks from reinfesting lawn.

we are in the city and relocating them is not important...just getting rid of them.

If eradication, rather than relocation, is preferred, then perhaps the electrocution devices would be effective along with the use of repellent. Again, it will take patience and persistence and ongoing control to eliminate chipmunks and prevent reinfestation.

jobad72,

One eradication method we used when we lived in the city was to tie a small commercial leg hold trap to the insulated power wire that lead to our two story home.
As this was the main travel route onto the roof of our house we were able to catch all the critters travelling down the line.
This was an ideal method as other than the risk of a bird alighting on the trap squirrels were the only creature around that were capable of this high wire act.

I have to warn you though, this is an example of what I did and wouldn't suggest you fool with power wires.
You could though devise a cable or rope as a lure, high enough to prevent the danger of others contacting the trap.

Based, in part, on the comments in this forum I started trapping yesterday and caught two Chipmonks.

As of this morning, the traps have become the hang out for all the neighborhood squirrels. They can't get into the trap which is too small but they are pushing on it with two consequences: Either the the mechanism trips or the cage turns over. Either way, they're rendering the trap ineffective for catching Chipmonks. It's unclear if they're actually managing to reach any of the bait.

I'm using peanut butter as a bait at the moment. I figure I can anchor the traps making it hard for the squirrels to overturn it but they'll still trip the mechanism if they push on it just right.

Any ideas on how I can stop the squirrels from renedering the trap useless? Will a different bait work?

JR

jrabson,

Exactly what trap are you using and how have you set it up?

I am using a Havahart Model #1025.

I'm really just following the directions. I smear some peanut butter on the trigger plate. Then I prime it by essentially hooking the top lever (which pushes down the opposite lever) under the lever of the trigger plate.

I actually caught a small squirrel in there today.

JR

jrabson,

The Havahart website has a lot of good trapping tips.

Link (http://www.havahart.com/nuisance/squirrels/traps_for_squirrels.htm)

Havahart has great traps and trapping tips. You might want to visit their website. You might want to check with your local authorities regarding relocation. Many places do not allow relocation. Extermination after trapping may be your only option. Please contact local authorities regarding trapping, disposal, relocation, etc. of local wildlife species. A major concern regarding relocation is the spread of disease.

Chipmunks must be extremely prolific or some caring individual has decided the small strip of woods behind my house is a good place to put out these rodents. Due to the destructive results of there incessant tunneling having these 'cute' little critters around the house is not a tolerable situation.

I set up a 5 gallon bucket with a 2x4 ramp half filled with water to control the problem. A handful of sunflower seed floating on the water and a few seeds on the ground to attract there attention does the trick. Squirrels tend to be a nuisance stealing the 'bait' but a daily check of the bucket and a few replacment seeds is sufficient to maintain the operation. In the last month and a half, between the bucket and my dog, we've disposed of 17 ..... and they keep coming!!!

Oil of pepermint put it in every hole you find

it is at the health food store

I purchased a small cage type trap from Home Depot that works great. Just put peanut butter on the plate and you'll catch them. I just drive them up north of the city and let them go unharmed, its better to wait until the summer is over if you can so no young are left abanoned, the early fall is an ideal time when they are hunting and gathering food alot more.

I've found a pretty effective method for catching chipmunks. I've captured 11 in the past 2 days. I fill a 3 gallon water bottle (the kind thats used for a water dispenser). Locate one of their holes. Open the jug and put the open end in the hole. The chipmunks will swim right into the container. It's then your choice to relocate the critter or fill the jug up completely and cap it.

This method has worked amazingly well.

If you are having a problem with other animals being attracted to the bait in live traps - don't use bait!

I live on a Cul-De-Sac and all of the neighbors are live trapping the critters. Our entire neighborhood is infested. Maybe due to the sheer numbers of chipmonks available, we are catching them without any bait at all. And have no problem with squirrels or other rodents disturbing the traps.

I have been taking them to a field & releasing them, hoping that some hungry birds of prey will find them irresistable. I may try that bottle-in-the-hole trick too.

But they keep on coming!!!!!!

This question is for MegaDave1. How, exactly, do you place the water bottle in the hole, and what type of bottle is this? Any other hints would be appreciated.

Thanks for your time!

Big Wrap,

The water bottle is they type used for a water dispenser, like an office water cooler. You can get them at WalMart where they have the Culligan water refills. They come in 3 and 5 gallon sizes. I use the 3 gallon.

All you have to do is fill it with water and "plug it in" to the hole. They'll swim right into it. You have to watch for a second entrance/exit hole, which are usually really close to each other. I just put my foot on the exit to prevent escapes.

By the way, the bucket of death method works very well also.

I have a chipmonk infestation. They dig tunnels in my front landscaping and under my front porch. They eventually end up floating drowned in my garden pond and if i dont notice them it starts stinking.

Any ideas on how to get rid of these cute little buggers would be helpful....


Rat traps are great for killing chipmunks. You don't even need to bait it. Just push it up against any wall you see them run along and it cleans them out right now.