Chipmunks are some of the cutest animals in the world. It’s due to their dewy eyes, bushy tail, and chubby cheeks. They are tiny rodents that you can find around your house or any nearby forest.
They are quite lively. Chipmunks belong to the family Sciuridae. They are mostly found in North America. However, the Siberian chipmunk is native only to Asia and some parts of Europe. Chipmunks live in burrows that they dig or just live in nests, bushes, etc.
Their colors range from gray to reddish-brown. Their size ranges from 7.2 to 8.5 inches and weighs about 1.1 to 1.8 ounces. While the eastern chipmunk grows up to 11 inches and weighs about 4.4 ounces.
Chipmunk Animal Information
Her in this article we have provided you with some of the information and facts about Chipmunk animal which is a cutest animal. So carry on to find out them.
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Chipmunks Taxonomy and systematics
Let us look through the scientific classification of chipmunks. Chipmunks may be classified under Tamias. The eastern chipmunk (T. striatus) is the only living member under the genus Tamias and the Siberian chipmunk (E. sibiricus) is the only living member under the genus Eutamias. There’s another genera named Neotamias, that includes 23 more species.
The common name, chipmunk must have been originally spelled as “chitmunk”. It was derived from the native Ottawa word “jidmoonh”, which means “red squirrel”.
In 1842, it was cited in the Oxford English Dictionary that it was written as “chipmonk”. However, in the 1820s and 1830s, the word “chipmunk” appeared in various books. They were called “striped squirrels” as they resembled squirrels a lot.
Chipmunks Diet:
Chipmunks are omnivorous and their diet consists of nuts, fruits, seeds and also insects, arthropods etc. Their eating habit is quite versatile as they eat grass, plant matters, fungi and worms too.
It might not suit their image but they do eat newly hatched baby birds sometimes. They’re quite a predator if you ignore their innocent face.
Chipmunks usually forage on the ground level, but they do climb up trees to eat nuts. One interesting fact about them is that they have cheek pouches in their mouth which allows chipmunks to carry food items back to their home very easily.
Chipmunks Life History:
Chipmunks are preyed upon by other mammals and birds. But they’re also a great predator themselves. It’s mostly the eastern chipmunks that feed on bird eggs. Eastern chipmunks usually mate in early spring and in early summer.
They give birth to litters of four to five twice a year. However, western chipmunks breed only one time in a year. The baby chipmunks leave their nest after six weeks. They fully get independent after eight weeks.
The western chipmunks do not hibernate during the winter, while the eastern chipmunk does. They rely on their food stored in their burrows.
Chipmunk’s life span is almost three years although it has been observed that they sometimes live up to nine years in captivity.
Chipmunks are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. They sleep for about 15 hours a day. Then, the remaining hours, they keep foraging for food.
Habitat of Chipmunks
Places They Live
Chipmunks are primarily found in North America, with one species native to Asia. They inhabit a variety of environments including:
- Forests
- Woodlands
- Parks
- Suburban areas
They prefer areas with plenty of ground cover and trees, where they can create their burrows and find food.
Sounds Chipmunks Make
Chipmunks are quite vocal and produce a variety of sounds to communicate:
- Chirps: High-pitched, repetitive sounds used as alarm calls.
- Clucks: Lower-pitched sounds used during territorial disputes.
- Trills: Soft, rapid sounds often made by females to call their young.
Predators of Chipmunks
Chipmunks have several natural predators, including:
- Birds of Prey: Hawks and owls.
- Mammals: Foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and domestic cats.
- Snakes: Various species of snakes also prey on chipmunks.
Representative Species of Chipmunks
There are 25 species of chipmunks, but some of the most well-known include:
- Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus): Found in eastern North America.
- Siberian Chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus): The only species native to Asia.
- Western Chipmunk (Various Tamias species): Found in western North America.
Chipmunks Size and Weight
Chipmunks are small rodents:
- Size: Typically 4 to 7 inches in body length, with an additional 3 to 5 inches for the tail.
- Weight: Around 1 to 5 ounces, depending on the species.
Lifespan of chipmunks:
In the wild, chipmunks generally live for 2 to 3 years. However, in captivity, they can live up to 8 years due to the absence of predators and controlled living conditions.
Term for Young and Gestation Period
- Term for Young: Baby chipmunks are called “pups”.
- Gestation Period: The gestation period for chipmunks is about 30 days.
Are Chipmunks Harmless?
Yes, chipmunks are generally harmless to humans. They are shy and prefer to avoid confrontation. However, like all wild animals, they should not be handled without caution.
Is a Chipmunk a Good Pet?
While chipmunks can be kept as pets, they are not ideal for most people. They are wild animals that require specific care and a suitable environment to thrive. Additionally, their high energy levels and need for space can make them challenging to care for.
Is a Chipmunk a Squirrel?
Yes, chipmunks are a type of squirrel. They belong to the family Sciuridae, which includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels.
What Scares Away Chipmunks?
Several methods can deter chipmunks from your property:
- Predator Urine: Fox or coyote urine can be used to scare them away.
- Ultrasonic Devices: Emit sounds that are unpleasant to chipmunks.
- Repellent Sprays: Commercial sprays designed to repel rodents.
- Removing Food Sources: Ensuring no bird feeders, pet food, or accessible trash is left out.
Are Chipmunks Rare?
Chipmunks are not rare. They are quite common in their natural habitats across North America and parts of Asia.
Are Chipmunks Male or Female?
Chipmunks can be either male or female. They exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning there are no significant differences in appearance between the sexes that are easily noticeable to the untrained eye.
Are Chipmunks Human-Friendly?
Chipmunks are generally wary of humans but can become accustomed to their presence if not threatened. They may approach if they feel safe and can sometimes be fed by hand with patience.
Are Chipmunks Intelligent?
Chipmunks are intelligent animals. They have good memories for locating food caches and are capable of learning from their environment to avoid predators.
Is it OK to Touch a Chipmunk?
It is not advisable to touch wild chipmunks. They can carry diseases, and the stress of handling can harm them. If a chipmunk needs assistance, it is best to contact a wildlife professional.
Is it Bad if a Chipmunk Bites You?
While chipmunk bites are rare, they can occur if the animal feels threatened. If bitten, clean the wound thoroughly and seek medical advice, as chipmunks can carry bacteria that could cause infection.
Do Chipmunks Hate Human Hair?
There is no evidence to suggest that chipmunks have any specific aversion to human hair.
Other Interesting Details About Chipmunks
Food Storage
Chipmunks are known for their food caching behavior. They store food in their burrows to ensure they have enough to eat during the winter months.
Burrowing
Chipmunks create elaborate burrow systems with multiple entrances and chambers for sleeping, storing food, and raising their young.
Hibernation
Chipmunks do not hibernate in the traditional sense but enter a state of torpor during the winter, waking periodically to eat from their stored food supplies.
Communication
Chipmunks use a variety of vocalizations and body language to communicate with each other, especially during mating season and when establishing territory.
9 Things You Don’t Know About Chipmunks
Chipmunks are small and cute animals. But there is more to them. Let us look through some of the important things about them which we do not know about. The following facts talk about everything from their food habits to their living preferences. They may be tiny but they’re very complex beings.
1. They Need About 15 Hours of Sleep per Day
In captivity, it was observed that chipmunks sleep about 15 hours per day. It might be the same for the wild chipmunks or maybe less. Hence, they usually make use of their 9 hours left during a day. During that time, they eat and find food to keep it stored in their burrows.
2. They Prefer Subterranean Living
Most chipmunks prefer to live in an underground burrow. There are some chipmunks that like to make nests in bushes or tree logs.
Their homes have tunnel systems that are about 10 to 30 feet long. They also have storage of food and a clean nesting chamber made by leaves and other plant or tree matter.
3. Chipmunks Have a Lot of Predators
Chipmunks are quite small and hence any bigger carnivore can feed on them. They have lots of predators including hawks, owls, foxes, cats, dogs, snakes, raccoons, etc.
Chipmunks are very speedy and nimble in movements and this is how they protect themselves from being eaten. They stick very close to their home. They speedily escape from any danger while finding food.
4. They Have a Lot of Food Sources Too
Chipmunks aren’t picky eaters and feed on almost everything. They eat the bird feeders that most people keep for the stray birds in their backyard. They spend a lot of time foraging for food.
Chipmunks are omnivores that love nuts, seeds, frogs, lizards, insects, surprisingly baby birds, and bird eggs too. To prepare for hibernation, they take extra food to their homes during late summer and fall with the help of their cheek pouches which are quite efficient in carrying food while traveling.
5. They Are Especially Adorable as Newborns
Baby chipmunks are called kits, or pups. They are born blind and hairless. It is said that they resemble a pink jelly bean. Most newborn animals are deemed cute. And so are chipmunks. The baby chipmunks develop quite quickly and leave their burrow by a month or after two weeks more to set out to the world.
6. They’re Natural Loners
We have noticed how fictional chipmunks are portrayed to be social and happy in nature but they are quite opposite in real life. Actually, they’re very lonely and solitary until the mating season arrives.
Male chipmunks (bucks) and female chipmunks (does) come together to mate twice a year in spring and late summer. After the breeding season is over, they return to their lives again and remain solitarily. Once the offspring grow up, the mother and the pups part ways too.
7. Solitary Doesn’t Mean Silent
Chipmunks have a vocal tone too. They chirp, chuck, and have trilling calls. They do that to announce territorial claims or to protect themselves from predators. Actually, chipmunks are very talkative. They communicate with each other with their high-pitched communications. It can be mistaken as bird sounds.
8. North America Hosts the Most
From Canada to Mexico, there exist about 25 species of chipmunks. They live across stomping grounds, forests, deserts, and also suburban neighborhoods. Most of the species are from North America while only one species that is the Siberian chipmunk lives outside North America. They live across northern Asia and Europe.
9. Some Chipmunks Hibernate, but Not Continuously
Chipmunks hibernate in winters. From late October, some chipmunks fall into a deep slumber and their heart rate gets slowed. Their body temperature also lowers extensively till March or April. They are a bit different from bears.
Bears hibernate with the help of their body fat. While chipmunks wake up from time to time to eat their stock of food rather than sleeping throughout the winter. They even travel outside to gather more food but quickly return to their burrows before bad weather falls.
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Conclusion
As we have come to the end of this article, let’s conclude with the fact that chipmunks are quite a lovable and interesting animal out there. They’re very lively and speedy small members of the squirrel family.
Chipmunks are mostly known for their puffy cheeks, shiny eyes, and bushy tails. This is why they’re quite famous in pop cultures and are portrayed in many movies, animations, and cartoons for kids.
The most famous would be “Alvin and the Chipmunks”. As for the most part, chipmunks are not actually at risk but they’re quite susceptible to forest fragmentation.
We need to protect these creatures. We hope our article provided you with enough necessary information about them and also their interesting facts.
