How to Humanely Trap Chipmunks

Chipmunks can be bothersome. They steal birdseed and eat flowers and garden vegetables. Chipmunks also dig burrows that can cause structural damage to foundations, walls, patios, and sidewalks. They might even enter your home. A simple way to humanely remove these animals is a live chipmunk trap. Read on for instructions and suggestions for trapping chipmunks, as well as ideas for making your home and garden less attractive to them.

Chipmunks in North America

Chipmunks are small ground-dwelling mammals. There are 16 species of chipmunk native to North America. The two most common chipmunks in the U.S. are the Eastern chipmunk, Tamias striatus, and the least chipmunk, Eutamias minimas. Chipmunk behavior is similar among all native chipmunk species, so recommendations also apply to all species.

The Eastern chipmunk is identifiable by brown fur with tan and black stripes on the back, and tan and brown stripes on each side of the face. Eastern chipmunks are around 5-6 inches long with a 3-4 inch tail. They weigh around three ounces. Least chipmunks are smaller at 3-4½ inches long with a 3-4 inch tail. They only weigh 1-2 ounces. Their colors range from yellow-gray fur with dark orange-brown stripes to gray-orange-brown fur with black stripes.

Chipmunks are most active during the day. When digging a burrow, they fill their cheeks with soil so they can scatter it away from the entrance. As they forage throughout the day, they also stuff their cheeks with nuts and seeds to carry back to their burrows. Chipmunks are solitary, but you can sometimes hear them chirping at one another during courtship or to warn each other when a predator is near.

Chipmunk Habitats

Chipmunks prefer ground cover. They like trees, logs, shrubs, rocks, and stumps. They dig burrow systems for nesting and storing food. The impressive tunnels can span up to 30 feet long. Throughout the year, chipmunks store food such as nuts, seeds, grains, and berries.

In the winter they are fairly inactive, relying on the food they have stashed away in their burrows. They do not hibernate but instead fall into a state called torpor where all of their body systems slow down. Once chipmunks are comfortable, they rarely go more than half an acre from their burrows. Most chipmunks only defend about 50 feet around their burrow. So if you have chipmunks, they’re here to stay.

Selecting and Baiting a Chipmunk Trap

One-door and two-door traps are commonly used to catch chipmunks. Some favor the one-door trap for its simplicity. Professionals recommend them as they allow for sound bait placement at the far end of the trap. This forces the chipmunk to completely enter the trap. You can wire the door open to “prebait” the trap for a few days so the chipmunk views the trap as a new food source.

The dual entry of a two-door trap can deliver a higher catch rate. The trap can be set up with one or two of the doors open. The ability to see into the trap gives animals a sense of confidence. The bait is placed in the center behind the trigger plate or hanging from the trap’s ceiling. Never use bait the chipmunk can walk away with. Spreads like peanut butter, set directly on the trigger plate, are typically more successful.

Placing a Chipmunk Trap

Place the trap where you’re seeing a lot of chipmunk activity. They like covered spaces because those areas give chipmunks security. So, look for traces in sheds, garages, underneath structures, under trees, and near shrubbery. Also, take a close look along fences and walls. Chipmunks travel along these structures, especially if there’s cover.

It’s also important to select a place where the animal will not be exposed to the elements. Place the traps perpendicular to the wall or near burrow entrances. If more than 3 days go by without springing the trap, move it to a new location. Make sure to frequently check the traps for chipmunks or other animals.

After Trapping a Chipmunk

Your trap worked. What now? Wear gloves to minimize direct contact with the trapped chipmunk. When approaching and handling the trap, speak softly and gently.

Relocating a chipmunk is typically not recommended and may be illegal in some areas. Check local wildlife regulations before considering relocation. If it’s permitted by local law, relocate the chipmunk no less than three miles away from where they were captured. Do not relocate a chipmunk in late summer or fall, as they will not have time to build a new burrow and store enough food before winter. After releasing the chipmunk, carefully wash and disinfect the trap.

Convincing Chipmunks to Go Elsewhere

To encourage chipmunks to find a new home, make your property less accessible and attractive to them. Chipmunks burrow under debris, so clear unnecessary clutter and remove anything a chipmunk could use as cover. Remove brush and woodpiles, especially if they are near structures. Repair screens and cover vents and downspouts that chipmunks can use to get in the house.

When you’re sure there are no chipmunks present, you can destroy burrows by deep-tilling the soil. You can also fill the hole with dirt and cover it with a rock. Modify or replace bird feeders so that the feeders catch fallen seed, decreasing the amount that falls on the ground.

Use taste repellents that contain capsaicin or ammonium soaps with high fatty acids. These can be applied to seeds, flower bulbs, and other foliage. Products for repelling animals from lawns and gardens contain predator urine, which will also keep chipmunks at a distance.