Chipmunks are cute little animals that are related to squirrels.While some people keep chipmunks as pets, others find this attractive species of rodents to be a pest and nuisance. This is primarily because these animals can cause damage to backyards and also harm the growing plants.There are many similarities between a chipmunk and a squirrel. Both animals have a similar appearance and share a few habits too. Species of chipmunks are generally found in North America. However, there is an exception. The Siberian chipmunk is a species that lives in northern Asia. Chipmunks, like ground squirrels, burrow into the ground to create their homes. Their burrowing creates tunnels beneath the ground with openings on the surface. This burrowing can make a backyard look unpleasing, with holes sprouting everywhere. Chipmunks are also known for creating a shrill noise whenever they feel threatened.Chipmunks can be attracted to yards by bird feeders. If you are growing peanuts, be careful. There is a chance that chipmunks and squirrels can attack the crops and destroy them in search of nuts. Since the chipmunk population can increase rapidly, it is nearly impossible to eliminate them completely. There there are many methods you can use on your own, however, if the chipmunk population is big, it is highly advised to contact pest control and let the professionals take care of these rodents for you.What is the best bait to catch a chipmunk with?Although chipmunks are cute, they can create a lot of trouble for people when they take over their backyards. While there is always an option of calling pest control, there are also other ways to get rid of chipmunks. These involve the use of chipmunk baits.Baits used for baiting and trapping are selected based on whether a person just wants to catch chipmunks or kill them. Natural food products such as sunflower seeds, fruits, nuts, and grains are effective types of bait to lure chipmunks. The best chipmunk bait is peanut butter because chipmunks are attracted to this natural food product. These baits are set up in various traps in order to catch chipmunks and control their population.On the other hand, there are some products specifically created to kill chipmunks. These products contain poison which can be lethal for these rodents. According to the test conducted by Wildlife Removal, the two best baits to kill chipmunks are WCS Rodent Paste Bait and JT Eaton Bait Block Rodenticide. The latter contains poison that can kill chipmunks. Although these baits are extremely effective, the disadvantage of using these baits alone is that the animal can die anywhere after eating the bait. This might make it difficult if the chipmunk dies in places you are not aware of. This could attract other infestations of scavenger insects and small animals instead.Therefore, both natural food baits and baits with poison must be used along with traps. This method ensures that the animal remains inside the cage or trap even if it dies. Baits with poison must be kept away from the reach of children and pets as they can severely harm them if ingested. You must also consider that, in addition to the chipmunk, there might be other animals that could get trapped inside the traps set up.What attracts chipmunks to a trap?Trapping chipmunks is hard because of the small size of these animals. Traps become more effective when bait is used to lure a chipmunk to the trap. Generally, live traps and snap traps work well for trapping these rodents.A live trap can be placed along the path that the chipmunk might often use. It is advised to wire the trap doors open and keep a pre-bait inside so that a chipmunk can get used to the new object in its surrounding. The live traps must be grounded to have equal footing. Chipmunk baits used for a live trap can vary from peanut butter to pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, grains, nuts, and fruits.The snap trap must be placed at right angles along the path that is usually traveled by a chipmunk. This chipmunk trap should be kept away from pets and children. The best chipmunk bait for this trap is peanut butter.In order to make these rodents familiar with the new object, the trap can be pre-baited by setting bait on the trigger without activating the trigger mechanism. In addition to peanut butter, other food items such as a piece of fruit, peanuts, or grains can also be used as bait for snap traps. Chipmunks are very active on sunny days and when it is warm. They are less active during cold and rainy days. It is highly advised to set up these traps with bait during sunny and warm days. The bait must be placed well inside the trap and should be secured. If the bait falls off, the chipmunks will not enter the trap. While these traps can help to control the population of these rodents, this technique can take time. A person might have to keep checking up on the trap to see if the chipmunk has entered it or not. The technique can work in a few hours, or it might take days too. The traps are only useful when a few chipmunks are causing havoc. When their numbers increase, the traps won’t be enough alone to curb their increasing numbers.Once a chipmunk has been trapped inside, you can then take it away and set it free in the wild. However, you should be careful while handling the trap with the pest inside, as it can bite you through the gap. Wear something protective before touching the trap so that the chipmunk is unable to harm you.What food do chipmunks hate the most?Chipmunks, like squirrels, love nuts, especially peanuts.It is possible that any bird feed in a garden used to attract birds might attract these animals too. They can also get attracted to any vegetable and fruit that is grown in a garden. It is effective to grow different types of food that chipmunks hate the most in a garden, as well as add this type of food to bird feeders.A chipmunk might become a pest when it starts causing trouble. While you can control the growing population of these rodents in a backyard by using traps and baits, you can also effectively use preventative techniques to get rid of these pests too. There are various edible items that chipmunks find repulsive. These animals absolutely hate garlic. They don’t like the smell or the taste of it. You can put crushed garlic out in the yard to scare off chipmunks.Chipmunks also dislike eucalyptus, cinnamon, peppermint, and citrus. The smell repels these rodents. A homemade chipmunk repellent made from the oils of eucalyptus, peppermint, cinnamon, or citrus mixed with water can be sprayed in the backyard. You can also make a spray by mixing garlic puree with water. These smelly repellents will stop these animals from returning. Chipmunks also hate cayenne, chili powder, and other intense spices. Sprinkling these hot spices in a yard can stop these rodents too.Do coffee grounds repel chipmunks?Coffee grounds can be used as mulch while preparing the soil for planting vegetables. For some reason, coffee grounds work as a repellent for pests like squirrels and chipmunks.However, it has not been determined whether coffee grounds are lethal for chipmunks and squirrels. Some studies suggest that the smell of coffee grounds might keep chipmunks and other pests away from gardens.If you are facing a chipmunk problem in your backyard, you can use coffee grounds as mulch in your garden to stop chipmunks from destroying any vegetables, fruit bushes, or plants.
Chipmunks are cute little animals that are related to squirrels.
