Chipmunks are an active bunch, running around the trees.We see them running around collecting nuts in their cheeks from one tree to another. Wait, that’s during the spring, so what happens in the winter?We don’t see a chipmunk in a tree during cold weather. Where do they go during this time? They end up sleeping inside their burrows.Chipmunk behavior in the winter is a whole different story. Let us dive into the facts of how a chipmunk hibernates. After reading all about the hibernation patterns of young chipmunks, do check out fascinating facts about chipmunk food and chipmunk vs ground squirrel.Physical Changes In Chipmunks To Prepare For WinterWinters are challenging times for animals. Animals need to prepare early to tackle the cold. What changes do the squirrel family go through in order to keep their body warm?Chipmunks hibernate in the winter, but they don’t do it for the whole cold season like other mammals. Their bodies allow them to survive harsh winter temperatures. When squirrels hibernate, their heart rate and respiration rate decrease. This, in turn, helps in keeping their body warm even in the cold weather. With this drop in body temperature, chipmunks can tackle the winter cold like it is not even an issue.How do chipmunks store food for winter?Since chipmunks hibernate in the winter, they need to store food to consume later. They are not usually deep asleep and will wake in the middle of their hibernation to eat food.Chipmunks spend much of the summertime collecting and storing nuts and seeds for winter. The nuts and seeds are carried in their cheek pouches. These cheek pouches can carry a good amount of nuts and seeds. Eastern chipmunk can carry almost five peanuts in their cheek pouches. The capacity of their cheek pouches increases with maturity. The food that they carry is later taken to a safe place to store.How do chipmunks prepare for winter?A large part of a chipmunk’s preparation for winter includes food storage. They bury food in multiple locations just in case.The stored food is deposited in a nest. They also dig burrows in the ground and cover them up with leaves and other matter. You might see these species snatch food from birds to store for themselves. Sometimes they do end up forgetting the different locations where they had a burrow in the ground, but it doesn’t go to waste. The food stored in the burrow becomes nourishment for the soil.Compared to other hibernating species, chipmunks need to store a lot more food, since they don’t store food as fat during the summer in their body.When do chipmunks hibernate?Chipmunks hibernate in the winter like any other species. However, they are not in deep sleep all through the season like true hibernators. Come to think of it, they are different from true hibernators in many ways.A chipmunk will go into its burrows when the temperature falls during the onset of wintertime. They sleep during their hibernation period but wake up at regular intervals. They can sleep for weeks and then wake up even when the temperature is cold outside. Since their heart rate falls while hibernating, their body temperature will remain warm even when they wake up. They are active in the cold weather too but you can rarely spot them outside. They spend the winter inside their burrows and eat the fruit and nuts they have stored.Where do chipmunks go during cold weather?Chipmunks go into hibernation mode during the cold weather. Although their hibernation method is different from other animals, they do end up in a deep sleep during the cold, just not for long.Chipmunks wake up every few days during their hibernation to raise their body temperature. When temperatures are normal, they feed on stored food kept in their burrows rather than storing fat in their bodies. They eat, defecate and go back to sleep.Eastern chipmunks do not hibernate continuously like other squirrels. They don’t store fat in their body either. Eastern chipmunk can stay more active in the cold and eat stored food for energy.Helping Hibernating ChipmunksNow that we know about a chipmunk’s hibernation, how can we help them during this period? A chipmunk’s burrow is the safest place for them during hibernation.It is best to leave chipmunks alone when they are in hibernation. They need their sleep to be in the underground burrow to be warm. If you have a pet squirrel, make sure that they have enough food to maintain their energy.Until spring arrives, chipmunks need to be in a burrow to protect themselves from the cold. Apart from nuts and seeds, they can also feed on insects that may be found underground. Whatever the reason may be, chipmunks need alone time when they sleep and we should not disturb them while they are at it.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for do chipmunks hibernate then why not take a look at what do chipmunks eat, or chipmunk facts.
Chipmunks are an active bunch, running around the trees.
