Learning About Natural Pest Control

Why (And How) You Should Remove Chipmunks From Your Land

23 March 2021 by Norah Slieker

Most people find chipmunks to be cute. They're small enough to fit in your hand, and their tiny little ears stand upright as they nibble away at their food. Seeing a chipmunk now and then can be heartwarming. But if you're seeing these little rodents on your land more and more, then there may be reasons for concern. Here are a few reasons why you really should have chipmunks removed from your land, along with some basic advice for how to go about the removal.

Why Chipmunks Should Be Removed

A couple of chipmunks may not initially be a big deal, but they breed quickly. Once they are present in large numbers, there are a few problems chipmunks often cause.

Structural Damage

In the wild, chipmunks burrow below ground and build nests. However, if there's a nice, warm home nearby and chipmunks are able to find a hole in the wall, they'll happily move in. Once there, they will tear apart insulation and drywall. It's best to remove chipmunks before they cause this type of damage.

Garden Damage

Chipmunks eat a varied diet. They typically forage for nuts, seeds, and worms. If you have a garden with herbs or fruits, chipmunks will often eat that fruit. Sometimes they will just take a bite of a piece of fruit and then leave the rest to the side! Chipmunks can overrun a garden and make quite a mess in the process.

Disease Spread

Chipmunks do spread a number of diseases that are transmissible to humans, including leptospirosis, salmonella, and hantavirus. You may become ill after coming into contact with water they've defecated in or after cleaning up building materials they have nested in. Removing them is safer.

How to Remove Chipmunks

Chipmunks are typically best removed by a professional. While these little rodents are not terribly dangerous, you do want to make sure they are all trapped, since leaving even two behind can allow them to breed and quickly repopulate.

Wildlife removal companies have the right traps to attract tiny chipmunks. They know where to best place these traps, and they know where they can safely take the animals after they trap them. There's not usually a need to kill any chipmunks that are trapped. Wildlife removal companies typically relocate chipmunks to a more rural area where they won't be a nuisance.

As cute as they are, chipmunks do cause a few issues when they are present in larger numbers. Reach out to a local wildlife removal team if you've noticed a lot of them in your space.

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