How to Get Rid of Chipmunks
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Are chipmunks destroying your garden? Deter the destructive rodents by implementing these humane tactics for getting rid of chipmunks.
Surely one of the cuter rodents you’ll ever counter, chipmunks are also among the most destructive. These small, striped natives of North America and Asia are omnivores that devour everything from beneficial insects to buds, bulbs, and other garden plantings. Potentially worse, while they run like lightning to avoid humans, their underground burrows can destabilize the foundation of your house.
Fortunately, you can discourage and, if necessary, humanely remove the critters from your property. Start with simple, natural deterrents and proceed to stricter yet still humane measures to send the little guys packing. Below, you’ll find five key strategies for how to get rid of chipmunks running around in your yard.
Look for signs of chipmunks on your property.
Chipmunks are so shy and so quick, you may not even notice them in your yard, though they’re most active during daytime hours. But if you’ve seen evidence of munching in your garden, start sleuthing. Look for “tiny holes in lawns and trails, typically in the midst of a route or walkway, next to the home’s foundation, and along the edge,” says Eddie Martin, CEO, Private Exterminating, based in Brooklyn, New York. You might also see tiny footprints (four toes in front, five in back), and piles of seed shells under your birdfeeder. Look for chipmunk droppings, which are dark, elongated bits that look like rice or beans. Note that chipmunks do not live communally; each chipmunk digs and lives in its own burrow. Once you’ve confirmed you have chipmunks, you can determine how to get rid of chipmunks on your property.
“I find that chipmunks are particularly attracted to flower bulbs in fall since they’re packed with nutrients and easy to transport back to chipmunk burrows. In years past, I’ve actually seen chipmunks scavenging in areas where I just planted bulbs, so now I’m pretty vigilant about protecting my flower bulbs after planting. I use bulb cages to protect individual flowering bulbs, but I also sometimes bury sheets of hardware cloth below and above full beds of bulbs to prevent chipmunks and other rodents from causing trouble. I find this is a more cost-effective way to protect larger plantings of bulbs and it’s effective against voles, mice, and rats too. It’s also a good idea to clean up plant debris like bulb skins after planting. Skip using smelly products like bone meal and fish emulsion in planting holes, as these products can sometimes attract chipmunks.” —Lauren Landers, Contributing Writer
Tried-and-True Advice