How To Care For Pet Chipmunks | RSPCA - RSPCA

Buying or selling a chipmunk is illegal

In July 2016, the European Commission published the first list of Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern, which came into force on 3 August 2016. Siberian chipmunks are included, meaning that it's now illegal to buy or sell a chipmunk. We're also unable to rehome them to private individuals. Read more information on what these regulations mean for you if you're a current chipmunk owner.

You can keep an existing chipmunk

Chipmunks have only been kept as pets for a relatively short time and experts are still learning about how best to care for them. Chipmunks usually live for four to five years in captivity, but can live for up to 10 years meaning there may be a few pets still in homes today.

If you currently own a chipmunk as a pet, it's legal to keep your chipmunk until the end of their natural life, but you're unable to buy or breed another.

A chimpmunk's natural habitat

Siberian chipmunks come from Siberia and Asia, while the eastern American species come from the northern USA and Canada. There are more than 20 different species of chipmunk living in these regions and as far south as Mexico. However, it's Siberian chipmunks that have been more commonly kept as pets.

Active throughout the day, these small, stripy creatures live on the ground, where they like to dig burrows where they make their nests. Energetic climbers, chipmunks can also be seen foraging in trees and bushes. If you're keeping pet chipmunks, try to ensure their home allows them to replicate these behaviours.

Chipmunks can be tricky to care for, as they often don't like to be handled and can easily become stressed. However, with the right environment, you can help ensure your chipmunk can behave naturally and live a healthy and happy life.

Understanding chipmunks’ behaviour

A chipmunk's behaviour can be hugely affected by their environment, which in turn affects their health and happiness.

Chipmunks look for hiding spaces

As a prey species, chipmunks will always want to be able to get away from things that scare them. They'll feel most comfortable with access to a safe hiding place, away from the sight and smell of predators such as foxes, cats, dogs, ferrets and birds of prey. Ideally, provide one hiding place for every animal, with an extra one so they have some choice.

Chipmunks need their space

Although chipmunks don't hibernate, they can enter hibernation-like state called 'torpor' during the winter months. In warm houses, artificial light and temperatures usually stop this behaviour. Chipmunks will hoard food throughout the year but can be driven to hoard extra during the autumn.

Leave your chipmunks alone if they 'hibernate' during the winter, unless you believe they're unwell, of course. Remember, chipmunks can wake during 'hibernation' to feed, so be sure to care for them by always ensuring they have plenty of fresh clean water, fresh food and nesting material available. Remember to check on them regularly.

Chipmunks can 'hibernate'

Signs that your chipmunk is stressed

Chipmunks are highly susceptible to stress – especially if they get bored or don't have enough space. Stressed chipmunks may start to show repetitive behaviours or develop other unwanted behaviours such as aggression or excessive hiding. They may also become lethargic, develop a dull coat and stop eating.

A kind, quiet and gentle approach is most effective around chipmunks. They're very unlikely to understand if you shout at or punish them, and this can cause them to become more nervous and scared.

Monitoring your chipmunk's behaviour

Keep a close eye on your chipmunk's behaviour, and if it changes or they show signs of stress or fear, talk to your vet or clinical animal behaviourist, as it could be a sign that something's not right. A healthy chipmunk should be bright, alert and energetic, moving around the cage easily.

What to feed chipmunks

For your pet chipmunks to stay happy and healthy, they'll need a full and varied diet as well as plenty to drink. Suitable foods include:

Cereals – your chipmunks' diet should consist of up to 50 percent cereals, such as oats, wheat, barley, corn and millet sprays.
Unsalted seeds and nuts, such as pine nuts.
Fresh fruit and vegetables – small amounts of washed, chopped fruit and vegetables, such as apples, pears, bananas, oranges, carrots, sweet potatoes, bean sprouts and tomatoes.
Untreated seeding grasses and weeds such as chickweed, seedling dock and shepherd's purse.
A clean cuttlefish bone – this provides a good source of calcium, and gnawing helps wear down a chipmunk's teeth, which grow continuously throughout their life.
Water – provide fresh, clean drinking water from a drinking bottle with a stainless steel spout. Check the bottle twice a day for any leaks and/or blockages and to keep on top of refills.

Remember:

Remove stones from fruit such as peaches and plums, as these are poisonous.
Seed-based rodent diets aren't suitable – while pellets manufactured for rats and mice can be given to chipmunks, a seed-based rodent diet is not suitable.
Chipmunks like to store food and this is essential to their wellbeing. Check your chipmunk's food store daily and remove any uneaten food which may go off, like fruit and vegetables.

Monitoring your chipmunks' diet

It's important to keep an eye on the amount and type of food that your chipmunks are eating every day, and to check that they're drinking as normal and passing plenty of dry droppings. Generally, chipmunks produce two kinds of droppings – hard dry pellets, and softer moist pellets that they eat directly from their bottom. These are actually an essential part of their diet!

If you decide to adjust your chipmunks' diet to improve their health, great! Remember, never make sudden changes to your pet's diet, as this could upset their digestive system and make them ill. Speak to your vet for more detailed advice on gradually transitioning your chipmunks onto a healthier diet. If your chipmunks' eating or drinking habits change, or the number or size of their droppings gets smaller or stops, talk to your vet, as they could be ill.

Chipmunk health and welfare

Regularly watching your chipmunks and how they normally behave will help you notice when they're behaving differently, which can be an early sign that something's wrong. Healthy chipmunks should be lively, with a shiny coat, bright eyes and no signs of diarrhoea around the tail. Signs your chipmunk may be unwell may include:

Discharge around the nose
Difficulties breathing – a sign of a possible respiratory infection
Wetness around the mouth – a possible sign of overgrown teeth
Reduced food intake
Lethargy
Dull coat and weight loss
Sudden changes in behaviour

It's worth brushing up on the signs and symptoms associated with common illnesses in chipmunks, such as aspergillosis, ringworm, parasites, stress, dental disorders and respiratory infections.

Also watch out for your chipmunks developing repetitive behaviour, which may be caused by barren environments, lack of space, stress, frustration or lack of mental stimulation. Consult your vet if they show any signs of illness or stress.

Keeping your chipmunks healthy

To keep your chipmunks happy and healthy:

Only use medicines prescribed for the specific animal by a vet. Human and other animal medicines can be dangerous to chipmunks, so you should never use them.
Keep them away from poisonous materials such as poisonous food, plants, and chemicals. Always contact your vet immediately if you suspect poisoning.
Give them suitable gnawing material, such as a cuttlefish bone, which will help wear down their continuously growing teeth. Check their teeth weekly for any signs of overgrowth or misalignment. Only vets should correct overgrown or misaligned teeth.
When you're away, ensure that your pets are cared for by a responsible person. It's best to keep them in their familiar enclosure and leave them their usual food.
Always supervise all your pets when they're in the company of another animal or person who could deliberately or accidentally harm or frighten them.

Creating a good home for chipmunks

Here's what you'll need to be doing to replicate a wild environment in your chipmunks' home:

Space – chipmunks need a large, secure, living environment, ideally the same size as a large aviary (tall enough for you to walk into without crouching).
Flooring – solid and covered with suitable bedding material, such as dust-free, non-toxic wood shavings or shredded paper, to a depth that allows your chipmunks to dig. Wire mesh flooring should be avoided as it can cause damage to the feet.
Things to climb – their home should reflect their natural habitat of a forest or woodland, with plenty of space to climb and forage. Your chipmunks will enjoy the opportunity to climb using a range of branches and ropes, but make sure any wooden branches come from untreated, non-toxic trees only.
Nest boxes – fill these with shredded paper or dust-free hay so that your chipmunks can rest and sleep comfortably.
Hiding places – give them spaces where they can hide when they feel scared, like hollow logs or pipes.
Toys – enough for all your chipmunks so they don't compete for or monopolise them.

Chipmunks enjoy chewing and digging, so it's important to check their housing regularly for any damage or hazards that may hurt them or allow them to escape. Repair their housing when necessary.

Keeping your chipmunks indoors

Keep indoor-housed chipmunks away from direct sunlight, radiators and other heat sources. Chipmunks are also very sensitive to high-frequency sounds that we can't hear, and they can find these noises stressful. Keep them away from things in your home that may generate ultrasound, such as televisions, computer screens, vacuum cleaners and sources of running water.

It's also vital to keep your chipmunks in quiet and calm areas away from dogs, cats, ferrets or other pets. As a prey species, you'll need to give them secure hideouts, away from the sight and smell of potential predators.

Keeping your chipmunks warm outside

If you keep your chipmunks outside, make sure they're comfortably protected from draughts and that they have shelter (such as nest boxes filled with hay or shredded paper) and shade from the elements.

If the weather turns colder, chipmunks may 'hibernate' for short periods, meaning they'll lay down body fat to survive any cold periods when they aren't eating. Give them extra nesting material during colder weather.

Cleaning your chipmunks' enclosure

Spot-clean your chipmunks' enclosure regularly. Chipmunks tend to use one area of their accomodation as a toilet, so it'll help to keep it clean for longer.

Deep-clean the enclosure quarterly using a pet-safe disinfectant, following all manufacturer's instructions. After completing a clean, rinse the area thoroughly with clean water and be sure it's fully dry before putting your chipmunks back into their enclosure.

To help reduce the stress associated with cleaning, it's a good idea to put some used but unsoiled nesting and bedding material back into the enclosure after cleaning it.

Keeping chipmunks together

Chipmunks are generally solitary animals in the wild, though they do form loose colonies where territories overlap. They can sometimes be aggressive towards other chipmunks, and adult males will usually fight if they're housed together.

However, it depends on the breed as to whether chipmunks should be kept alone or together – some are better housed in pairs or groups. A Siberian chipmunk may be housed in a pair or group, but take great care to ensure they're compatible and continue to get along. An eastern American chipmunk must always be housed on their own.

Successful combinations for chipmunks kept together are thought to be: a male and female pair; a single male with up to three females; all-female groups.

We recommend neutering all chipmunks where they're kept in mixed-sex pairs or groups. Remember, under the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation, you're responsible for ensuring that your Siberian chipmunks don't breed.

Time alone for your chipmunks

Keep your chipmunks happy by giving them places where they can escape their companions when they want to. Make sure you give them enough nest boxes and hiding places for at least one each, ideally also with an extra one, and give them at least one box large enough for them all to fit in so they can rest together if they want to.

Handling and interacting with your chipmunks

Regular interactions with your chipmunks will help them to gently get used to you. However, chipmunks are fast and agile and can be difficult to catch. Take care so that it's not a stressful experience for them – avoid chasing them. You can carefully use padded nets and closeable nest boxes to help catch them.

Chipmunks don't generally enjoy being handled and it can be stressful for them. If you're handling a chipmunk, avoid scruffing them or picking them up by their tail, as this can be painful and can injure them. Instead, gently pick them up using cupped hands. We recommend wearing strong gloves when handling chipmunks to protect yourself from being bitten. After a while, and with training, some chipmunks can be taught to take food from your hand.

Keeping chipmunks with other pets

If you have other animals in your home – such as dogs, cats and ferrets – keep them away from your chipmunks and their enclosure, as chipmunks are a prey species and can find the presence and scent of other animals stressful.

We advise constant supervision while your chipmunks are with another animal or person who may deliberately or accidentally harm or frighten them, even if you believe they're good friends.

Moving your chipmunks

Moving your chipmunks can be stressful for them, so you should try to avoid transporting them unless it's absolutely necessary. If you're going away, it's better to find someone to care for them in your home.

If you have to move your chipmunks, you can help them feel more comfortable and safe by adding familiar-smelling things into their carriers and new environments, such as used bedding or toys. You should also give them some moist fruits and seeds to last the whole length of the journey to prevent dehydration.

Remember, under the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation, Siberian chipmunks can only be transported for animal welfare reasons, such as when they are taken to a vet, boarding establishment or if you're moving house. It's important that your pets are transported securely and aren't allowed to escape.