Food Hunters The North American chipmunk stuffs grain and other morsels into its pudgy cheek pouches and carries his cache to a well hidden burrow or nest to be stored for the winter.

How does the chipmunk eat?

Chipmunks naturally eat nuts, seeds, mushrooms, berries, plant bulbs, insects, bird eggs, and snails. However, they may expand their palette in close proximity to humans if the opportunity arises. You may find chipmunks eating pet food from outdoor bowls and stealing seeds straight from bird feeders.

Do chipmunks hold food in their mouth?

During the warm months, chipmunks will stuff extra food into their cheek pouches. These cheeks are massive grocery bags. They can stretch to be three times larger than the chipmunk’s head, according to Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

How do chipmunks chew?

Like most rodents, chipmunks have a pretty prominent set of incisors or front teeth that are sharp, elongated, and that never stop growing. They also have cheek teeth that help them chew their food, composed of premolars and molars.

How do chipmunks get food out of their cheeks?

Chipmunks squeeze their cheek pouches with their front paws to empty them. This efficiently empties the food into their dens and takes very little time. We don’t often get to see chipmunks empty their cheek pouches since it happens below ground.

What is a chipmunks favorite food?

They love nuts, berries, seeds, and fruits… but more than anything they like food that’s easy to find. If chipmunks seem particularly prevalent around your home, it’s probably because they’ve found a reliable food source. Chipmunks love exploiting bird feeders, feed bags, pet food, or garbage.

What do chipmunks hate the most?

Quote from video:

What do chipmunks eat and drink?

Lizards, small insects, fruits, berries, nuts, vegetables, little birds, fungi, and seeds. Seeds, young shoots, leaves, flowers, fruits, earthworms, and insects. Flowers and leaves, particularly currants, dandelion, oyster plant, and glacier lily.

How often do chipmunks eat?

Eating Habits



Chipmunks feed up to six times a day, eating a small meal each time. They use their strong teeth to gnaw and chew and often store extra food in their cheeks. During the winter, the chipmunk does not hibernate but sleeps more than usual and may eat less often since his choices are often limited.

Do chipmunks eat meat?

Chipmunks aren’t particularly choosey about what they eat. Along with seeds and fungi they scarf grain, fruit, nuts, insects, worms, bird eggs and even nestling birds and baby mice. They probably don’t hunt for eggs and hatchlings, just eat them when they find them.

Do chipmunks bite?

Do Chipmunks Bite? While all wild animals are capable of biting when threatened, chipmunks are rarely aggressive and will most often run away from threats. When cornered or handled, however, they may scratch or bite to defend themselves.

What disease do chipmunks carry?

Common chipmunk diseases include leptospirosis, salmonella, Hantavirus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, encephalitis, rabies, and the plague. Some of these are spread directly through contact with the pests, their feces, or their urine, while others are transmitted indirectly via ticks and fleas.

Is chipmunk poop toxic?

4. Chipmunk Droppings. While chipmunks are not a super common pest to infest homes, they can be quite a nuisance when they do. Their droppings look similar to mouse feces and are equally as toxic to humans.