Everyone has at one time or anotherAlvin and the Chipmunks seen the little brown, black and white striped, bushy tailed relative of the mouse, the chipmunk. Whether in our backyards or as the cartoon versions, Chip and Dale or Alvin and the Chipmunks, most people think of them as cute. So if they are so cute, then why haven’t they, like their mice and rat cousins, been domesticated? The answer to that question may have to do with the fact that they are ubiquitous in the wild in the United States and Asia. As common as squirrels, a close relative in the animal kingdom. Though mice and rats are also very common, they hide most of the time and are not seen in their natural habitat as frequently as squirrels and chipmunks, making them just slightly more exotic. (Unless we are talking about city rats, which are fearless and seem capable of overthrowing the human race in terms of who is on top of the food chain!)

Like squirrels, chipmunks are frequently considered pests. Like all rodents they carry disease and in fact may be more common carriers of rabies than dogs, cats, or squirrels. If they somehow get into your home from the wild they can do a great deal of damage. 

Most of us think of chipmunks as mostly seed and grain eaters, but they are omnivorous and in addition to seed and grain will eat bird’s eggs, fungi, small frogs, worms and insects. But they are hoard animals as well, stashing grain and seed over winter months. They live in burrows that can be up to 3.5 meters in length, usually with several “secret” or hidden entrances. Interesting to note is that chipmunks also have different rooms in their burrows which have different functions. For example, their sleeping area is separate from their pantry, and their bathroom is separate from both of those. It makes one wonder if this arrangement was part of the inspiration for the cartoon chipmunks, Chip and Dale.