Ever wonder if those chipmunks darting around your yard could actually make you sick? Yep, it’s possible, but it usually only happens if you come into direct contact with their urine, feces, or if one bites you. These little guys can carry diseases like plague, salmonella, and hantavirus, all of which can be risky for people.
Chipmunks aren’t aggressive, and most of the time they’ll steer clear of humans. So, unless you try to handle or catch one, your chances of getting sick stay pretty low.
Still, it’s smart to be careful and avoid touching them. If you know how chipmunks spread diseases, you can do a better job of protecting yourself and your family.
If you want more details about chipmunk-borne diseases, check out this page on nuisance chipmunk problems.
Can You Get Sick From a Chipmunk? Understanding the Health Risks
Chipmunks look cute and harmless, but they can carry illnesses you should know about. These diseases usually spread to people through bites, contact with poop or pee, or even through parasites like fleas and ticks.
It’s important to know which diseases chipmunks carry and how they spread so you can stay safe.
Zoonotic Diseases Carried by Chipmunks
Chipmunks can carry a few diseases that might make you sick. The most common ones are plague, salmonella, and hantavirus.
Fleas living on chipmunks and other rodents can spread plague, which is a serious bacterial disease. Salmonella causes stomach pain and diarrhea, and you might get it if you touch something that’s been contaminated with chipmunk droppings.
You also need to watch out for Lyme disease. Ticks that live on chipmunks can spread it. While it’s rare, rabies can show up in chipmunks, but it’s not common.
Chipmunks can also have lice and other parasites that can bother your skin. Diseases like leptospirosis and encephalitis are less likely, but they can happen.
How Chipmunks Transmit Illnesses to Humans
You can get sick from chipmunks in a few ways. Most often, you pick up diseases through bites, from fleas or ticks that hop from chipmunks onto you, or by touching things contaminated with their urine or feces.
For instance, hantavirus usually spreads when you breathe in dust with dried chipmunk pee or poop. Chipmunks generally avoid people, but if they feel cornered, they might bite.
Even a small bite can let germs into your body and cause an infection. Fleas and ticks that bite chipmunks might latch onto you, bringing along diseases like plague or Lyme disease.
Common Symptoms After Exposure or a Chipmunk Bite
If you touch a chipmunk or its parasites, keep an eye out for signs of illness. Symptoms change depending on the disease, but you might notice:
- Fever, chills, and muscle aches (plague, hantavirus)
- Diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain (salmonella)
- Red eyes, headaches, and fatigue (encephalitis)
- Swelling, redness, and pain at a bite site
Bites can get infected, leading to swelling, redness, and sometimes pus. Rabies is rare in chipmunks, but if you get bitten and start feeling weak or confused, get medical help right away.
Always clean bite wounds with soap and water, and see a doctor if you notice symptoms.
Major Diseases and Prevention Tips
Chipmunks can carry illnesses that affect both people and pets. If you spend time near wild areas where chipmunks live, it’s good to know what to watch for and how to protect yourself.
Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illnesses
Chipmunks can carry ticks, and those ticks can spread diseases like Lyme disease. Lyme disease makes you feel tired and achy, and sometimes your joints hurt too.
If you don’t treat it, things can get worse. To lower your risk, use insect repellent when you’re outside.
After spending time where chipmunks hang out, check your body and clothes for ticks. Pull off any ticks you find with tweezers, grabbing as close to the skin as possible and pulling straight out.
Try not to crush the tick. If you get a rash or fever after a tick bite, call your doctor.
Plague: Risks From Fleas and Rodents
Plague is a serious bacterial infection linked to fleas living on rodents like chipmunks, squirrels, and rats. Fleas bite the rodents, then bite people, spreading the disease.
Plague in humans is rare, but it’s very dangerous. Use insect repellent and keep pets on flea control to avoid flea bites.
If you see sick or dead animals, don’t touch them with bare hands—wear gloves if you must handle them. Keeping rodent nests away from your home also helps cut down on the risk.
If you notice lots of chipmunks or rodents around, consider calling a wildlife removal service.
Hantavirus and Other Less Common Chipmunk Diseases
Hantavirus hides in rodent droppings, including those from chipmunks. You can get sick if you breathe in dust with contaminated particles.
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes trouble breathing. Other illnesses from chipmunks, like leptospirosis and encephalitis, are less common but still possible.
Don’t disturb rodent nests or droppings if you can help it. If you have to clean up after chipmunks, wear gloves and a mask.
Seal up entry points to keep rodents out of your home, and always clean up carefully in areas where you’ve seen chipmunks.
Reducing Your Risk: Bite Care and Chipmunk Removal Safety
If a chipmunk bites or scratches you, go ahead and wash the wound right away with soap and water.
Put some antibiotic ointment on it, then cover it up with a clean bandage.
Keep an eye out for swelling, redness, or fever—if things get worse, don’t wait to get medical help.
Try safe chipmunk removal methods, or honestly, just hire professionals like squirrel or rat removal experts.
It’s best not to handle wild animals yourself.
If you’re dealing with other pests—like raccoons, opossums, bats, snakes, foxes, gophers, or even birds—look for specialized removal services to help keep your home protected.
Wear gloves and protective clothing whenever you’re cleaning up or removing animals.
Keep your pets away from wild rodent areas, and treat them regularly for fleas so you can avoid spreading diseases.
