Ever wonder if chipmunks really cause much trouble around your home or yard? Sure, they look adorable, but chipmunks can mess things up by burrowing near buildings and gobbling up plants, bulbs, and seeds in your garden. If you let them go wild, their digging might even mess with the foundation of your stairs or patio.
Most of the time, their damage isn’t super expensive to fix, but it’s definitely annoying if chipmunks dig close to your house or tear up your plants.
If you know how they cause problems, you’ll be better prepared to protect your space from these little troublemakers.
Spotted chipmunks hanging around? You’re probably wondering how much harm they can actually do and how you can keep them in check.
Let’s take a look at what to watch for and some ways to handle these busy critters.
Types of Damage Chipmunks Can Cause
Chipmunks can mess with your property in a bunch of ways. They dig tunnels, chew on stuff, and mess up your plants.
Knowing what to look for makes it easier to protect your home and yard.
Structural Damage to Foundations and Buildings
Chipmunks dig long, deep burrows underground—sometimes up to 30 feet. They often tunnel under decks, patios, sheds, and even your house’s foundation.
These tunnels leave empty spaces that can make the soil shift or settle. That shift might weaken a structure’s support, causing cracks or even making things a bit unstable.
Chipmunks also chew on wood. You might spot gnaw marks or scratches on your deck or siding. This chewing can speed up wood rot and mean more repairs for you.
If you see holes near your foundation or notice gnawed wood, you probably have chipmunks nearby.
Impact on Gardens, Lawns, and Landscaping
Chipmunks love to dig up flower bulbs, seeds, and young plants. You’ll likely find small holes in your lawn or places where plants have been yanked out.
They search for food and often go after bulbs and fruit.
Their digging can also loosen soil around plant roots, making it harder for plants to stay put or get enough water. When they dig, chipmunks can scatter mulch or soil, messing with the neat look of your landscaping.
Risks to Underground Utilities and Wiring
Chipmunks sometimes chew on underground or exposed wires. That can mess with your electrical systems, irrigation lines, or other utilities near the surface.
Damaged wires might cause outages or even create safety hazards.
If chipmunks tunnel under decks or sheds, they might expose wires or pipes. You might not notice the damage until something stops working.
If you find chewed cables or unexplained outages, chipmunks could be the culprits.
You can read more about chipmunk damage to foundations and buildings at Critter Control.
How to Manage Chipmunk Problems
Look for chipmunk trouble by checking for burrows or chewed-up plants. Changing your yard’s setup and blocking entry points can really help.
If that’s not enough, you might need to set traps or call in pest control.
Identifying Signs of Chipmunk Activity
Check your yard for small holes, about 2 to 3 inches wide. These lead to chipmunk burrows.
You might see piles of dirt or tiny tunnels near your foundation or garden.
Plants can look torn up. Bulbs might be dug out, and roots chewed.
Listen for rustling noises near shrubs or under decks, especially early in the morning or at dusk.
You might spot leftover seeds or nuts scattered around. Be careful—chipmunks can bite if they feel trapped.
Prevention Techniques for Reducing Damage
Start by cutting off food sources. Use feeders that catch dropped seeds, or just take feeders down if chipmunks keep showing up.
Don’t stack firewood or debris close to your house—they use those as hiding spots.
Trim branches and plants away from your home so chipmunks can’t climb up walls or roofs. Surround flower beds and plants with hardware cloth or fine mesh fencing.
Cover seeds and bulbs with wire mesh buried at least a foot past the plant edges. Seal any holes near your foundation by filling them with dirt and topping with rocks.
Make sure vents and downspouts have tight screens to block chipmunks from sneaking in.
Pest Control Strategies and Professional Help
Trapping works pretty well if you want to cut down on chipmunks hanging around your place. Grab a cage trap, bait it with peanut butter or some nuts, and see what you catch. Remember to check those traps every day—sometimes you’ve gotta move them if nothing’s happening.
Snap traps can help, but put them inside protective boxes so you don’t accidentally hurt other animals. Always read the instructions; you really don’t want to risk your pets or kids getting into them.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or those traps just aren’t cutting it, maybe it’s time to call a pest control pro. They can use safe fumigants or exclusion tricks that fit your situation. Just make sure you know the local rules before you think about shooting or poisoning chipmunks.
For extra tips, check out chipmunk damage prevention and control methods.
