Ever caught chipmunks treating your garden like their own snack bar? You might wonder what foods could actually hurt them. It’s important to know which things are toxic so you can keep chipmunks away without risking the safety of other animals.
Foods like chocolate, onions, garlic, salty snacks, certain nuts, and alcohol can seriously harm chipmunks if they eat them.
But using toxic foods to deal with chipmunks? That’s really not a good move. These foods might draw in chipmunks or even other pests, and you could get into legal trouble for using them this way.
It makes more sense to get rid of their food sources and block their access. That way, you protect your garden and local wildlife at the same time.
If you know what chipmunks dislike or what can hurt them, you can protect your plants and still be kind to the environment. There are natural ways to keep chipmunks at bay without using harsh poisons, and your garden will thank you for it.
If you want more about which foods are risky and why you should steer clear, check out this helpful guide on how to get rid of chipmunks in your garden.
Substances and Environments That Are Toxic for Chipmunks
A lot of things people use every day can actually be dangerous or even deadly for chipmunks. Some common poisons, plants, and chemicals you find around the house or yard put these little animals at real risk.
If you know what to watch out for, you can keep chipmunks safe—or at least manage them in a way that’s responsible.
Common Garden and Household Poisons
Garden products like mothballs, pesticides, and herbicides usually contain chemicals such as naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. Chipmunks can get really sick if they touch or eat these.
Household cleaners, antifreeze, and rodent poisons are also risky. Chipmunks might accidentally eat these if you leave them out.
Lock up these chemicals or keep them far from where chipmunks could reach. Even natural repellents like garlic or pepper sprays should be used with care.
Don’t use toxic baits meant for other rodents—those can kill chipmunks, and that’s not what anyone wants.
Dangerous Plants and Foods
A few plants and foods are just plain bad for chipmunks. Onions, garlic, chocolate, salty snacks, and alcohol can all make chipmunks sick or even kill them.
Some nuts are risky too, even though chipmunks eat plenty of nuts in the wild. Packaged or seasoned nuts often have salt or additives that aren’t safe.
Seal up pet food so chipmunks don’t get into it and end up poisoned. If you’re growing bulbs or flowers, remember that chipmunks might dig them up and get exposed to fertilizers or pesticides stuck to the soil.
Rodenticides and Chemical Hazards
No one has made a toxic bait that’s actually safe or legal for chipmunk control. Rodenticides for rats or mice will kill chipmunks too, but it’s not ethical or allowed.
If you’re trying to deal with chipmunks, skip the poisons. Use traps or block their entry points instead.
Rat bait and similar chemicals cause a slow, painful death for chipmunks, so please don’t use them. It’s always better to try non-lethal options first.
Seal up places where chipmunks might get in, or change up their habitat to make it less comfy. If you have to trap them, release them far from homes.
You can get more info on safe ways to control chipmunks at MU Extension’s page on controlling nuisance chipmunks.
Risks and Dangers Related to Chipmunk Droppings
Chipmunk droppings can carry germs that make people or pets sick. If you handle droppings the wrong way, you might put your health at risk.
Diseases Transmitted by Chipmunk Feces
Chipmunk poop can spread diseases like leptospirosis, hantavirus, and salmonellosis. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that causes fever, muscle aches, and vomiting.
Hantavirus attacks your lungs and can cause serious breathing trouble. Salmonellosis can give you diarrhea and stomach pain, which isn’t fun for anyone.
You could get sick by touching chipmunk droppings or even breathing near dried ones without protection. Chipmunks don’t carry rabies, but their droppings still aren’t safe for people or pets.
It pays to be careful around chipmunk droppings to avoid these risks.
Safe Cleanup Practices for Droppings
When you clean up chipmunk droppings, put on disposable gloves first. This step keeps your hands protected.
Skip sweeping or vacuuming, since those can kick up harmful dust. Instead, grab a disinfectant spray or mix up some 10% bleach water, and spray it directly on the droppings.
Let everything soak for about 5–10 minutes. That way, you’re not stirring up anything dangerous.
Pick up the mess with paper towels and toss them in a sealed plastic bag right away. Once you’re done, wash your hands well with soap and water—even if you had gloves on.
Try to keep pets away from the droppings and the area you just cleaned. It’s just not worth the risk.
Taking these steps really cuts down on the chance of disease and helps keep your home healthy. Want more info? Check out this guide on chipmunk scat identification and cleanup.
