So, you’ve found a chipmunk. The first thing you should do? Check if it actually needs help, and make sure it stays warm, quiet, and safe.
Don’t try to feed it or handle it too much. Wild chipmunks need special care, and honestly, they’re a lot more delicate than they look. Take a minute to watch from a distance—sometimes the mother’s still nearby and will come back if you give her a chance.
You might see baby chipmunks out exploring, but if one looks hurt or doesn’t go back to its den after a few hours, it probably needs help. In that case, you should reach out to a wildlife rehabilitator—they know what to do and can give the chipmunk a real shot at survival.
How you react right away can really change the outcome for this little animal. Here’s what you can do to help before the pros step in.
Immediate Actions When You Find a Chipmunk
When you spot a chipmunk, your first steps matter. Check on it, keep it warm and safe, and try not to freak it out. If things look bad, get in touch with a wildlife expert.
Assess the Chipmunk’s Condition
Take a close look without picking it up if you can help it. Is it moving around? Breathing okay? Hurt at all?
Look for bleeding, broken limbs, or if it’s struggling to stand. If the chipmunk feels really cold or can’t move much, it could be in shock.
Check for fleas, ticks, or weird behaviors like a head tilt. If you see a baby with no fur or one that’s way too little to be on its own, that’s a red flag.
If you spot any of these things, you should call for professional help right away.
Provide Water and Shelter
Skip the food for now. The wrong stuff could actually hurt the chipmunk.
Focus on warmth and shelter. Place the chipmunk in a small box lined with a soft towel or cloth. Make sure it can breathe—poke a few tiny holes in the box—but also keep it secure so it can’t escape.
Put the box somewhere quiet and dark, far from pets and loud noises. To warm it up, you can use a heating pad set on low or even a sock filled with warm rice.
Don’t put the chipmunk straight on the heat, though—burns can happen fast.
Minimize Handling to Reduce Stress
Chipmunks get scared pretty easily, and handling just makes it worse. Only touch or move the chipmunk if you really have to.
Wear gloves if you do need to pick it up. That keeps both you and the chipmunk safer, and it doesn’t pick up your scent.
If you need to move it, gently cover it with a towel first. Less stress means a better chance for the chipmunk to recover.
Deciding When to Contact a Wildlife Rehabilitator
If you see signs of illness, injury, or if the chipmunk’s really young, call a wildlife rehabilitator right away.
Don’t try to handle it on your own—chipmunks need very specific care to survive. If a cat or dog caught it, or someone already fed it milk or people food, that’s an emergency.
Wildlife experts know how to treat injuries and what to feed. Look up local rehab centers or organizations that work with small wild animals for advice.
Long-Term Solutions and Humane Prevention
Dealing with chipmunks takes a bit of patience. You want to keep them out of your house, but hurting them isn’t the answer.
Safe relocation, protecting your property, and making a few changes in your yard can make a big difference.
Releasing Chipmunks Safely
If you’ve caught a chipmunk, take it at least five miles away before letting it go. Pick a spot with lots of trees, food, and places to hide—think forest or park, not a busy street or someone else’s backyard.
Check your local laws first; some places don’t allow relocating wild animals.
Handle the trap gently, open it in a safe spot, and let the chipmunk run free. Make sure it’s got access to natural food like nuts, seeds, and plants.
Protecting Your Home and Garden
Seal up any holes or cracks around your house. Look at the foundation, crawl spaces, vents, and the edges of your roof.
Use fine mesh or sealant to close gaps as small as a quarter inch. Keep bird feeders away from your house and clean up spilled seeds—chipmunks love those.
Store pet food and birdseed outside in rodent-proof containers. Trim back plants and get rid of wood or rock piles near your home so chipmunks don’t have places to hide.
If you notice burrows near porches or sidewalks, fix any weak spots to prevent damage.
Using Barriers and Hardware Cloth
You can keep chipmunks from digging by burying 1/4-inch hardware cloth in an L-shape around foundations, flower beds, and gardens.
Put hardware cloth or bulb cages over flower bulbs so chipmunks can’t dig them up. The wire mesh keeps them out, but your plants still grow just fine.
Put up fencing made of hardware cloth with small holes around gardens, and bury it a few inches deep. The mesh needs to be small enough so chipmunks can’t squeeze through.
Creating a Less Inviting Environment
Try to make your yard less appealing to chipmunks by removing food sources and hiding spots. Pick up fallen nuts and seeds whenever you notice them.
Don’t leave pet food outside overnight. It might seem harmless, but chipmunks will find it.
Try using natural repellents like peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, or even garlic. Mix these with water and spray the solution in spots where chipmunks hang out the most.
Plant flowers like daffodils, marigolds, or lavender. Chipmunks don’t really care for these, so they’ll usually steer clear.
Cut back dense shrubs and tie back any branches that touch your roof. This makes it harder for chipmunks to reach your attic or vents.
