If you’ve spotted chipmunks tearing up your garden, you’re definitely not alone. These little critters dig for a few reasons, mostly to find food or make a safe spot for themselves.
Chipmunks usually dig because they want to stash away food like nuts or seeds, or sometimes they’re just hunting for insects and roots to snack on.
Sometimes, the bare soil in your garden just looks too inviting for them to ignore. They see it as a perfect place to hide snacks or dig for something tasty.
Sure, this is all natural chipmunk behavior, but it can get pretty annoying when your plants get uprooted. If you get why chipmunks dig, you’ll have a better shot at keeping your garden safe—without harming the little guys.
Chipmunks follow instincts that have helped them survive for ages. Whether they’re searching for food under the dirt or just trying to find a cozy home, they’re simply doing what chipmunks do.
If you want to stop them from digging, you’ll need to know why they’re doing it in the first place. Let’s dig in (pun intended) and see what you can do.
Common Reasons Chipmunks Dig in Gardens
Chipmunks dig in gardens for a handful of reasons tied to their natural habits. They’re searching for food, trying to build a safe home, or just reacting to the changing seasons.
Knowing what drives their digging can really help you protect your plants.
Food Storage and Foraging Habits
Chipmunks dig mostly to find or hide food. They gather up nuts, seeds, and berries, then bury them underground to save for later.
Loose soil and open dirt in your garden make it easy for them to stash away their goodies.
Sometimes, they’ll dig up bulbs, roots, or even young plants if they look edible. Other times, they’re after insects or fungi living just under the surface.
If you want to stop this, try covering bare soil with mulch, leaves, or even small rocks. It makes digging way tougher for chipmunks and keeps your garden a bit safer.
For more ideas, check out tips on creating barriers around your plants.
Burrow Construction and Shelter Needs
Chipmunks also dig to make burrows where they can live and stay safe. They need tunnels underground for sleeping, raising their babies, and hiding from predators.
Your garden might seem perfect to them if you have soft soil. They’ll often pick spots near foundations, fences, or shrubs for extra cover.
If you start seeing little holes or mounds of dirt, chipmunks might already be moving in. Try keeping soil covered and avoid leaving quiet, undisturbed areas to make your garden less appealing as a home.
Seasonal Behaviors and Activity Peaks
Chipmunks really get busy in spring and fall. In spring, they search for food after a long winter and might dig up new seedlings.
In fall, they go on the hunt for places to store nuts and seeds before it gets cold.
You’ll probably notice more digging during these seasons. Planting can leave bare soil exposed, which just looks like an open invitation to chipmunks.
Covering soil with leaves or mulch during these busy months can help. Block off open patches and you’ll likely see less damage.
If you’re curious, there are plenty of guides online that dive deeper into how chipmunks can affect your garden.
Chipmunks vs. Squirrels: Similarities and Differences
Chipmunks and squirrels both show up in gardens, digging and foraging, but they don’t always act the same way. Their nests, diets, and how they interact with your plants can be pretty different.
Knowing these details might help you figure out what you’re dealing with.
Nesting Habits and Digging Behavior
Chipmunks create homes underground. Their burrows can get pretty complex, with different rooms for food storage and sleeping.
If you spot holes in your garden, chances are chipmunks are behind them. They dig mostly to make these homes and hide food.
Squirrels, on the other hand, usually build nests (dreys) up in trees. Some squirrels do dig, but it’s mostly just to bury nuts. They don’t really live underground like chipmunks do.
If you see a bunch of tunnels, you’re probably looking at chipmunk handiwork. Shallow nut caches or nests up in trees? That’s more of a squirrel thing.
This difference matters when you’re deciding how to protect your plants.
Diet and Garden Attraction
Both chipmunks and squirrels munch on nuts, seeds, and fruits. Chipmunks, though, eat a bit of everything—they’ll go for insects, fungi, and small plants, too.
That’s why they tend to dig around bulbs and roots more often.
Squirrels stick mostly to nuts, seeds, and some plant bits. They might nibble on bulbs now and then, but they’re more about hiding food in lots of places.
You’ll probably catch chipmunks digging up bulbs or seedlings, while squirrels might raid your bird feeders or strip bark.
If you know what draws each animal, it gets easier to pick the right barriers or deterrents for your garden.
Interactions Between Species
Chipmunks and squirrels often share the same habitats, but they usually don’t compete head-to-head. Chipmunks stick to the ground, while squirrels prefer hanging out in the trees.
Sometimes, squirrels will take over chipmunk food caches or even claim their territory. Most of the time, though, they avoid getting into fights.
Both animals help scatter seeds around, which is pretty important for forests. They bury nuts and, honestly, forget where they put some of them—nature’s little gardeners at work.
If you get how these animals live side by side but do their own thing, you’ll probably have an easier time keeping the peace in your garden. For more on their quirks, check out squirrels and chipmunks differences at Critter Control.
