The burrowing activities of chipmunks can be a big problem for your house foundation and landscape structures. These pests can cause a lot of damage with their extensive nest burrows and can undermine a whole part of the foundation causing a drop over time.
Are chipmunks bad for Your House?
On a residential property, chipmunk burrowing can cause some destructive, structural damage. Since they often choose to dig their tunnels under sidewalks and driveways, near the concrete patios, porches, stairs, retention walls, and the foundation, this activity can weaken the supports leading to damage to these areas.
How to keep Chipmunks out of your yard?
Installing a wire-mesh fence around your plants is a good option. Just make sure that you bury the bottom of it deep into the ground. By doing so, you will prevent the chipmunks from burrowing under it.
What are the signs of chipmunk damage?
Signs of chipmunk damage are pretty ambiguous, but if you see these signs and see chipmunks in your garden, chances are the culprits are chipmunks: Small holes in lawns and trails, usually near the foundation of the home, in the middle of a path or walkway, and along edging (this can damage paving and foundations).
Do Chipmunks climb trees?
Although a chipmunk is an expert tree climber, you can usually spot them scurrying on the ground in the vicinity of their burrows. That’s because they spend most of their lives either on the ground or in their underground burrows.
Are chipmunks destructive to homes?
Chipmunks don't usually damage property, but they may injure ornamental plants when they harvest fruits and nuts. Occasionally chipmunks dig up and eat spring flowering bulbs and burrow in flower beds or under sidewalks and porches. But there are no documented cases of a chipmunk burrow causing structural damage.
How do I stop chipmunks from digging up my foundation?
You can prevent chipmunks from burrowing — and make your yard far less enticing to them — by installing L-shaped barriers of mesh fencing or hardware cloth around the base of your house's foundation, fences, sidewalks, porches and more.
What kind of damage can chipmunks cause?
Although the normal complaints about chipmunks include their destructive habits of digging up and eating flower bulbs, seeds or seedlings, and digging up yards and gardens; if their populations are large enough, they can also cause structural damage by burrowing under patios, stairs, retention walls or foundations.
Can chipmunks burrow through concrete?
Chipmunks nest in underground burrows. Their burrow entrances are neat, round holes about two inches in diameter which have been cleared of loose dirt. Burrows are often located under an object like a rotten log, stump, or rock. Unfortunately, a concrete slab like a sidewalk or patio serves just as well as a rock.
How do you fill a chipmunk hole under a foundation?
0:543:32How to Fill in Chipmunk Holes - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUse tightly packed soil to fill all holes you find after rolling the lawn a top dressing of soilMoreUse tightly packed soil to fill all holes you find after rolling the lawn a top dressing of soil applied over the lawn smoothes depressions caused by tunnels that collapsed.
Can chipmunks live in your walls?
Chipmunks may even move into the walls of your home. Within the walls, the critters can gnaw on wooden beams, insulation, and wires. This can cause structural issues and increase the risk of an electrical fire.
How do I get rid of chipmunks in my house walls?
0:542:42How to Get Rid of Chipmunks in Walls - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThings you will need peanut butter oatmeal. Live trap caulk expanding foam wire screen place peanutMoreThings you will need peanut butter oatmeal. Live trap caulk expanding foam wire screen place peanut butter mixed with oatmeal. And a bait area of the live trap. Live traps vary.
How do I rid my house of chipmunks?
Here's how to get rid of chipmunks in and around your house.Get rid of the bird feeder. ... Prune and clean up trees and bushes. ... Install an L-shaped footer under a patio, deck or walkway. ... Remove wood piles. ... Plant bulbs inside wire cages. ... Trap and remove them humanely. ... Try a rodent repellent.
Do chipmunk burrows have two entrances?
Chipmunk burrows can have many entrances depending on the size of the burrow. Typically, there is more than one entrance and potentially several if the burrow is large and old.
What can I pour down chipmunk holes?
Can You Cover Chipmunk Holes in Your Yard?Pour gravel as deeply into the chipmunk hole as possible.Fill chipmunk holes with coarse sand.Push cement down into the chipmunk hole, then cover the cement with dirt.Avoid pouring liquid chemicals or mothballs into chipmunk burrows.
What animal can chew through cement?
In some cases, burrowing animals are to blame—and they can wreak havoc on your concrete in a number of ways. Rats, mice, moles, voles, gophers, and several other types of ground-burrowing rodents are natural diggers, constantly seeking out shelter and sources of food.
How small of a hole can a chipmunk fit through?
Tiny holes in your siding are also dangerous since a chipmunk can fit into a space as small as two inches wide. Use caulk, expandable construction foam, or concrete to cover any cracks or holes that you see on the outside of your house.
What happens if a chipmunk burrows into your house?
If chipmunk burrows are threatening your home, the chipmunks are probably overpopulated. If chipmunks have become a nuisance, contact your local agricultural extension agent. If burrows are extensive enough to damage your house, they are probably overpopulated for the habitat. Advertisement.
What are the effects of chipmunks?
Effects. Chipmunks' burrows can damage landscape structures and building foundations. Chipmunks eat bulbs, fruits and young plants, but their most costly behavior is burrowing, which can cause structural damage to sidewalks, stairs or even foundations. Advertisement.
How are chipmunks different from squirrels?
Chipmunks can be distinguished from squirrels by their stripes. The eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) is common to much of the U.S. They weigh about three ounces and are five or six inches long. Their most distinctive features are the black, brown and white stripes running lengthwise down their backs. Advertisement.
Where do chipmunks live?
Although chipmunks are native to woodlands , they thrive in suburbia. The Ohio State University Extension calls the eastern chipmunk "one of the most common wildlife nuisances.". Advertisement.
Do chipmunks chew wood?
Chipmunks do not chew wood, so they are not a hazard to trees, porch posts or walls; only their burrowing causes damage. The Oregon State University Extension considers at least one species--Tamias townsendii--to be beneficial to woodland ecosystems. Advertisement.
Can Chipmunks Damage House Foundation?: Chipmunks and Burrows
Chipmunks dig shallow burrows for safety and resting during the day and deeper and more complex ones for food storage, nesting, and traveling.
Can Chipmunks Damage House Foundation?: Prevention
To prevent dealing with problems that might cause you more than a headache, it might be a good idea to guard your garden. You can install a fence and cover your bulbs and seeds with a hardware cloth.
How to keep chipmunks away from my garden?
Some gardeners swear by spraying cloudy ammonia to keep chipmunks at bay.
What does it mean when a chipmunk eats tomatoes?
Piles or caches of seed and grain in slightly hidden spots. During hot and dry spells, holes eaten out of low hanging vegetables, especially tomatoes is a sign a chipmunk has been getting drinking water out of your garden.
Do chipmunks damage foundations?
The reality is, aside from the small holes in the lawn they create and the small tunnels they build, chipmunks are often not the cause of foundation damage or other serious damage around the property. Yes, the clumps of black oil sunflower seed and corn might be annoying- but if you think about how they do the same with seeds like acorns (that grow into beautiful oak trees), you might think differently about their caching habit. If they make it into your home there are plenty of described humane traps you can use to remove them. And, cleaning up the ground under your bird feeders will also go a long way in keeping chipmunks from becoming too brazen on your property. Sometimes, winning the battle with critters is simply learning to accept them, especially if they’re harmless.
Have-a-heart traps, cementing chipmunk holes shut, and other methods
You can rule out have-a-heart traps, where you give the chipmunks a free ride to a nicer neighborhood near the woods, so their relatives (and distant cousins like rats) can move in beneath your foundation, grateful for the entire city of complex tunnels already dug.
Grab the bucket and hose to get rid of chipmunks
So here’s Crazy Auntie who enlists Junior and heads out to the patio with a five-gallon bucket. Junior takes the hose and fills it half full of water. (Low enough so chipmunks can’t climb out.)
Stop chipmunks from destroying your property
Chipmunks are extremely destructive. The complexity of the tunnel system they construct underground is inviting other rodents and insects (including termites) to use, who may carry disease with them.
Bucket method is the best way to get rid of chipmunks, but not around little kids
Most methods of control and extermination are ineffective, dangerous to pets and people, or result in a foul odor. The bucket method is effective, but should not be used where children play.
What do chipmunks eat?
They normally like eating cereals and playing in trees and other logs that they can find around.
Why do frogs love the garden?
They love the garden because they know a lot of fruits and flowers are available there. In the garden, insects also fly freely which they can catch and eat them. Once they know that the garden is a perfect place for them, they dig holes, stay inside and come out at night to hunt and get food for themselves.
Do foxes chew on wood?
Most of the times they stay in the bush, but they can get access into homes and compounds if they sense there is shelter and food for their survival. Since they don’t chew on wood or plastics, they don’t cause a lot of damage when in the house or compound but they can be another source of trouble because they burrow inside the ground.
Can chipmunks damage fences?
Fences might be compromised as well since most of the animals keep on coming through holes that they dig under the fences. If it is just one chipmunk, it will not cause lot of damage, but if they are many like 50 or more, you should expect a lot of damage. Eat Garden Fruits and Plants Roots.
Can city animal removal services help?
The city animal removal services can help, but they don’t normally respond so quickly since these animals are not that dangerous to human health. If they are many, they can cause intense damage, but if they are few, they can live without manifesting any signs of damage around your home.
Do chipmunks multiply?
They even create routes inside the garden where they will be following every time they go out for hunting. Chipmunks Multiply So Quickly. Whether chipmunk is in the house or in the garden, these animals are always after something. They cannot just invade a place without something attracting them.
How deep do chipmunks burrow?
Chipmunk’s burrow excavations can be huge. The main tunnel can extend 2 to 3 feet deep under the ground and reach 20 to 30 feet in length. The tunnels within the burrow system vary in width and may run alongside extensive tree roots. The chipmunk is also continuously expanding its burrow system each year.
How big are chipmunk tunnels?
Chipmunks build their tunnels without any dirt lying at the entrance and exit holes. These openings are very small, just 2 or 3 inches in diameter . Have a look around your yard and search underneath stones, fallen logs, stumps, woodpiles, and any areas around your lawn, as these are inviting places for these small creatures.
What happens when water burrows into a house?
Burrowing and the subsequent influx of water loosens soil beneath a structure, and the excavated space underneath will cause the integrity of the structure to weaken. It will result in cracking and, eventually, collapsing of the unsupported slab. Water may even appear inside your house.
Do chipmunks live in burrows?
The cute, ground-dwelling chipmunks are members of the squirrel family and are considered pests for all homeowners. As chipmunks always seek a habitat that provides them with shelter and comfort, they build extensive burrow systems next to or directly beneath natural or man-made settings. There are two types of burrows they dig.
Can chipmunks dig under concrete?
On a residential property, chipmunk burrowing can cause some destructive, structural damage. Since they often choose to dig their tunnels under sidewalks and driveways, near the concrete patios, porches, stairs, retention walls, and the foundation, this activity can weaken the supports leading to damage to these areas.
Do chipmunks eat plants?
Chipmunks will also happily chew up your vegetable seeds, flower bulbs, fruits, and plants in your garden. They will help themselves pet bowls and bird feeders as these are a tempting snack for them. If you have trees or shrubs in your yard, you are unintentionally offering them cover and a great place to climb.
Can chipmunks damage foundations?
The burrowing activities of chipmunks can be a big problem for your house foundation and landscape structures. These pests can cause a lot of damage with their extensive nest burrows and can undermine a whole part of the foundation causing a drop over time. Burrowing and the subsequent influx of water loosens soil beneath a structure, ...
Why are chipmunks bad for my garden?
Garden Trends. The primary cause of concern with chipmunks is the damage they do to entire patches of vegetation. Chipmunks are classed as a rodent, and all rodent damage occurs over time. These creatures eat everything they come across, plant or animal matter alike, and if you have what they want in your back garden, they’re going to come in, ...
Why can't I see chipmunks?
It also usually comes with pretty obvious tell-tale signs that you should have seen. If you didn’t see the signs, it’s because you weren’t inspecting your property.
Do chipmunks eat plants?
Chipmunks are classed as a rodent, and all rodent damage occurs over time. These creatures eat everything they come across, plant or animal matter alike, and if you have what they want in your back garden, they’re going to come in, and they’re going to munch their way through it.
Can chipmunks eat bulbs?
Fruit and various roots or bulbs are also on the menu, many of which you probably have growing in your garden. If the chipmunk eats the roots of a plant, the plant won’t grow. Your planting methods will have been for nothing. Well, not entirely for nothing. The chipmunk did get a good meal out of it, at least.
