i would just use rat traps.. baited with peanut butter... and covered by a pot [too keep it in the dark] ... and keep at it until they are gone ...

you will probably be amazed how few there really are ... and with this method.. you wont have the stench of dead animals in your garage ....

a good cat will also help ....

ken

Hi breenthumb... Ya gotta be kiddin'...do ya really think a few chipmunks will cause your garage to cave in...:-) If I were you I wouldn't park my BMW in there...:-) Franklin

Ken, the chipmunks thank you. They are really enjoying the peanut butter while leaving traps unsprung. And while I've been futzing around with that, the holes have gotten more numerous and larger. While trying to fill in two smaller holes, they caved in.

Franklin, perhaps you can tell me what holds a concrete floor up when the base is eroded, so I can share your mirth. Sandy

I'm sorry, - No, then again I'm not sorry. To posion a chipmunk is criminal. There must be other ways to solve the problem than hurt them. Arum

It is not 'criminal' to poison chipmunks, arum. I appreciate your sentimentality, but I dare say if it were your house in jeopardy, you might feel a bit differently.

In truth, chipmunks, though beguilingly cute, can become one of the worst of all rodent nuisances in a real hurry. If conditions are right, they will have several litters a year. Burrowing under slabs or tree roots to make their ever increasing den is typical. If the holes get big enough, foundation walls, concrete slabs, and driveways can crack and collapse. A well populated chipmunk colony can kill a large tree. Shall we talk about fleas and ticks? How about their penchant of chewing up cable wires, insulation, electrical wires, and PVC pipes?

breenthumb, I believe that I would have called on the services of a professional extermination company LONG before all of this garage damage had occurred. Don't you think it's time to stop experimenting, and let the pros take care of the problem?

But that's me! ;-) I expect that there is some good information on the web about the use of those bombs. Just make SURE you pay attention to personal safety. You don't want the fumes in your home.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Sandy,

I would be hesitant to use a poison gas bomb anywhere near a house or garage. You might harm yourself.

If there are sufficient rebars in your concrete garage floor, it should not collapse. It might crack. I don't know what role your home owners insurance will take in this. I agree that it is best to get rid of the chipmunks.

If they can eat peanut butter off of a rat trap without tripping it, you might add something to the peanut butter like a big cashew and tie that to the bait tray with thread so they might give the bait tray a tug. Some traps are much more sensitive than Victor traps.

For example, I have been using some "no-name" mousetraps from Taiwan with great success. They are very sensitive, and you have to set them down very carefully to avoid setting them off. A rat trap version might work for your chipmunks. In this picture, notice how the hold-down bar goes through a circular hole in the bait tray. This has very little friction with the bait tray, and makes the trap very sensitive.

There are also small wire-cage live-catch Havahart traps for chipmunks. The two smaller sizes might be applicable to your circumstances, in case you have both full-grown and juvenille chipmunks present. I have also caught some fully grown chipmunks in their double-door model 1025 trap that is intended for squirrels and such.

MM

ONE DOWN! I haven't been getting replies in my email till maineman's showed up today, so didn't know they were here. And, frankly, I'd about given up on this forum. Nice to see not everyone is on the chipmunks side!

Yesterday I used the old bucket trick with water and birdseed toward the bottom and peanut butter smeared around inside top. One less out there. Just replenished the floating seed. But its been pouring all day, so they may not come out?

Rhizo, I just discovered the holes next to garage while checking spots for fall planting. Since all the holes were concreted and paved over last year, I thought they had moved elsewhere to live. I don't see them very much, but since I discovered them I've been covering the holes to check activity and they're certainly living down there. Professional help is a good idea.

Mainman, I'll have to look for other traps. SIL told me about a new kind too. Something about the bait going into a "cup" that has to spring if touched.

I have the smoke bombs still sitting here, because I've been kind of afraid of hurting myself or garage floor. Thanks for all your suggestions and support. And vtandrea, all I can say is "I feel your pain." Sandy

breenthumb,- I acquiesce. :) Arum

Wow. I have voles AND chipmunks tunneling around the planters and garage. I had no I idea my garage could implode if left un-checked.

ONE MORE DOWN THE BUCKET! Seriously considering exterminator but wondering about the time of year. Do they hibernate? I really need them gone, and its been so cold here, with chance of snow pending. I don't want an exterminator to say its done, only to find them back in the spring with guarantee expired. Sandy

I did some research on the web about chipmunk destruction. Most of what is published out there is pretty repetitive. Everything I read regarding control states that fumigants, or smoke in this case, are ineffective. Trapping is the number one recommendation using either live traps, or rat-sized snap traps which I am going to pick up this weekend. Of course all of these websites recommend exclusion (changing the environment so they will not want to stay), but that my not be feasible.
Below is one of the links I read. Its a PDF file.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chipmunk Info

Greatlakes, Couldn't open the PDF file but thanks anyway. Did find lots of info on bugspray.com. Sorry, I don't know how to post links. At the top of this forum is a related link to Integrated Pest Management. There is a thread about ground squirrels on the first page that has been ongoing since 2003! These poor people are experiencing all the destruction rhizo spoke of and then some. They're even in the houses, garages and basements. So far we're lucky these critters are still outside.

I've been checking exterminators in yellow pages (now listed under Pest Control) and avoiding the ones that mention trapping or relocation. Will see what they say and get some estimates. Sandy

Sandy,

"Couldn't open the PDF file but thanks anyway."

In order for your browser to open PDF documents, you need to download and install the Adobe Reader. I think the majority of Windows systems have downloaded and installed the Adobe Reader so that PDF web pages open automatically in the Adobe Reader inside Internet Explorer (and possibly other browsers as well). I can't comment on the other browsers, because I have always used Internet Explorer as my browser. PDF documents are fairly common on the Internet nowdays, so you are "missing out" by not having the Adobe Reader installed on your system.

For now, on that Adobe download page, for simplicity you might want to uncheck the Adobe Yahoo! Toolbar checkbox and also uncheck the Adobe Photoshop® Album Starter Edition checkbox.

Or you can leave them checked if you are favorably impressed by their "Learn More" links. I don't have any experience with the Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition. I personally regard third party browser toolbars (Yahoo, Google, etc) as somewhat parasitic because they take up screenspace that is valuable to me.

If it were me, I would just concentrate on getting the Adobe Reader to working so I could read PDF documents on the Web, and leave the other stuff for later.

MM

Greatlakesmower,

The PDF suggests using mothballs, and I disagree with that because I believe their active ingredient is carcinogenic. And I doubt their effectiveness against chipmunks anyway. But the PDF has good information about chipmunks.

MM

MM, Adobe hasn't worked right on my computer for quite a while, and wouldn't download. But finally got it working again. Needed a push (and several hours) to straighten out the mess.

GLM, good info. on PDF file. Just what I needed to know about hibernation, breeding times, and daily activity. Plus some things that professionals might use, which makes that a good option. Expensive, but probably good. Sandy

Sandy,

I'm glad you got Adobe Reader working again on your system.

MM

Saturday was my first chance to get out their and set traps after many days of rain and cold. I am not even sure if the chipmunks will come out anymore to take the bait. In the process, I discovered that the voles were at it again carving trails in my lawn underneath the fallen leaves. Hopefully the traps can take care of both.
The PDF article, as well as many other articles, suggests rat traps and not mouse traps for chipmunks. However, the chipmunks I have seen are a small variety and I am not comfortable setting out large strong rat traps in my unfenced front yard.
Anyone else have luck using just mousetraps?

I thought they looked small too, but judging from the two I fished out of the bucket, I doubt a mouse trap would do it. In fact, I used a rat trap in the garage to see if it was safe to put my buckets of birdseed back out. (I brought them in when I saw a chipmunk in there because I know they chew through plastic.) The mouse I caught was tiny compared to the chipmunks--looked especially small in that large trap.

It's usually suggested putting traps perpendicular to the foundation. Don't you have bushes or something near the foundation to hide the traps, insead of out in the open? Sandy

I have tried EVERYTHING to get rid of my chipmunks! What I found did really work is a program I started called CLP or Chipmunk Relocation Program. I purchased 2 live traps and placed them out with sunflower seed. I found I was catching as many as 5 chipmunks a day ! I drove them way across town and dropped them into someone elses yard. The burrows in my flower bed are gone and nothing is chewing through my birdseed containers. I was amazed over the summer I have relocated as many as 50 chipmunks. If I see one has moved into the neighborhood I put out a trap and have him caught within hours. No messy dead chipmunk and the kids enjoy seeing him before he relocates. The traps were about $25.00 but well worth it to save my flowers and sanity.

Now what?! After an unusually mild winter we finally got snow and temps down to 10. Today was back up to 30 so I went out to top off the bird feeders. The downspout extension on the ground had come off and the downspout has a solid block of ice protruding from it. Right next to it was one little chippie hole completely devoid of snow. Everything else is snow covered and there are no tracks around it.

I came inside and called an exterminator, who said he doesn't do chipmunks. According to him it involves taking a special certification class, or catch & release. Said they just aren't worth the trouble. Waiting for a few others to call back.

I think this may be the time for the smoke bombs. Sandy

Lots of people suggest using moth balls, and many other products, in very inappropriate ways. According to the label on the moth ball container using these class 1 carcinogens in any manner except prescribed on that label is a violation of federal law. One use that certainly should never happen is putting them out in your garden, but on any product carefully read the label for use directions and follow them carefully.

I've tried everything short of poison and kill traps to get rid of the chipmunks. We'd always had a couple living in the wood pile in the far corner of the yard and they were cute and didn't bother anything. For some reason after 18 years we've had a population explosion. They dig up all my container plants and dig in the garden. We've used humane traps and relocated them but there's just more to take their place. My dog doesn't scare them and my cats aren't allowed outside so that's not an option. I won't use poison and I can't bring myself to use a trap that will kill them. I'd love to find another way to get rid of these rodents. The one good thing is that I have loads more raptors in the yard and they manage to pick off a few but not enough to make a difference in the amount of destruction they cause.
Karyn

Karyn,

"We've used humane traps and relocated them but there's just more to take their place."

Maybe other people are doing the same thing you are, and you are, in effect, just trading chipmunks. I personally don't think it's right to dump your chipmunks on somebody else, so I don't catch and release.

I don't use poison either, but I do shoot them with a powerful air gun, in or out of a trap. I am doing my best to maintain this property as a rodent free zone. Fortunately, I do get a lot of help from my neighbor's cats and a few feral cats as well. And I think some hawks and owls are also helping.

In my opinion, when it comes to pests, being kind hearted isn't a good strategy. Many rodents can carry fleas, ticks, and disease and they can be dangerous to the health and well being of you and your family.

MM

ever tought of raising a pet ferret? it's the best pest control you can get. Plus they only eat the heads so you can cook the rest. Ok, bad taste joke, but serously, if you know any hunter who has ferrets ask him to lend a hand.
Trying to bypass some of your working car's escape gas into a hole in the ground for a wile every day might work as well... but there would have to be no other cracks on the floor... and it'd be hell unsafe to leave the operation unsupervised, should the gas flow block some how...

Just posting to let you know--knock wood and fingers crossed--they're gone. No sign of them this year, but I keep checking.

I bought an ugly plastic philodendron stapled to a bark stake at a garage sale for 50 cents intending to remove and use the pot and stake for live climbing plants. Who knew plastic plants and stakes were set in cement? So it was laying outside under the high deck waiting to freecycle. Tipped it onto the lip of "the bucket" and dabbed peanut butter here and there going up and down inside the bucket right there under the deck next to several active holes. Bingo! Kept it up till there were no more.

Not saying that plastic plant worked any better than a 2X4. Maybe it was just being able to put it where rain wasn't a factor and I could check it easily. Dunno...just glad they're gone. Sandy

I am going to try the pool, and these gas sticks in a couple of holes. I may try the rat traps too, depending on how the pool works. I plan on being aggressive this year and the beginning of spring next year, and hopefully will have less garden and burrowing damage.

Sorry for those who don't like them killed, but as far as I'm concerned, extinction is not too much for them (yeah, I know I'm just a dreamer...)

Here is a link that might be useful: Gas sticks

The chipmunk population has exploded this year here in Wisconsin! I have never seen so many. The black plastic Tomcat rat traps, baited with sunflower seeds work well for me. Quick, humane and very effective! Just keep after them, I trapped 17 so far this year and they still keep coming!

After reading how to get rid of chipmunks on GW I rigged up a five gallon bucket with water and a plastic plate filled with sunflower seeds. "My DH said that will never work". The very next morning I was watching a chipmunk running around the bucket. It checked out the ramp spread with peanut butter. It was already licked clean. He then climbed the back of the waterfall rocks and jumped about two feet right into the bucket. "I was thinking won't work huh" Then I saw his little head going up and down. He was really enjoying the sunflower seeds. I went out to see what was going on. It seems it was pretty cold that night and the water in the bucked was frozen and so was the seeds in the plate. I laughed my head off. I called my sister and gave her the laugh for the day.
Now I have a smaller seed container a (two inch lid) and I am hoping for better weather and fewer chipmunk's.