What do Chipmunks Eat

 

Chipmunks are small, rodent-like animals that live in Northern America and Asia. Movies and television programs featuring chipmunks often depict them eating peanuts, but have you ever wondered what chipmunks actually eat? This post aims to answer the compelling question what do chipmunks eat and also give ten fascinating facts about chipmunks (but not Alvin and the Chipmunks).

Chipmunks eat a very wide variety of different foods. Chipmunks are omnivorous which means that they eat both plants and animals. The primary diet of chipmunks is grains, bird eggs, nuts (including peanuts!), worms, fungi and insects. Chipmunks are very aggressive in hunting bird eggs and hide where they cannot be seen until the mother bird leaves her eggs. Chipmunks are fairly docile and will eat out of human hands. So now you know the answer to the question what do chipmunks eat. Let’s look at ten interesting facts about chipmunks.

Fact 1: There are 25 different species of chipmunks

Fact 2: One species of chipmunk lives in Asia, one lives in eastern North America and the other 23 are located in western North America

Fact 3: The spelling of chipmunk has changed many times in the past 200 years. Some different spellings include chitmunk, chipmonk, chipmuck and chipminck

Fact 4: The chipmunks in Asia and eastern North America breed in both early spring and summer producing 3-6 baby chipmunks. The western North American chipmunks breed only once a year

Fact 5: Chipmunks stockpile their food in their burrows when winter is about to come

Fact 6: Some birds attack chipmunks so they won’t eat their eggs

Fact 7: Chipmunks burrows can be anywhere from 2-4 metres in length and the entrances are very well concealed.

Fact 8: Chipmunk bites can transmit bacterial infections so chipmunks should never be picked up

Fact 9: It is very rare that chipmunks will have rabies

Fact 10: Chipmunks are occasionally referred to as chip squirrels, striped squirrels or ground squirrels