7 TOP Chipmunk Traps (Store Bought & Homemade Traps)

Chipmunk-Traps

Chipmunks are used in many TV shows as small and adorable animals. Homeowners may consider chipmunks cute creatures, but only until these animals begin to mess with their lawns and gardens. This is the moment when these animals become a nuisance.

Chipmunks can do a lot of damage on a property if their populations are not controlled. Even if they can be smaller than squirrels, it doesn’t mean that they cannot destroy a garden. From the multitude of methods used to get rid of chipmunks, traps can be the most effective in the majority of cases.

How can a chipmunk be trapped?

The trapping is performed with the help of baits. Food is the bait normally used by anyone who wants to trap a chipmunk. Just like in the case of trapping many other animals, a setting is created, where the food is placed and the animal will be attracted by the food placed within that setting.

When the animal starts to eat the food, it becomes trapped due to a contraption designed specifically to trigger automatically or on the command of a person. There are two types of chipmunk traps: live and lethal.

The first type allows you to keep the animal alive and then release it far away. Lethal traps can use poison to kill the animals, but they raise moral issues. From a moral point of view, live traps can be ideal.

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How do you place chipmunk traps?

You should look for the areas where chipmunks are usually seen and place the trap in such a way that it will not activate before the animal gets in and eats the food that is used as bait. Make sure there is no other movement around than the movement of the animal. 

In this way, you will ensure that the chipmunk will not become scared and run away before entering the trap. In the first two or three days before the animal is actually caught, you can use wire to prevent the doors of the trap from closing.

The animal will become familiar with the new food source and will come back for more. This is the moment when the chipmunk will eat without worries and will be surprised by the doors closing behind. The trap can also be placed near the plants in the garden in cases in which the garden has suffered the most damage.

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How to procure a trap?

You can make your own trap by looking on the Internet for information on how to build it. You can also ask someone who has already built traps for chipmunks. 

Probably the best way to procure a trap is to go in stores. Traps for chipmunks can be found in hardware stores, pest control firms, local animal shelters and department stores.

The typical cage type of trap is usually twelve to fourteen inches long and four to five inches wide/tall. The trip pan near its back is meant for putting the bait in it.

What method of trapping chipmunks should you use?

You can use a variety of methods, from custom traps to traps that are meant to trap other similar creatures and even mouse traps. Rat traps can also serve this purpose, but they have the disadvantage of being harmful to pets and children.

Solve your chipmunk problem here.

You shouldn’t worry too much about the type of trap to use, especially because you can find those cage types of traps easily and they have everything in place for you to start the operation immediately after purchase. There are also homemade traps and electrocution traps.

What baits can be used to trap a chipmunk?

In terms of baits, you can use any type of food that is preferred by these creatures. Common choices can be sunflower seeds, peanut butter, pumpkins, whole peanuts, nutmeats, prune slices, cereal grains, or raisins.

The best bait can be sunflower seeds, but the other baits work well too. Some people have used even popcorn successfully. There are baits that you can buy in shops and they are mixtures of some of the best foods that chipmunks enjoy in the form of a paste. They have the advantage of a strong scent that animals can feel from far away.

Examples of common DIY traps

One of the most common types of do-it-yourself traps is a bucket filled in half with water. A wooden plank should be leaned on the side of the bucket. The bait (in this case, sunflower seeds would be good enough) has to be placed on the wooden plank.

The chipmunk will try to eat the bait from the plank and fall into the bucket. A mouse trap can work too, if you use good bait. You just need to place a mix of peanut butter and oatmeal on the trap and place the trap in the right location.

Is your rodent trap not working? Why not get a professional to help?

What are the legal implications of trapping chipmunks?

If you are worried about the legal aspects of trapping chipmunks, you may want to know that these creatures are not protected by the federal law in the United States. They can be trapped if they are considered a nuisance.

Despite this, you should always check your state regulations regarding the trapping of chipmunks before you do anything. The disposal of the trapped animals should be made according to your local state rules.

How to handle chipmunks once caught?

You should deal with trapped chipmunks with care. A direct contact with these animals should always be avoided. Trapped animals are alive, so they should be released several miles from the capturing point.

In this way, you make sure that they will not bother somebody else. Just like in other cases in which you have to handle wild animals, you need to take protective measures. Canvas gloves and a thick jumper can be sufficient for this.

Chipmunks can bite with their sharp teeth, cause injuries and sometimes cause infections due to parasites and bacteria that they may be carrying.

Calling a company to deal with the trapping

This is probably the best approach, no matter what people may tell you. The staff of a pest control company can have all the necessary tools and equipment for trapping the chipmunks in the best ways.

A company with experience can find the best course of action in your particular case and knows all the legal implications by default. If you let professionals deal with the trapping, you can be able to save your time for other important activities.

Things to keep in mind regarding chipmunk traps

After you place a trap, make sure that other animals do not become trapped inside. If this happens, remove them as soon as possible. Always perform the removal with caution, to make sure you will not become injured yourself in the process.

The same thing should be considered for removing already trapped chipmunks. Chipmunk trap bait can attract squirrels too, so be sure there are no squirrels around when you start the trapping operation. 

It is very important after each trapping to disinfect the trap in order to avoid the spreading of a possible disease. Remember that calling a professional to trap chipmunks is usually a better idea than doing everything yourself, but you might want to try trapping them on your own first.

Published
Categorized as Chipmunks

By David Jackson

I enjoy learning about new pest control strategies and sharing what I learn at NeverPest.com. I aim to create a reliable resource for people dealing with all sorts of pest issues.

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