Chipmunk Food: Not Just Nuts

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Chipmunks are cute little critters that might appear in your backyard from time to time.

Some people also adopt chipmunks as pets. These animals can be quite entertaining with their active nature and adorable personalities.

Chipmunks are close relatives of squirrels. Both animal species have similar appearances with slight differences. They can share some behavioral habits too. Similar to ground squirrels, chipmunks burrow into the ground to provide shelter for themselves. And just like you might see a squirrel or two roaming in your garden, you might find a chipmunk exploring the garden area too.

The presence of chipmunks in your garden might be indicative of their search for food. Wild chipmunks depend on edible items they might find in their natural surroundings. Meanwhile, chipmunks who are kept as pets have a very different diet altogether.

The diet of chipmunks is influenced by their biology and the surrounding environment. It is important to understand what chipmunks eat in order to feed them a healthy diet.

In the wild, chipmunks eat whatever they can get their cute little paws on. Being scavengers, these rodents can also feed on carcasses. Wild chipmunks are also known to eat bird eggs. Bird eggs provide the chipmunks with protein that their bodies require to function properly. Apart from this, wild chipmunks may visit your backyard to eat the bird feed you kept for the birds.

You might want to feed the chipmunks, too, after seeing them. However, if they keep eating the food meant for the birds, the birds might stop coming to your yard to feed. Therefore, separately preparing other food items to feed a chipmunk is necessary.

Whether you want to feed the wild chipmunks or your pet chipmunks, you need to know what they can eat, their favorites, and what the healthy options are for these animals.

Nuts and seeds are an absolute favorite of chipmunks. Both pet and wild chipmunks eat sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and grains. The nuts that chipmunks eat depend on where they live.

The chipmunks living in the south often prefer pecans and peanuts, while those living in northern regions might like to eat acorns, hickories, and oat nuts. These foods are a good choice to feed a chipmunk as they are good for the rodent's health.

Chipmunks shouldn't be fed too much of these nuts when it comes to peanuts, although they absolutely love them. Peanuts contain a high number of calories, which is not good for the health of these animals.

And if you are giving them peanuts to eat, make sure they are unsalted. The salt would only add to the demerits of this nut. Chipmunks can be given almonds, pine nuts, and walnuts as replacements. However, even these must be given in moderation.

Moreover, it is advised to keep the diets of these rodents as natural as possible. The reason for feeding only natural foods is that they pose a lower risk for the chipmunks and the creatures are already familiar to them.

However, pet chipmunks can also be given more varied food items as part of their daily diet. These can include certain vegetables and fruits. However, any new food must be introduced in small quantities and gradually.

This is done so that the animal can get accustomed to the new taste. If the chipmunk likes it, you can continue to feed it. But if it doesn't like the new food, it is better not to force the creature to eat it.

Different species of animals have different eating habits. These habits partially depend on the nature of the animal and its surroundings. Chipmunks also have eating habits that are influenced by their biology and the availability of food in their natural surroundings.

Chipmunks eat about six times during a single day. Each time they feed on a small meal. The sharp teeth of the chipmunks help them chew and gnaw through the food. They might sometimes also store food in their hollowed cheeks. What they store in their cheeks is slowly chewed through, and it is what gives them an adorable appearance that many people love.

During the winter months, chipmunks do not hibernate like many other animals are known to do. However, they do sleep more often during this season. They sleep to conserve energy and to keep themselves warm. As the time used for sleeping increases, the duration of feeding decreases. Therefore, they eat less in the winter compared to other seasons.

While chipmunks who are kept as pets have more options for food, even during the winter, those living in the wild have to survive on whatever they can find in their vicinity. As they live in burrows underneath the surface of the earth, they create food stores during the warmer months to use during the colder times.

When these stores run empty, the wild chipmunks have to scavenge for any other edible items. These can include plants, berries, seeds, and even nearby wildlife such as insects, worms, and other rodents.

Like humans have some favorite foods they love to eat, chipmunks also have certain edible items they love to eat. A popular fact about chipmunks is that they love different varieties of nuts and seeds.

Sunflower seeds are something that most chipmunks like to eat as part of their daily diet. In addition to this food item, chipmunks have various other things too that they like to eat from time to time.

While the Hopi chipmunks are more herbivorous and like to eat grains, corn, and seeds, the eastern chipmunk species are more omnivorous and would not hesitate to climb trees in order to find a bird egg or two.

Insects and worms are also some of the creatures that can be a part of the chipmunk's diet. Chipmunks kept as pets can also be given this food every once in a while as it is a natural part of their diet.

Moreover, there are instances where some chipmunks who are pets may only like to eat plants and vegetables. However, it is important to maintain a balanced diet, or else any deficiency due to a lack of adequate nutrients can severely affect their health.

Meat is important for protein; vegetables and fruits are needed for other significant nutrients. A well-balanced diet must consist of both food groups. Chipmunks, therefore, must be fed vegetables and fruits too.

Tomatoes are a favorite for some chipmunks. They can't wait for the tomatoes to ripen before devouring them. Vegetables such as corn and squash are also eaten by chipmunks.

As these animals live in burrows, they also feed on several parts of plants available within their reach and closer to the land. These parts of the plants include seedlings, emerging shoots, and sometimes leaves too.

As pets, chipmunks can be given these vegetables as part of their daily diet. Moreover, fruits such as strawberries, blackberries, apples, as well as other types of berries are also something that chipmunks enjoy eating.

However, while giving them any vegetable or fruit that is hard, remember to cut them into small pieces so that they are easy to grab and hold. Also, remember to avoid fruits with seeds and pits like cherries.

The vegetables and fruits must also be fresh. If they are not fresh and have turned stale, they might be harmful to the chipmunks.

The diet of the young chipmunks differs only slightly from that of adults. A chipmunk that is only a few weeks old cannot be fed any solid edible items, including a seed.

It can be difficult for the chipmunk to chew or swallow the solid item. As the young critter grows, it can then gradually be introduced to the various foods, both soft and solid.

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