Chipmunks are enjoying my garden more than me

[Burlykatz73]

We have a chipmunk problem. There are not only holes all over my yard, but I am basically growing a garden to feed these little guys. I have a greenhouse that I have to keep open due to the heat, and I have a small outdoor garden that my husband and son "chickenwired in" to try to help keep them out. I have tried raising beds, surrounding the gardens with moth balls, adding blow up snakes, a motion sensored spider that shakes, blood meal, and more. I had 2 pumpkins growing... very early stage, and they are now gone. All my young zucchini has been eaten... Numerous tomatoes. I have barely gotten any veges at all!! HELP!!! Is there ANYTHING I can do?

 

[Mr_Yan]

I had much the same problem for a few years - mine were actually thirteen-lined ground squirrels but thats the same ecological nitch.

I eradicated the problem with snap style rat traps baited with peanut butter. It took a few days to clear out several but it worked. I also put a small box around the trap such that the only open end is the narrow side of the trap with the pan at it. That way the chipmunk has enter the trap in the perfect direction for a clean kill.

A pellet rifle will also do the job but I would look for non-lead pellets to shoot into the garden.

 

[Burlykatz73]

Thanks for the suggestion, but while these guys are pests and I HATE that they are eating my garden, I don't want to hurt them. I would like to find another way to keep them away

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I love chipmunks. We have tons of them around here. They don't really cause any serious damage to the garden. Sometimes they'll dig up young plants and stuff, but I love having them around. I'm not really sure how you could stop them without building a structure entirely surrounding your garden including the top. They can climb right through the normal chicken with hexagon holes. The chicken wire with the smaller square holes would work better, but they can climb right over it.

mine were actually thirteen-lined ground squirrels

That makes me extremely sad. Thirteen-lined ground squirrels are an incredible north american animal. We need to do better as humans to learn to live with animals, and not ending their lives when things aren't working out ideally.

 

[Burlykatz73]

I love chipmunks. We have tons of them around here. They don't really cause any serious damage to the garden. Sometimes they'll dig up young plants and stuff, but I love having them around. I'm not really sure how you could stop them without building a structure entirely surrounding your garden including the top. They can climb right through the normal chicken with hexagon holes. The chicken wire with the smaller square holes would work better, but they can climb right over it.



That makes me extremely sad. Thirteen-lined ground squirrels are an incredible north american animal. We need to do better as humans to learn to live with animals, and not ending their lives when things aren't working out ideally.

Yeah... I'm with u... could NEVER hurt the cute little suckers I just have to find a way to stop them from eating all my veggies!!!