Yikes! Chipmunk in the house!

So, I was doing my Leslie Sansone DVD this morning in the frontroom, which is open to the kitchen....and some movement caught my eye. It was a chipmunk coming out of a lower kitchen cabinet. At first I couldn't believe it, and it quickly went back in - but popped out once more and then back in!!!

Now I know why my cats have been more interested in the kitchen than normal, but right now they're just staring out the patio door watching birds.

So, got a note into my condo management asking for pest control to check the outside of the unit and arrange to inspect the inside, and I googled and saw that I should have a plastic bag at the ready, in case I can herd the chipmunk into the bag and take it outside. Any other ideas? Can't the little chipmunk smell the cats and just decide to go away? I don't really want to kill it - just want it to stay outside!

I've already noted to condo management that I'll need a pet friendly pest control advisor (we have lots of dogs in our association, so I think they're already aware of that issue), and I know it's not the biggest problem in the world, but I'm a little freaked.

Also, does this mean I should remove the finch feeder that's outside my patio - sniff, the kitties love to watch the birdies.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Well, chipmunks aren't like rats or mice, exactly; they don't really prefer indoors. As far as the feeder is concerned, if you feed the wildlife, why exclude the little chipmunks that are storing up for winter, too?

Don't get me wrong; I wouldn't want one indoors. But I'd try to find a way to keep them outdoors, not kill them.

Thanks, Mr. Blanche - that's what I'm hoping - I just want the pest control person to check the outside of the building (four units) for any holes and advise me if I'm missing anything inside that's allowing them in. I don't actually want to kill them, just have them relocate outside!

And I had thought it was cute how the little chipmunks were eating the stray nyger seed from the finch feeder. In respect to the neighbors, I wasn't trying to feed anything that would attract tons of squirrels or racoons, etc. I just got worried that the feeder was somehow enticing the chipmunks into the house - they can eat outside all they want, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, girl cat just went to the back bedroom to look out the window, and boy cat on my lap - so thinking/hoping that means I don't have a herd of chipmunks just waiting to hop out and scare me!

Thanks again!

We had one inside a couple of years ago. I came home from work, and saw the cats looking intently at the bottom of the sofa. I thought I heard a peep, but thought it could be a cat toy. Then I remembered none of their toy squeaked! DH came home, and moved the sofa. He said, "There's no mouse under here. All I see are cat toys!" Then, ""OMG (not the actual word, BTW!)! It's a live chipmunk!" While I held the cats at bay, he shooed the chipmunk out the front door. We haven't had one inside since. The poor thing must've spent all day under that sofa, terrified of 9 sniffing noses! He must've gained entry via the cat door, which leads to the garage. I noticed that the garage door was not lowered all the way--so he could have gone under that--and met up with many curious cats, using their litter boxes there (we don't use the garage as a garage, so there's no danger of cats being run over by our cars, in case you're worried about that).

I call DH "The Chipmunk Whisperer." The week before, I saw something writhing in the bird netting over my plants. It was a chipmunk--perhaps the same one. He was strangling himself in the large mesh. DH cut him loose. He said Chippy was so soft and silky, and made a little peep before he scampered off.

You guys are making me feel better - but if I could borrow the Chipmunk Whisperer for an afternoon, that would be nifty!

I have had chipmunks in the house often! When the cats used to be let outside (no Longer) They would often bring in a chipmunk and drop it on the floor unharmed.(snakes also eeek) The only worry is the will get inside walls and chew wires! leave a window or if you can the outside door open and it should run out..

The only thing about leaving a window or patio door open (and today's a nice day in Chicago) is that my boy cat is a dasher - I got him as an adult after he was picked up as a stray....and we know he had a home since he was declawed

I'm hoping poor thing found whatever little door there was and he's out now.

Seriously you're all making me less freaked out. Thanks for that!

Good luck! I've gone on many chipmunk rescue missions when I had indoor/outdoor cats, but none of the critters actually made it inside (on their own or against their will by way of cat). I'm still having the occasional lizard problems; they sneak inside and then find themselves locked in a house with Daisy.

Aww, I love chipmunks! I probably wouldn't love one in my house though . I don't think chipmunks are like mice or rats where they come in your house and start invading. This poor little guy probably wandered in through lose siding or insulation and can't find his way out. I wonder if you could devise a trap for him to catch and release him. If you haven't had anything gnawed on (ie bread, boxes, etc) he's probably hungry so peanut butter bread may coax him into one.

On a side note, when I was growing up my Grandfather "tamed" a family of chipmunks so they would hop into his hand to take nuts from him. I was 6 or 7 and thought it was the coolest thing! They only came to me once and that was with Grandpa sitting next to me. One jumped on my lap, took the peanut from my hand, and promptly pooped on me before jumping off . Someone, in one of the many boxes in storage, I have a picture of my Grandfather with a chipmunk eating nuts out of his shirt pocket.

I hope your lil chippy friend has found his way home! They are awful cute! But not my ideal pet!

Hope; that is just so cute!! My Grandpa used to take an annual fishing trip with my uncles, cousins and some friends. One year one of the friend's son got a chipmunk to eat our of his hand. Grandpa managed to get an awesome photo of it and it was published in a magazine. I always thought it was the coolest thing! (The photo)

Those are cute stories about the chipmunks. So far, I have not seen "Alvin" - I thought I wouldn't be so scared if I called him Alvin - and the cats have not been lurking around the kitchen, or anywhere else, more than usual. I'm still planning on having the critter control guy come over to look around the outside of our building, and take a look on the inside. Not the way I planned a vacation day, or spending money, but....

I'm hoping Alvin made it outside too - and will just get ready for his winter's sleep soon!

Id be freaking out. For some reason even though I like almost all animals I have an irrational fear of things with buck teeth, squirrels, chipmunks, and weasel type animals. I would have been yelling "here kitty kitty kitty" and showing them where the chipmunk was. Knock on wood those even though we live on a farm I have never seen a mouse or anything here since the first day we moved in and Fatman killed a mouse in the closet.

Originally Posted by darlili

I'm hoping Alvin made it outside too - and will just get ready for his winter's sleep soon!

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Alvin! I love it! I hope Alvin found his way back outside, too! (But you know, now that you've named him......does that mean he stays?)

We had field mice in the basement from time to time, but no chipmunks, thank goodness.