The eastern chipmunk is a good climber and may make nests in trees at times. The eastern squirrel likes to live in open forests, or on the edge of forests, often near cliffs or trees. In captivity, they have lived as long as 10 years. This chipmunk spends most of its time foraging for food.Eastern chipmunks live two to five years in the wild, but many are eaten by predators.
It does not hibernate but does sleep a lot in winter. They have extra room in their cheeks to hold food, and they tend to store food in their dens for the winter. They will eat small bird eggs, insects, and snails at times. The eastern chipmunk eats nuts, acorns, fruits, berries, corn, seeds, and mushrooms. It looks more like a squirrel than most chipmunks, but much smaller. The Eastern Chipmunk has brownish red hair and has white stripes.
There are some that go as far south as Mississippi and as far west as the Dakotas. The eastern chipmunk lives in southeast Canada and the northeast United States. In 2016, the European Union declared it an invasive species and made importing, or releasing them, illegal. In one case, a zoo was closed in Holland, and the chipmunks were forgotten and they have become a large colony in the city of Tilburg. Many have been released, and colonies of Siberian Chipmunks can now be found in places like Belgium, France, and Germany. In the 1970s, they were exported from Korea to Europe and sold as pets, and became popular. Partly because they are active during the day, Siberian chipmunks are popular as pets in some areas. The Siberian chipmunk is between seven and nine inches long and can weigh between two and five ounces. They may make a burrow in a log or in a bush, but some of them create underground tunnel systems.Įven when they have a system of tunnels, Siberian Chipmunks are individualistic and territorial about their own area. In winter, they do not hibernate, but will likely sleep much longer and eat less often. These animals are not nocturnal, they are active during the day and nap at various times. In captivity, Siberian Chipmunks are known to live as long as 10 years, but in the wild, their lifespan is two to five years. Siberian Chipmunks get their food from foraging, always on the lookout for anything they can chew on. It has several bird-like or chattering calls one is a trill at the rate of 130 vibrations per minute and another is a lower-pitched, clicking sound.See also 10 Different Types of Rattlesnakes On average, eastern chipmunks live three or more years in the wild,īut in captivity they may live as long as eight years.
Predators of the eastern chipmunk include hawks, foxes, raccoons, weasels, snakes, bobcats, lynx, and domestic cats. During the winter, the chipmunk may enter long periods of torpor, but does not truly hibernate. There are two breeding seasons, one from February to April, and the other from June to August. Females usually produce one or two litters of three to five young. The eastern chipmunk defends its burrow and lives a solitary life, except during mating season. It also lines the burrow with leaves, rocks, sticks, and other material, making it even harder to see. To hide the construction of its burrow, the eastern chipmunk carries dirt to a different location in its cheek pouches. It can climb trees well but constructs underground nests with extensive tunnel systems, often with several entrances. Like other chipmunks, it transports food in pouches in its cheeks. It prefers bulbs, seeds, fruits, nuts, green plants, mushrooms, insects, worms, and bird eggs. It is mainly active during the day, spending most of its day foraging. It prefers locations with rocky areas and shrubs to provide cover. The eastern chipmunk lives in deciduous wooded areas and urban parks throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. It has two fewer teeth than other chipmunks and four toes each on the front legs but five on the hind legs. It has a tawny stripe that runs from its whiskers to below its ears, and light stripes over its eyes. It has lighter fur on the lower part of its body. It has reddish-brown fur on its upper body and five dark brown stripes contrasting with light brown stripes along its back, ending in a dark tail. The eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) is a small squirrel found in eastern North America. Chipmunk Pictures | World Wildlife Photography