5 Best Chipmunk Traps – Catch them Live or Dead!

Updated on by Jared Belson | Please note that there may be affiliate links on this page.

If Alvin, Simon, and Theodore have started a large family on your property and you’d like to see them all gone, it may be time to start shopping for the best chipmunk traps that fit your budget.

You have your choice of humane and less-humane traps. Whichever you chose, is up to you. But, it pays off to know the significance of various materials and features. Here’s my list of high-performance chipmunk traps that should satisfy all tastes and budgets.

5 Best Chipmunk Traps - Humane Options, Zappers & More

The Havahart 0745 rodent cage is a one-door cage, boasting some impressive dimensions. At 16” x 16” x 6,” It’s big enough for a variety of rodents including chipmunks and squirrels.

The cage is made of galvanized steel and has great weather resistance. You’ll be able to use this trap during any season and under any weather conditions. The 12-gauge wire mesh surrounding the frame is durable and also too narrow to allow any rodents to escape the cage.

Because this is a one-door design, the cage is less likely to fail as a result of wear and tear on both ends. And, it also boasts more structural integrity. As is the case with many catch-and-release cages, the Havahart 0745 comes pre-assembled. The package will be large, but at least you won’t have to worry about putting the whole thing together.

Another cool design feature is the exterior placement of the trigger rod. This ensures the mechanism’s longevity since animals won’t be able to damage it while being overly active inside the cage. Last but not least, the gravity-action door is highly sensitive, so that quick and small rodents can’t evade it.

  • Humane trap
  • Gravity-action door
  • Resistant to rust and corrosion
  • Exterior trigger rod
  • The trap may be too sensitive at times

Kat Sense offers a great example of low-cost quality with this four-pack of reusable plastic smart traps.

This design has good ventilation which will help the animal survive for as long as it takes you to check on the trap. It features two doors, with the end door serving also as bait holder and release door.

If you’re looking for something cruelty-free to catch pesky chipmunks roaming freely on your property, Kat Sense provides an efficient solution. The front door is activated quickly, as soon as the animal reaches the bait. Although the cage is made of plastic, the mechanism is reliable and sensitive enough that chipmunks are unlikely to escape it, despite their superb speed.

Since Kat Sense offers a 4-pack deal, it means that you’ll also be able to catch more animals at the same time and deal with the infestation a lot faster.  This is great if you’re an animal lover since you can actually also release all the caught chipmunks in the same place. Last but not least, the trap doesn’t need any maintenance, other than the occasional cleanup of the bait compartment.

  • Reusable see-through cages
  • Sensitive trapping mechanism
  • Removable release door with bait compartment
  • 4-pack
  • Doesn’t have a lot of impact resistance

If you don’t have the time or means to relocate rodents, then Intruder has a good alternative. The Better Rodentrap is a kill trap. However, it’s a humane one that applies a significant amount of force to quickly deal with the rodent.

It’s small and easy to hide but also very sensitive, which means that chipmunks won’t be able to escape it once triggered. I also recommend it if you’re particularly sensitive. Due to the humane kill method, there’s no mess to clean up afterwards.

On top of that, the trap has a quick-release system or a rodent-eject system. This will allow you to quickly dispose of the pest without touching it or having to scrub down hard on the trap before reusing it.

From the pricing standpoint, the Better Rodentrap by Intruder is affordable for lots of homeowners. Especially if you consider that it will also work on rats, mice, and gophers, not just chipmunks. But, is it the most durable trap out there? It’s probably not, because it’s mostly made of plastic.

  • Affordable
  • No mess
  • Quick-release system
  • Easy to hide
  • Not for most animal lovers

When dealing with a large infestation of chipmunks, you’ll need more than one trap in order to dispose of the vermin as fast as possible. This 6-pack includes six small and easily concealable traps. Although initially designed for mice, the size of the trap and the fast responsive mechanism make it ideal for chipmunks too.

The stainless steel spring mechanism ensures durability and efficiency. The teeth on the edges have a unique design that allows a faster and more secure close on the jaws. Another cool feature for all squeamish types is the touch-free release button.

Press it and open up the jaws to allow the animal to slide out effortlessly. It may still get a bit messy on the inside at times, particularly if the chipmunk is longer. But, you won’t have to touch it to get it out and for some people that’s more than enough.

The bait cup is small but easy to remove too, once the jaws are opened. You may also be think that Kat Sense traps are all about quantity over quality. But the pricing is deceptive in a good way this time. The traps are more than efficient enough for chipmunks of all sizes.

  • Very easy to use
  • Superior jaw snapping force
  • Removable bait cup
  • No-touch catch and release design
  • The trap might still get messy when capturing longer rodents

If you’re into high-tech solutions, here’s one that might interest you. The Ebung Electronic Rodent Zapper offers a more modern solution chipmunk disposal. It can electrocute the caught animal with a 7000V electrical charge.

Although it may not look like much and a bit too bulky, the size hides some cutting-edge smart wireless sensors that detect rodents instantly and trigger the current just as fast. Given the massive power, the gadget can instantly kill most rodents. It’s considered a more humane approach than many spring-loaded traps.

You should also know that this trap doesn’t have to be run on an AC adaptor. It can also run on four D batteries. It’s worth mentioning that you won’t have as much reliability with batteries.

Another benefit of this type of trap is its non-toxic nature. But, you should still hide it well, far out of reach of your pets and kids.

  • Humane kill trap
  • Runs on direct power and batteries
  • Suitable for most types of rodents
  • Quick activation
  • Slightly dangerous if not used carefully

Figuring out Your Preferred Type of Trap

There are three types of traps, whether you’re talking catching chipmunks or other rodents. There are kill traps, humane catch and release traps, and forceful catch and release traps. Depending on your view on these furry things and depending on any state laws, you’ll have a wide range of traps to choose from.

Kill traps can be mechanical or electrical, with the latter offering a more modern way of disposing of rodents. Just keep in mind that rodent zappers may have a high operating cost.

Catch and release traps usually come in the form of cages. Some use bait and some don’t, though it’s always recommended to use bait if you want maximum efficiency. These are great because they don’t kill the animal and you can release it anywhere you want.

But, there are also catch and release traps that can immobilize the chipmunk forcefully. These ensure that there will be absolutely no means of escape. That being said, they could also harm the animal if you don’t get to it fast enough to release and relocate it.

Weather Resistance and Longevity

One doesn’t necessarily imply the other. Weather resistant traps are not hard to find. In fact, most chipmunk traps on the market today won’t fail because of heavy rain or strong winds, or even muddy terrain for that matter.

On the other hand, longevity and overall durability has a lot to do with the choice of materials. Most acrylic traps are rather cheap and you can easily buy them in bulk.

With that said, they will require careful handling. Although they can withstand a few hits against the walls from the trapped chipmunks, not all of them may be durable enough to handle a drop from a significant height or a heavy branch falling on them.

If you plan on planting traps in heavily forested areas, then I recommend galvanized steel traps over see-through plastic ones, just to be safe. These won’t just protect your investment, but will also protect the trapped rodents too.

What to Avoid

I’m not a big fan of using poison or toxic substances to deal with chipmunks or other rodents. Not if there are better and more humane alternatives available. Using good old fashioned traps is a lot safer for your pets, kids, and of course for the chipmunks themselves, if you want to relocate them.

You should also try to avoid traps that don’t have a removable bait cup or bait compartment. Those will be hard to set up and hard to clean.

Why Not Take a Humane and Merciful Approach?

Whether kill traps or no kill traps are your thing, you can always find a humane method of disposing of or relocating chipmunks and other rodents. The traps in this article have a bit of everything for everyone, from traditional traps, to cages, to modern zappers.

Depending on where you live, the size of the infestation, and what your budget is, you should have no problem picking a winning solution right away.

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