While chipmunks are cute, these cheeky creatures can cause a lot of trouble once they start burrowing in your yard.
But what do you do when you notice these holes, and how do you keep chipmunks away from your yard in the future?
Contents
How to Identify a Chipmunk Hole
Talk a walk around your yard or garden and keep an eye out for any small holes. They won’t be too wide since the chipmunks try to make it difficult for you to find their burrows. The entrances will usually be around 2 inches in diameter.
Check around any stones, woodpiles, or stumps that might conceal the burrows. If you have any stairs or patio outdoors, look under there as well.
Why Do Chipmunks Dig Holes in Your Yard?
Chipmunks are members of the squirrel family but are ground-dwelling. They like to burrow in places that give them natural covers like gardens or yards with wood piles and debris.
They are hibernating creatures, and this means they live and sleep underground during the winter. Their burrows have small holes above the ground but contain deep and complex tunnels underground. They store food and nest in the tunnels.
Are Chipmunks Really a Problem?
Yes! They may seem harmless and probably won’t cause much of a problem at first. However, the burrowing will ruin your garden and make your yard look ugly. They will also use your plants, fruits, and vegetables as food.
More importantly, the holes under your home will soon weaken the structure of your building. The tunneling underground will cause internal damage to your frame.
Chipmunks can also be carriers of diseases if they get bitten by other pests like ticks.
So, what do you do to keep them out? Fill the holes and prevent them from burrowing in your yard again.
How to Fill Chipmunk Holes
Once you find all the chipmunk holes around your home, you can start filling them in. There are a few different ways in which you can do this.
Method 1 – Fill with Gravel
Gravel is a better option than dirt since the latter would allow the chipmunks to dig through the same hole again.
You can use a trowel to pour fine gravel with some soil into the hole and fill it to the top. Tamp it down to tightly pack the gravel in.
Method 2 – Use Sand and Concrete
For holes that are near your house or any structural part of your property, it might be better to use concrete. Avoid using this in the garden.
Throw sand into the hole but leave the top five inches open. Then pour some quick setting concrete like this one from Quikrete over the sand to plug the hole. The concrete should take about 30 minutes to dry and set.
Method 3 – Fill with Cat Litter
If you have a cat, the cat-litter can be used for filling any holes and repelling further chipmunk infestations as well. The bad odor from the cat-litter will make the chipmunks think there is an invader in their burrow. It will also taste terrible.
However, the ammonia in cat litter may harm your plants so you should use this away from the garden.
Prevention Tips
It is much easier to prevent chipmunks from making your yard their home than it is to get rid of them. Once you get rid of the chipmunks, use these prevention tips to make sure that they don’t start burrowing in your land again.
Build a Fence
Chipmunks can easily enter your yard if you don’t have a fence or the fence is too simple. Build a fence that runs about eight inches deep and has no spaces or cracks for them to pass through.
You can also build a perimeter around your plants or garden with some wire mesh or hardware cloth.
Use Mothballs
Mothballs can act as a repellent for chipmunks the same way they repel moths. You can place mothballs around the perimeter of your home and fence to keep chipmunks out.
Seal Your Home
Since they are small in size, they can easily enter your home through cracks or spaces. Properly sealing any such possible entryway for the chipmunks is one way of protecting your home.
You can use concrete, caulk, or some expandable construction foam to cover any openings you see. Pipes, chimneys, and vents are also easy for them to enter through. Use materials like mesh to keep them out.
Repellents
Repellents like the one from Rodent Sheriff can be used to prevent burrowing. These won’t help much if you already have chipmunks in your yard but they will help in keeping any new ones away.
These repellents usually come as liquid sprays that are easy to use. They may contain essential oils, predator urine, and such natural substances.
You can also get a spice spray to work as a repellent. These are not as toxic for your garden and will not harm your soil. Chipmunks will experience the same burning sensation, coughing, and watering eyes that most of us experience when we taste something spicy. Use spices like chili, pepper, or cayenne pepper for this.
Keep Your Yard Clean
If the fruits or vegetables from your garden are left to fall and lie around on the ground, it will attract chipmunks. Rake them up whenever you notice them. Check that there is no pet food lying around outside either.
Get rid of any piles of leaves, woodpiles, or anything that can provide cover for the chipmunks.
Keep a Pet
Dogs and cats like chasing after chipmunks for fun. But your pets can act as a deterrent since their sheer size would be frightening for the small creatures.
Cats are known to catch and bring the chipmunks to their owner. But this can be a problem if they bring them inside.
Wrapping it Up
Hopefully, you now know how to deal with those chipmunk holes around your yard. You can try out any of the tips and tricks mentioned here to fill those holes and prevent further burrowing.
Make sure they leave your yard and keep an eye out for them so you can deal with the problem before it gets worse again. Your garden and home should be safe until then.