Chipmunk Small Runners!

ChipmunkChipmunkSmall Runners!

Eastern Chipmunk is called Tamias Striatus

Part of the Squirrel family Eastern Chipmunk is one of 25

different species of chipmunks

Reddish brown with 5 black stripes down their back, outlining a white stripe on each side

White stripe above their eyes

Small ears, dark eyes and a small nose

Adults measure 5-6 inches long, 2.8-3.2 ounces

Nuts and seeds Fruits and vegetables Sometimes eat worms, eggs, small

birds, mice, frogs and small snakes

Found in forests ranging from Southern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, except for parts of the Southeast.

Make their burrows in forests and in suburban yards and city parks

Entrance to the burrow is 1.5-2 inches big

Burrow is 10-30 feet underground

They use lots of grasses ,sticks and dry leaves

Their burrows are lined with 6 to 8 inches of grass

A chipmunks burrow has no mound of dirt around it to attract predators

Burrows have several chambers for sleeping, eating, storing food and going to the bathroom

Chipmunks are not real hibernators, but they stay in their burrows during Winter

Body temperature and heart rate slows down

They wake up every 2 or 3 days to eat and defecate

Chipmunks hibernate from late October until March or April

Eastern chipmunks mate twice a year

March to Early April June to mid-July

Females are pregnant for 31 days

Males do not help raise young

Two to five are born in a litter

They are hairless and blind

They open their eyes at 3 weeks old

They come out of burrow for the first time at 40 days old

Two weeks later, the mother refuses to let them back into burrow, and they are on their own

They spend their days gathering nuts and food

They are “diurnal,” which means active during the day

They store food in their burrow for the winter

They are solitary except for when they mate

Males chase and sometimes bite each other to compete for females

They are vocal animals They make “chips” and

“chip trills” They also make soft “cuk-

cuk-cuk” sounds Sounds warn of predators Males make noises when

they compete for females

Chipmunks can live to 8 years, but most only survive 2-3 years

Their many predators include owls , hawks, coyotes , foxes , martens

Also bobcats, raccoons, red squirrel

Their color helps them blend into surroundings

Chipmunks are agile and fast so they can escape predators

Their small size lets them hide in rock walls and small spaces

Safe during Winter because they stay in their burrows

Their noises warn other chipmunks of danger

Their reddish tan and brown color helps them blend into their habitat which is sticks, trees, woodchips, dead leaves, grass and dirt.

Their size helps them hide in small places

Their “chips”, cuk-cuk-cuk” sounds warn other chipmunks of danger.

They are very speedy animals which helps them survive in their habitat by

Chipmunks have cheek pouches to help them carry large amounts of food

Chipmunks have excellent hearing, eyesight and sense of smell which helps them avoid predators

Chipmunks have burrows with different rooms for Eating, Sleeping and storing food

Chipmunks cover the open of their burrows with leaves and sticks

They store up to 8 pounds of food