How to Keep Pet Chipmunks

By Ryn Gargulinski

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Large, tall wire cage
Branches for climbing
Food bowl and food
Water bottle
Chipmunk

Step 1:
Get your chipmunks a very large and very tall wire cage in which to live. They should be able to romp about freely and have branches and perches on which to climb.
Step 2:
Attach a large water bottle to the outside of the cage, with the nozzle pointing in, of course. Fill it with room temperature water.
Step 3:
Feed your chipmunks any type of rodent seeds supplemented by fruit, vegetables, berries and nuts.
Step 4:
Clean the cage at least once a week, paying special attention to areas that are constantly used as the bathroom or where the food gets hoarded. You can put the food hoard back, but make sure it’s not getting gross or moldy.
Step 5:
Play with the critters. Constant handling at an early age will insure that chipmunks become tame enough to skitter about your shoulders and nestle in your hair. If you don’t have hair, you can let him skitter on your scalp.

Tips & Warnings

Unlike many other rodents, chipmunks are not nocturnal. This means you get the added bonus of watching them play while you’re awake and not hearing the water bottle rattle and bang all night.
If you keep more than one chipmunk, keep a close eye on them to insure one is not getting too territorial and beating up the others. That can be corrected with separation or a bigger cage.

Photo/Video Credit

Illustration by Ryn Gargulinski

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