Hey guys,
I get lots of emails from visitors to this website asking ‘how do I get rid of chipmunks‘?
Although, I’ve shared many techniques for getting rid of chipmunks throughout these pages (one technique per post), it can be a difficult to find exactly which method is right for you because of the way the blog is laid out.
So, I’ve decided to pull all the information together into one big post that describes all the ways I know to get rid of chipmunks along with my recommendations on which ones are the most effective.
So, How Do You Get Rid of Chipmunks?
Perhaps the first decision you need to make when deciding on your chipmunk removal method is whether you want to kill the chipmunks or not.
Lethal methods of getting rid of chipmunks tend to be more effective, however it can be distressing to some people knowing that are responsible for the chipmunk’s death, so humane methods are necessary. Also, depending on your locality, it may be illegal to kill chipmunks, so using humane techniques may be your only option.
Other factors you will need to take into account when deciding on the best way to get rid of a chipmunk are:
- Cost – some methods require you to purchase equipment
- Cleanliness – some methods are messier and produce more blood and gore than others
- Time – some methods take longer than others
- Effectiveness – some methods work better than others
For each technique below, I give you a rating of each of these factors and for convenience, they are ordered from most effective at the top to least effective at the bottom.
Electric Chipmunk Traps
Humane/Lethal: LETHAL
Effectiveness: ***** (5 stars)
Cost: * (1 star)
Cleanliness : **** (4 stars)
Time: **** (4 stars)
Electric traps are the quickest and most effective way of getting rid of chipmunks, however it is also the most expensive.
These traps work by enticing a chipmunk into a rectangular box with bait, which triggers a mechanism that passes a bolt of electricity through the chipmunk’s body, killing it instantly.
Electric Chipmunk Trap
The Rat Zapper (pictured above) is one of the best electric chipmunk traps on the market. It costs around $45 and has the additional cost of batteries required to power it. A single set of batteries can manage up to 30 chipmunk kills, so it should be enough to wipe out your infestation.
It is very simple to set up – just put it somewhere that the chipmunks hang out and add some bait – and check on it the next to to remove any dead chipmunks. Removing the chipmunk’s corpse from the trap is as simple as tilting it over your garbage can and it will slide out, so it is much cleaner than traditional spring-loaded mousetrap-style traps.
Humane Chipmunk Traps
Humane/Lethal: HUMANE
Effectiveness: **** (4 stars)
Cost: ** (2 stars)
Cleanliness : **** (4 stars)
Time: *** (3 stars)
Humane chipmunk traps are the most effective humane method of chipmunk control, although they can be quite costly and time consuming.
Again, the chipmunk is baited into the trap, but instead of being killed, the door slams shut behind it capturing it within a cage. The chipmunk can then be released back into the wild (as far away from your yard as possible).
Humane Chipmunk Trap
The humane chipmunk trap pictured above is manufactured by a company called HavaHart, who specialise in creating humane traps for rodents and other mammals.
It costs around $35 so is quite expensive (although there other models around the $20 price tag) but it is very effective at catching chipmunks.
Obviously, this method can be quite time consuming because after catching the chipmunk you will have to travel somewhere far away to let it go (at least 3 miles away is recommended).
Water Bucket Chipmunk Traps
Humane/Lethal: LETHAL
Effectiveness: *** (3 stars)
Cost: ***** (5 stars)
Cleanliness : *** (3 stars)
Time: ** (2 stars)
The Bucket of Water trap is one of the cheapest chipmunk traps available because it uses items that most folk already have in their yard.
1 gallon bucket
Just fill a gallon bucket with water and sprinkle pumpkin seeds on the surface. The idea is that a chipmunk will attempt to grasp at the bait, fall in and drown. It is recommended that you also rest a piece of wood between the rim of the bucket and the ground to provide the chipmunk with a sort of gangplank. Also, scatter a few more pumpkin seeds on the wood and the ground around the bucket.
Although this method is cost-effective, results can vary depending on how wily your particular chipmunks are and it can take a while to set up. In addition, you will need to fish out the dead chipmunks and transfer them to your trash can, which can be a little messy – wear gloves and use a fishing net if you have one to avoid direct contact.
Get a Cat
Humane/Lethal: BOTH
Effectiveness: *** (3 stars)
Cost: *** (3 stars)
Cleanliness : *** (3 stars)
Time: ** (2 stars)
Having a cat living with you can provide all sorts of benefits, including their ability to scare chipmunks away and kill them.
Cat
This method has been listed as both humane and lethal because the presence of a cat can be enough to scare chipmunks out of your yard but if the cat does catch one, it will kill it.
This is the only real lethal method of chipmunk removal that you can use if you are in a region that has outlawed chipmunk killing.
The costs of owning a cat over its entire lifetime (food etc.) is a lot more expensive than any of the other techniques, so I would recommend only using this method if you are looking for a family pet as well.
Traditional Chipmunk Traps
Humane/Lethal: LETHAL
Effectiveness: *** (3 stars)
Cost: *** (3 stars)
Cleanliness : * (1 star)
Time: *** (3 stars)
Traditional spring-loaded chipmunk traps take the same design as a traditional mousetrap (albeit a little bigger to cater for the chipmunk’s size).
The chipmunk tries to get the bait from the trap and triggers a mechanism that brings a metal bar crashing down on it’s skull.
Spring Loaded Chipmunk Trap
The spring-loaded trap pictured above costs around $7.
Although they are cheaper than other manufactured chipmunk traps, they are a lot messier. However they are effective, so if you don’t mind cleaning up the blood and gore created when this trap is sprung, it makes an ideal solution to your chipmunk problem.
Decoys
Humane/Lethal: HUMANE
Effectiveness: ** (2 stars)
Cost: *** (3 stars)
Cleanliness : ***** (5 stars)
Time: ***** (5 stars)
Decoys are quick to deploy and leave no mess (in fact they can enhance the aesthetics of your yard) but success of getting rid of chipmunks using this method is a bit hit-and-miss.
Owl Decoy
The Owl Decoy pictured above costs around $15 and the very sight of it can cause chipmunks to leave your yard.
Chipmunk Repellents
Humane/Lethal: HUMANE
Effectiveness: ** (2 stars)
Cost: **** (4 stars)
Cleanliness : *** (3 stars)
Time: *** (3 stars)
Chipmunk repellents, such as fox urine, are cheap but effectiveness can vary. It can also be a bit messy and time-consuming.
Although some people have had great success using this method, it is not one I would recommend.
