Befriending wild chipmunks is quick and easy!

Today I want you to meet my pal Stripes!

Stripes was a wild chipmunk that lived outside of my house in 2019 and 2020, and we were close friends!

But before Stripes, there was Chip! This all started when one morning I saw a chipmunk by my front door and I had the instinct to run and grab some almonds. I threw the almonds at him, and repeated this on the several days that followed. When he wasn’t around to catch my pitches, I’d instead leave a few nuts by the front door of my house.

As I fed him I’d go “Chip-chip-chip-chip-chip…” and I think eventually he did learn his name. It only took a week before I was able to feed Chip from my hand for the first time.

He also lightly nibbled on my finger there though, and rabies terrifies me, so I stopped feeding him without protection after that.

I continued to feed Chip whenever I saw him almost daily, and when he wasn’t out I’d leave walnuts by my front door if only so he knew to stay close. I switched to walnuts because that seemed to be his preference.

After two or three months though Chip seemed… different. He (she?) moved differently now and was also suddenly more skittish. I suspected that I was now feeding a different chipmunk, and I decided to call her Stripes. But eventually she warmed up to me too.

But before I could get to know her for long, winter came. Northeastern chipmunks hibernate per se, but they do sleep a lot, so I didn’t see her much. Still, I would leave walnuts out for her and later I’d find that the nuts had been replaced with little paw-prints.

Chipmunk or Yeti? The mystery deepens.

But once the season turned to spring Stripes became more active. And soon she had babies! She turned her provisions into two litters that spring!

peak

pop

slurp

Each litter had 2-3 babies, but I don’t have good footage of that :c. It was really fun to watch 4 little chipmunks scuttle around outside at the same time I promise.

you look just like your mother!

I also tried many novel activities with Stripes. Feeding her from a serving spoon was one of my favorites.

Especially because if I lifted the spoon high enough while she was eating, she would pull herself onto the spoon, and then I would have a chipmunk on a spoon!

not your average hors d'oeuvre!

We also experimented with ladders!

"I don't always use ladders, but when I do, it's for walnuts"

And, here’s how my father would chill with Stripes:

I tried it too:

In the end, though, we had to part ways when I moved. I hope Stripe’s heirs are doing well:)

I’m not sure I would do this again because of the risks of making a wild creature dependent, but it was fun while it lasted!

Loving because they're essential