Do you have chipmunks that keep returning to the garden? If you’ve spent a lot of time around chipmunks, you may wonder If they remember you, and that’s why they keep returning to your garden. Chipmunks are smart, but do they remember humans?
Some research suggests that chipmunks remember humans, particularly those who feed them. So Chipmunks may start to grow close to a human who feeds them, and they might start to come closer to people as they get used to them, but they won’t ever be tame like some other animals with human contact.
Many people may wonder about the habits and learning abilities of chipmunks. If you are one, you no doubt wonder if you can teach a chipmunk to remember you and whether you can tame it enough to touch it.
Well, you’re in luck! Because we’ll discuss everything to know about whether or not chipmunks remember humans.
Can Chipmunks Remember Humans?
Chipmunks may resemble squirrels to some extent, but they are smaller than tree squirrels and are another type of animal altogether. Like squirrels, chipmunks are fond of nuts and seeds.
They collect these in the summer and store them to eat during the winter months.
Although many consider chipmunks pests, some enjoy their company in the garden and put out food for them. Once you leave food for a chipmunk, you may see it returning time after time to the same spot in search of more food.
This might have you wondering if the chipmunk remembers you.
Some research suggests that chipmunks do, in fact, remember humans who feed them. Therefore, they may recognize your scent and come toward you for food.
Chipmunks also have an excellent memory, so they often return to the same spot to find food. If you leave nuts or seeds out for them, it will likely return for more.
In time, the chipmunk will remember where it got the food and keep returning.
The more the chipmunk returns to your home for seeds and nuts, the more it will be introduced to your smell and the more accustomed it will become to you. So, in time, the chipmunk will remember you.
As the chipmunk gets accustomed to your scent and remembers you, it may come closer to you in time. Still, it doesn’t mean the chipmunk will ever be tame enough to interact with.
Will Chipmunks Interact With Humans?
If a chipmunk continuously comes to your home, you may consider it a friend or a pet. But does the chipmunk feel the same way? Will it interact with humans over time?
In most cases, chipmunks never get familiar enough with the humans who feed them to become as closely connected to them as other animals.
Chipmunks are pretty nervous and usually hide away from open spaces and predators that may be lurking about. As such, it is rare for a chipmunk to come closer to you to eat, and it is rarer still for chipmunks to eat out of people’s hands.
While the chipmunk may start to feel closer to you in some ways and may start exploring a little more when it comes to getting food, it likely won’t ever be comfortable enough to engage with you.
Some people have reported that the chipmunks in their yards have become so tame that they come to get food while the humans are outside. Still, it takes a long time for the chipmunk to feel comfortable doing so.
If you want to interact more with the chipmunk, try to sit far from the food you initially set out. Then, keep still when you spot the chipmunk and watch as it comes to collect the food. By repeating this action, you can tame the chipmunk somewhat.
It will become more comfortable with you around, and you may be able to slowly move closer to its food.
If you’re lucky, the chipmunk may start to feel comfortable enough for you to speak softly while it is out, but it won’t allow you to reach for it or touch it.
Doing so may also lead to problems, as the chipmunk may bite you if it feels threatened. On the other hand, startling it may also scare it away, resulting in the chipmunk leaving the area altogether.
Are Chipmunks Smart?
Because a chipmunk can locate its buried food and return to the same spot where you leave food, you may wonder if they are smart.
Research suggests that chipmunks are clever, as least as smart as squirrels.
They have an excellent sense of smell, meaning they can scavenge for nuts and seeds. Their sense of smell also allows them to find buried food, even when they don’t remember where they buried it in the first place.
In addition to a keen sense of smell, chipmunks have impressive memory receptors.
A chipmunk remembers details keenly, which helps them bury and locate their food. They also remember where they found the food, so they may return to your home to collect more.
What’s more, a chipmunk can remember your smell and the sound of your voice. This makes it possible for you to grow closer to a chipmunk since it remembers you as a friend and food source.
Chipmunks are also smart enough to realize they are easy prey for other animals. This is why they know to stick to the shadows and hide away when predators are around. This knowledge allows them to stay alive and out of danger.
Chipmunks are said to be at least as bright as other rodents, and they have similar characteristics to these animals.
Some people keep rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, etc as pets. Is it possible to keep chipmunks as pets?
Can You Keep A Chipmunk As A Pet?
Unfortunately, chipmunks don’t make good pets. They are too jumpy and often bite people when they feel threatened.
Chipmunks are also carriers of certain diseases, though they are free of rabies.
However, it still doesn’t mean their bites won’t cause problems. Chipmunks carry other diseases and may also cause infections. Not to mention their bites are quite painful.
The only chipmunks you can successfully keep as pets are chipmunks you find as babies. These chipmunks can be trained to be used to human contact, but they won’t be as tame as other rodents. So you also aren’t allowed to take baby chipmunks from their dens.
Although buying chipmunks was legal, it is no longer legal in several areas. Many states have regulations in place that make it illegal to buy, trade, or possess them.
Aside from that, chipmunks aren’t ideal pets as they mark their habitat with their cheeks and urine. This means that a chipmunk may rub against you or pee on you to mark you.
Chipmunks are also quite territorial, making them even more aggressive when threatened or exposed. So, a chipmunk won’t make the best pet for you or your children.
Final Word
Chipmunks may remember humans if they are around them enough. The rodents have an excellent memory and often return to the same spot to collect food.
In addition, they have a great sense of smell, meaning they will recognize your scent after a while and remember that you fed them.
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Sources
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/chipmunk