Chipmunks are surprisingly resourceful animals and are known for making nests in underground burrows, but these rodents are also known for getting into houses. So if you’re dealing with nuisance pests, you’re likely wondering how they got into your home.
Chipmunks do get in the house. These rodents usually enter by finding small gaps under rafters or in crawl spaces, but they are also known to chew through screed doors and enter through cracked frames or cracks in the basement. Chipmunks nest in houses due to the comfortable environment.
There are several misconceptions about chipmunks; one of the most prevalent ones is that they exclusively live underground.
These rodents will build their nests wherever they feel safe. This can be concerning for anyone with a high population of chipmunks in their area, as they may be concerned about these animals moving into their home.
We’ll look at how they find their way into your home and what you can do about it.
Will Chipmunks Come Into A House?
Chipmunks are excellent burrowers and climbers, and they are also very agile and capable of fitting into small spaces. These animals roam far and wide when foraging for food and will look for it anywhere they can, especially in the winter.
Chipmunks often wander into human dwellings when searching for sustenance, warmth, or a nesting site.
Human houses provide the perfect conditions as they are cozy and filled with food sources and plenty of dark crevices ideal for these critters to inhabit.
It is not particularly common for chipmunks to settle in a house, but it is not unheard of either. These animals are tiny, making it easy for them to nest in wall cavities, attics, and crawl spaces.
Chipmunks usually find themselves in a house by accident after exploring or looking for shelter. Still, when they do, they usually find the environment ideal for nesting and tend to stay once they find their way in.
This can be an issue, as chipmunks breed quickly and dwell in large family groups. As a result, they can quickly fill a wall cavity or a corner of an attic and begin to infest larger areas of the house.
Chipmunks are more at home nesting underground, but if they can get into your house, there’s a good chance they will.
How Do Chipmunks Get Into Houses?
Chipmunks are fantastic climbers, jumpers, and burrowers. These abilities, combined with the fact that they are tiny creatures, mean that almost no building can prevent a curious chipmunk from entering it.
These rodents are known to enter a house through vents, gaps in the roof, open windows, crawl spaces, open doors, garage doors, cracked frames, foundation cracks, and HVAC systems.
Their strong teeth make it easy for them to chew through screen doors to get into a house.
Any small gap leading to a house’s secluded area is an entrance for a chipmunk, be it on the ground or at roof level.
These animals can quickly scale walls. They can use tree branches to climb onto a house and even burrow through foundation gaps to enter a house.
This is why so many homeowners struggle with chipmunks, as when they move into a house, they can be very challenging to deal with.
Chipmunk infestations are a real problem in some areas and can be a serious nuisance. There are some ways to prevent them from coming into a house, but if the chipmunks become desperate enough during certain times of the year, there is almost nothing that will stop them from coming in.
How To Handle Chipmunks You Find In Your Home
If you have an issue with chipmunks in your home or want to know what to do if chipmunks move in, it is critical to understand how to handle the situation without causing any damage to your home or harm to the animals.
The best way to handle chipmunks that have moved into your house is to try and repel them with harmless measures such as strong scents and smells that deter chipmunks.
Using essential oils such as lavender, lemon, rosemary, or peppermint is a great way to deter these animals without harming them.
Spread copious amounts of the essential oils in the area where the chipmunks have nested, and they will quickly move out of the area, as they find these smells very offensive.
Once the chipmunks have left, or even when they have gone out foraging for the day, it is vital to locate the entrances they use into the house and block them with chicken wire or solid objects.
If the chipmunks are denied re-entry into the home, they are likely to move on and find somewhere else to settle unless they have young in the nest, in which case they will always return.
If these methods do not work for removing, repelling, or deterring chipmunks from your home. The best way forward is to contact professional animal removal services to remove the animals safely for you.
They will have the tools, experience, and expertise to remove the animals without harming them or your home. Additionally, they can inspect the house thoroughly to ensure all entries are blocked off to prevent another chipmunk infestation.
Can Chipmunks Damage Your House?
Chipmunks are very small animals, but if ignored, they can cause severe damage to homeowners.
These animals can easily tear up insulation and damage drywall, and their nesting areas become saturated with urine, feces, and debris that can cause long-term damage to any home.
These animals may seem harmless, but the unfortunate reality is that they can cause damage to your home if they are left unchecked.
Chipmunks can also cause damage to foundations and steps if they manage to burrow through pre-existing cracks.
If you have chipmunks in your home, it is best to remove them as quickly as possible before they cause any damage.
Final Word
Chipmunks are opportunistic rodents and will find a way to get into your home if an opportunity presents itself. These little rodents are excellent at entering places where they shouldn’t, and once they get into your home, it will be challenging to get rid of them.
If you find them in your home, you can use strong scents and smells to deter them, but it is best to contact a professional animal removal service.
Additionally, you should inspect the house thoroughly to ensure all entries are blocked off so no more chipmunks can get in.
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