# Urgent Chip-munk Care / Advice please......



## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

Hi All,

The guy in the unit next to my workshop offered me a chip-munk today with full set up e.t.c.

At first I said no because I wasn't interested but then he said he was going to take it to Pets At Home :devil: and give it to them so I immediately said I'd have it.

The trouble is, I've never had one before and don't know anything about them other than they sing with hi-pitched, squeaky voices ( joke ).

Can somebody please give me some general husbandry advice such as :

do they need extra heat?
what do they eat?
do they need substrate/bedding and if so, what's best?

Apparently this little guy is really friendly and does back-flips if you throw him a peanut??? 
Not too sure how true that is but there we go. 
Not sure on age but he said they've had him for a few years.
Not sure on sex either but for now I'm calling it "him", lol.

He's bringing him in for me tomorrow so just looking for as much advice as possible to prepare me.

Are they good pets and easy to look after or should I try to find somebody more knowledgable?

I just didn't like the thought of Pets At Home :devil: getting thier hands on him.

Also, I have 3 cats - reckon they'll show much interest or not?
If any of them do try anything, I'll throw them to my Boa's :whistling2:.

All help gratefully recieved,
Volly :2thumb:


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Can you give more info re the set up? Pet shops sell 3'x18"x18" mesh cages for chipmunks, which is way too small, unless you let them out for exercise in a well prepared room. An aviary set up is more suitable, with a sheltered area with a nestbox etc.

Diet-wise you can buy mixes (charlie chipmunk) which you can then supplement with bits of fruit and veg. They also love mealworms.

Bedding - if you put paper in (parcel paper, paper bedding for pets (chopped to avoid long lengths that can tangle around feet etc), they will spend hours tearing it up for their nest. They store their food, so stores will need regular checking for manky fruit! They will go into torpor in cold weather and so can cope with a usual winter here, providing they have a nestbox big enough for plenty of bedding.

Hope this helps a little. Day-to-day care is fairly easy, once you are set up and in a routine. Catching a chipmunk that doesn't want to go in is a bugger though! And they bite HARD if you grab them! Saving peanuts for treats is great, as you can put them inside their cage so they go back in to get them.


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

I don't know a great deal, I have cared for some but never owned them.

I do know they need an all metal cage as will eat out of any plastic or wood super fast.

They also cannot be kept in a room with a TV or similar equipment, they seem very susceptible to getting upset by them, either due to static or something, or more likely the hum/whine caused by it.

I quite like this site Keeping a pet chipmunk in the UK

Im sure you did the right thing, but Im not sure you are really "rescuing" him from life at PAH, their rescue sections are normally quite good and he would have been likely to be rescued by someone who really wanted him.


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## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

Loderuna said:


> Can you give more info re the set up? Pet shops sell 3'x18"x18" mesh cages for chipmunks, which is way too small, unless you let them out for exercise in a well prepared room. An aviary set up is more suitable, with a sheltered area with a nestbox etc.
> 
> Diet-wise you can buy mixes (charlie chipmunk) which you can then supplement with bits of fruit and veg. They also love mealworms.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for the info :2thumb:
Not too sure on the cage size but I do know it's a metal cage so we're off to a good start, lol.

Is aspen bedding any good for them as I have a large sack of it?
If not, then paper is fine.
Also, is newspaper ok or is the ink poisonous?



Kare said:


> I don't know a great deal, I have cared for some but never owned them.
> 
> I do know they need an all metal cage as will eat out of any plastic or wood super fast.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for the link :2thumb:

Yeah, the cage is deffo a metal one but not sure on the size until I get it tomorrow.

Looks like I'll have to think of somewhere else to keep him aswell as I was going to put him here with us in the living room - TV, Stereo, PC e.t.c.

To be honest, it's not the prospective rescue people that worried me.
It was the advice and care that PAH would give out while he was in thier care.
I've seen so many bad things said about them on here that I decided I would research them myself and care for him properly if I can.

Thanks again and best regards,
Volly


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Newspaper would be ok, but the ink is a risk, as the chip will stuff the paper in his pouches to take it to the nest box. I used to use brown paper from parcels!

With cage siting, I had my chips in the same room as the tv/radio and they both lived into double figures no problem. Mine were at the opposite end of the room though, placed in a corner, so they had cover from 2 sides all the time.


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## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

Loderuna said:


> Newspaper would be ok, but the ink is a risk, as the chip will stuff the paper in his pouches to take it to the nest box. I used to use brown paper from parcels!
> 
> With cage siting, I had my chips in the same room as the tv/radio and they both lived into double figures no problem. Mine were at the opposite end of the room though, placed in a corner, so they had cover from 2 sides all the time.


 
Brill :2thumb:

Thanks.

Our living / dining room is open plan so my idea was to site the cage at the back in the dining area away from the TV but quite close to the computer.
He'll be covered from 3 sides effectively so I'll try it and see how he gets on.

Thanks again


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## Shadowz (Aug 6, 2008)

Back flips in Chipmunks is normally a stress sign that they are in a way to small cage.
Some will do it over and over again - kind of like a wild animal trapped who walk up and down. 
Its classic responds in chipmunk to back flip over and over again.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

I had 2 x 10 month old white boys in an indoor aviary and even in a cage that size they didnt seem happy. They were very timid and shy. I have recently rehomed them to a fab new home in a large outdoor aviary were they are settling in nicely and doing what chippies do best, running, jumping and climbing
After keeping chippies myself I think the best home for them is in a purpose built outdoor avairy


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

I have to agree, the ones I cared for where in a indoor enclosure but it was the size of a broom cupboard and you could walk in. 

You need a double entrance really to prevent any escapes


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## aphibb (Mar 5, 2009)

back flips are a sign of stress in chippies and the loop the loop you always see when there kept in parrot cages in pet shops, a outdoor setup is the best, the bigger the better, i've found give them lots to do branchs and a substrate to dig and bury food a wooden enclosure is fine they won't try to eat there way out. a large bird nesting box stuffed with rabbit hay will keep them warm in the winter months,


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

Wow I am starting to really want some chippies right now.


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## exoticsadmirer (Oct 22, 2009)

at my college we have one female chipmunk in a small aviary she's quite happy with lots of things to climb and plenty of places to hide she even responds to her name which is wierd but oh well. I'd love chipmunks but their room requirements are a bit too big for me.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

volly said:


> Apparently this little guy is really friendly and does back-flips if you throw him a peanut???





Shadowz said:


> Back flips in Chipmunks is normally a stress sign that they are in a way to small cage.
> Some will do it over and over again - kind of like a wild animal trapped who walk up and down.
> Its classic responds in chipmunk to back flip over and over again.





aphibb said:


> back flips are a sign of stress in chippies and the loop the loop you always see when there kept in parrot cages in pet shops, a outdoor setup is the best, ,


 
so does that mean that peanuts stress him out?


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

probably the person going near the cage causes some stress, it doesnt have to be a "bad" stress that is the one to push them beyond the stress level and cause stress related OCD to be more visably displayed 

There are two chipmunks at a local store than start hopping a circuit when people pass, so the store would stay the person is the cause, but of course that is just the last straw in overwhelming them.

(hope that makes sense, I have taken a really strong antihistamine and not sure my brain is working well)


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## aphibb (Mar 5, 2009)

i had in the past chippies that have been kept in off the shelve cages! they've displayed the loop the loop behavour, when they've been moved to a outdoor avairy style enclosure this behavour stops and they show a more natural behavour like digging and just sitting on branches watching , apart from one i've had the behavour continued for a few months it was like it had become a habit, they are ground squirrels its very important thay have a place to dig and bury there food.


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## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

Thank you all so much for your replies.


I am very sorry to say that I got the little guy/girl today and I'm pretty disgusted at the conditions it has been kept in.

The cage is approx. 2.5 ft high X 2ft wide X 18 inches deep - not very big at all.
Also, it smells absolutely horrendous and hasn't been cleaned for some time.

I went to B&Q this afternoon, bought a load of 2x2 timber and a lot of strong, wire mesh to start building a 6ft X 6ft X 8ft ( WxHxL ) outdoor enclosure for him/her - should be finished tomorrow evening, lol.

Will post up some pics and show it off when finished.

Also, they have been feeding it with Hamster food from the pet-shop and supplementing it with toast, choclate, fruit and veg ???????? WTF!!!!! :bash:


I friend told me today that they like to live in groups.
Is this true?
If so, it looks like I'll have to go and get another 2 or 3 for company.

Are males ok to be kept together or should I leave it at females only? ( don't want babies, lol ).

Anyone know how to sex them too? I have no idea.

Thanks again and for now, he/she is doing pretty good - running around my living room like a bat out of hell.
Quite friendly, likes a tummy rub and a tickle on the back of the head but haven't tried to hold it yet.

Thanks again,
Volly


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Hi Volly,

Sadly, the cage size you described is sold as standard by certain petshops as a chipmunk cage (and degu, rat, chinchilla cage probably too!). I suggest that if it's still useable, you use it as the sleeping and feeding quarters in your spanking new enclosure. That way, you can shut him/her in when you are servicing the enclosure. Double doors are a good idea too - stops escapes!

As for sexing - it's usually fairly obvious if you have a male, as you should be able to see a scrotum, and there is a gap between penis and anus. Females have virtually no gap.

They do like to be in groups/pairs, but care needs to be taken when introducing - I would suggest keeping any new chip in a cage inside your enclosure for a couple of days first, to see how they react to each other. Same sex pairs/groups are usually fine if there is no opposite sex to argue over! Another tip is to make sure there is one spare sleeping box to the number of chips you have - this should stop arguments. Sometimes they will fight over the best nestbox, other times they will all sleep in the same one.


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## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

Loderuna said:


> Hi Volly,
> 
> Sadly, the cage size you described is sold as standard by certain petshops as a chipmunk cage (and degu, rat, chinchilla cage probably too!). I suggest that if it's still useable, you use it as the sleeping and feeding quarters in your spanking new enclosure. That way, you can shut him/her in when you are servicing the enclosure. Double doors are a good idea too - stops escapes!
> 
> ...


You're a fountain of knowledge, lol.

Thank you very much and great idea about using the old cage as sleeping quarters in the new cage.

One thing, how do I get hold of it to sex it? I've heard they don't like to be grabbed and can't really see anything underneath when I look.


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## auntiesocial84 (Oct 7, 2009)

pics or it didnt happen lol


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## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

auntiesocial84 said:


> pics or it didnt happen lol


 
Ha ha haaaaaaaa!! Cheeky xx


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Sexing - hold a peanut against the mesh on the outside, chip runs up on the inside - perfect view of essentials! :blush:


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## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

Loderuna said:


> Sexing - hold a peanut against the mesh on the outside, chip runs up on the inside - perfect view of essentials! :blush:


 
Ha ha, great - SHE's deffo a female, lol.

Thanks again


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

Loderuna - you really are a font of knowledge. Lols on the :blush: 

Come on then Volly, pics of the little girl please. Have you named her?


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## volly (Mar 6, 2009)

Nix said:


> Loderuna - you really are a font of knowledge. Lols on the :blush:
> 
> Come on then Volly, pics of the little girl please. Have you named her?


 
Ha ha, no pics just yet.

I'm ashamed of the cage she was supplied in and her new enclosure isn't finished until tomorrow.

Pics to follow........... promise, lol.

She's called Flash - that's the name she already had so I decided to keep it.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

From viv builder extraordinaire to chippie avairy builder in a matter of days . I want to see those pics so get a move on  :whip:

Flash is a great name for a chipmunk actually. At least the previous owner did something right!


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