<p>^^^ Interesting idea about the water. </p>
<p>DS has become very allergic to dogs, so probably cant do the terrier. Wonder if a fake dog barking thing would work. Is it the sight of the dog or the sound of the bark that will deter the chipmunks? And thanks for understanding that this is not a matter of cuteness. They are just small versions of rats, with stripes and shorter tails.</p>
<p>Whole Foods have peppermint oil. Does it have to be a terrier? We have a Dachschund. Not sure it’s stopping them. How do chipmunks erode a foundation? If we have many chipmunks should I be worried?</p>
<p>Check around the foundation of your house. How many holes do you see? We must have at least 15 or more that I can see.</p>
<p>If the chipmunks are getting in your house, you need to survey your house for any small entry points the chipmunks can squeeze through and clog any holes with metal screens, chicken wire, gnaw proof caulk, steel plates, or whatever. Chipmunks could even gnaw on your house’s electrical wiring, cause a short, and burn your house down.</p>
<p>You can’t have it both ways; you have to be willing to kill the chipmunks if they are destroying your house. Use humane traps to catch them, then kill them! I’d use spring rat traps outside, “humane” traps, maybe poison that only the chipmunks can get to, and too I’d get some ratshot and start popping them off in the yard with a 22 rifle. The chipmunks left in the neighborhood will get the message that you mean business and might stay away from your place.</p>
<p>OOh, didnt think about the electrical wiring!!
The one that got in last year was because of an open door. What kind of poison do you recommend, lizard? Not gonna get a gun. Thats too much!</p>
<p>jym, 15 holes doesn’t sound too many. We have ground covers around the house. Not sure how many holes we have. Never had one inside the house.</p>
<p>^It’s them or you! I’m not familiar with rodent poisons, but I would be more afraid and concerned using poison around my house than shooting rodents with ratshot. One bad thing about using poison is that the critter could die inside your house somewhere in a hard to access spot and create a terrible odor. Good luck!</p>
<p>Those chipmunks are clever little fellows. Our hot tub recently stopped working. The little critters had chewed through a wire. They had chewed holes on four sides of the frame and built a nest inside by the heater. The tub is conveniently located near the bird feeder. We cleaned everything out and threw a bunch of moth balls underneath it. The moth balls are quite smelly even a couple of weeks later.</p>
<p>The chipmunks had also taken up residence inside our front door frame. DH used steel wool to plug up the bottom of the frame and that seems to keep them out.</p>
<p>Igloo- thats just a estimate of the # of holes I saw, and all that I could reach. Heaven knows what network of tunnels are around or under the house. I tried covering holes with rocks-- of course they just dug new ones. I’ll put more mothballs out tonight and then move on to the hotsauce and peppermint. Hopefully we wont need to set up, as someone called them elsewhere, rodent swimming pools. I really dont want to do that. They just need to leave. Period.</p>
<p>“And yes, I call them vermin because thats what they are. They carry disease. They are not contained in a cage. They are not tame. And they were not brought willingly into my home. They are not pets. They are pests. Last year there were less, and I wasn’t aware of the destructive nature of their behavior. They are no longer cute.”</p>
<p>IMHO, these factors are often true of human neighbors. The difference is that the law is on your side with the critters. Intolerance is the same destructive attitude whether directed at man or beast, and it has led to misery for all. </p>
<p>Why do you have chipmunks? Your yard has some attractant for them - a free food source which could be eliminated. Surround your garden and foundation with hardware cloth extending a foot into the ground. Don’t use poison. Most rodenticide uses wayfarin, which makes mammals bleed to death. If the neighbor’s pets or children get into it by accident, you are liable. It will also kill anything that preys or scavenges on the chipmunks.</p>
<p>And humans use warfarin too. Helps prevent blood clots.</p>
<p>Have no clue whats in our yard to attract them. We arent big gardeners. Maybe they are living in our yard and forraging in another. No clue. But the issue is that for whatever reason they have set up camp in our yard, they are now destructive. If my neighbors were destructive, there would be laws to address that. I guess this is a different law. </p>
<p>I dont want to poison them as I dont want them dying under my home and stinking up the place. But I dont want them eating wiring and causing a fire in my home either. The issue isnt whether or not they will be evicted, it is how. They were cute last year. Now they have outlived their welcome. Perhaps I should have said they were rats or mice. Might have had more sympathy for the homeowner and less for the vermin. </p>
<p>Should I hire little chipmunk attorneys to serve them little chipmunk eviction notices? Or file a police report for disorderly conduct or destruction of property and have Alvin drive out and serve them with a warrant?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>LOL. No, I think you should handle it like Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) in Caddyshack. That’ll teach 'em.</p>
<p>jym, good thing you don’t live in my Florida neighborhood because you’d surely go over the edge–it’s loaded with nuisance critters. By my family’s house over the years off the top of my head we’ve had to deal with: rats, bats, mice, possums, armadillos, gopher turtles, alligators, black bears, coyotes, squirrels, cats, dogs, rattlesnakes, water moccasins, coral snakes, raccoons, african killer bees, wasps, fire ants, horse flies, house flies, deer flies, mosquitos, buzzards, no see 'ems, gnats, termites, cockroaches, silverfish, fleas, ticks, mole crickets, grubs, toads, frogs and a few crazy neighbors. Never seen a chipmunk though.</p>
<p>lizard-what is ratshot? I’ve been thinking bullets this whole thread, but chipmunks are little and fast and wasn’t sure if you lived in suburbia. Jym626-my wholehearted support is behind you and your hopefully soon victory! We live on a farm–the farmers I know aren’t shy about using whatever method is necessary to drive away predators and vermin. Most are dangerous to livestock, either through outright killing or bringing disease. I pay taxes and insurances; pests and vermin do not. Until then, I’m the landlord and decide who lives here rent-free!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’ll bet jym626 can remedy that situation.</p>
<p>I don’t think anywhere jym626 (or others such as myself) is saying she is intolerant of all critters… just the ones that are capable of destructive behavior. There’s a huge difference here. </p>
<p>Why on earth would anyone want these critters to stick around when they know, at some point, the destruction they cause could cost them thousands of dollars, if not more? We had birds build a nest in the flue in our attic a couple of years ago. These were little birds! However, their nest created a serious blockage. Air could not circulate well, so in the winter, ice would form, and when the heat would come on, the ice would melt. It water started running out down our bedroom wall from our vent up by the ceiling. Our total costs to have the HVAC people come repair it (and we did the repair work to the bedroom wall ourselves)… about $500. The water was running down the wall, inside the walls past our bedroom, and all the way to the basement. </p>
<p>If I had one iota of suspicion that those birds tried to come back again, I would not hesitate to ‘relocate’ them, however necessary (well, without making sure they didn’t die in our attic and create a stink). Why on earth would I try to live ‘side-by-side’ with something that costs me that much money?</p>
<p>Yes, from what I understand, you roll up the sticks of gum and insert them in the holes. Still need advice on what to do about these darn ducks!!!</p>
<p>Beawinner,
How about a scarecrow dressed in waders holding a fake rifle? :)</p>
<p>Thanks for hte ides and the support, everyone. Oh, and I did live in FL-- for 6 yrs. Dealt with palmetto bugs and gators and such. Love bugs were particularly entertaining. But I was a renter. Wasnt my issue (at least not directly) if the foundation got eaten for dinner. And your list of critters-- sounds like a zoo or a swamp, not a neighborhood ;)</p>
<p>sryrstress, rat shot or snake shot is kinda like a tamed down shotgun shell that you can shoot with a rifle or handgun at close range without putting a hole through your barn roof or wall. I’ve seen my dad shoot a rattlesnake in the pasture using “snake shot” with his 38 revolver. Don’t try using the shot shells unless they are designed for safe use with the specific gun.</p>
<p>"Should I hire little chipmunk attorneys to serve them little chipmunk eviction notices? Or file a police report for disorderly conduct or destruction of property and have Alvin drive out and serve them with a warrant? "</p>
<p>Not unless you have a lawyer who speaks ‘chipmunk’ - see “The Emperor’s New Groove” 
I’ve got my limits on rodent/bird destructiveness (i.e., if they are inside my house) as well. However, I do keep pet rats, so I am more rodent-friendly than most people. I just suggest altering your backyard habitat to limit access to your garden and foundation rather than eradicating the critters. Trap and release will lower the population at least temporarily, but you may leave nursing young to die (and stink). Best wishes!</p>
<p>
Can you explain this, astrodeb? I am not familiar with “hardware cloth”. And what do you mean extend it a foot into the ground. I will do whatever will get rid of these guys. Just dont understand this one. Thanks</p>
<p>** we cross posted. These guys are more in the front of the house, though there are also lots of holes in the back too. And per some posts above- trapping and releasing rodents isnt allowed. Shooting guns in the neighborhood isnt allowed either.</p>
<p>I had rats and hamsters and gerbils as pets (and lizards, chameleons and horned toads too). But they werent ruining my foundation.</p>