How Can I Lure a Chipmunk Out of My House?

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Things You'll Need

  • Traps

  • Grains

  • Dried fruit

  • Peanut butter

Chipmunks are wild animals that belong in the outdoors -- not in a human's house, where they can wreak damage..

The furry cuteness of a chipmunk might make you think that the small animal couldn't possibly be a bother. A chipmunk may be small, measuring only about 10 inches in length, but it can cause significant damage to your home as it scavenges for food. Luring a rebel chipmunk out of your house can take patience and determination. Keep children and pets away from the rodent to avoid the spread of disease.

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Step 1

Set up traps near the chipmunk. If the animal has gone into hiding in your house, place the trap where you have last seen signs of activity. Box traps, mouse traps and wire mesh models are all appropriate when you need to lure a chipmunk out of the house.

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Step 2

Outfit the trap with foods that are enticing to chipmunks. Chipmunks are related to squirrels and, like squirrels, feed on nuts, grains and fruit. Fill the trap with dried fruit, breakfast cereal or raw oatmeal mixed with peanut butter. These will lure the chipmunk into the trap and, ultimately, out of your house.

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Step 3

Leave the trap open with plenty of food available for several days. If the trap is set to shut, there is a risk it will go off prematurely and scare the chipmunk from ever entering it. Fix the trap doors open so that they can't be triggered by the chipmunk. You may see the chipmunk come to eat, or you may notice that the food is disappearing. Each day move the trap closer to an outside door of your home.

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Step 4

Set the open trap outdoors, just outside the door. The chipmunk will be lured outside your home and, especially if you see it and startle it from inside the house, will likely run outdoors, rather than back indoors. Alternatively, leave the trap indoors and set it so that it will close when the chipmunk enters. Remove the animal once it has been lured into the trap with no way to escape.

Tip

Live animals can be released into the outdoors. Ask your local animal control service for advice about disposing of a dead chipmunk.

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