Site by Ellen Emerson

The Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias Striatus) is in the squirrel family, in the order of rodents.

The Latin name Straitus means striped, and the name Tamias means storer. Chipmunks are said to resemble hamsters and like a hamster they uses cheek pouches to carry their goodies home.

Chipumks have brown to reddish brown fur, with black and white stripes running down their back.

Like all squirrels, they mainly eats seeds, nuts, and fruit. They also eat insects, meat and even rob ground nests.

Chipmunks are mammals that live in underground dens and burrows. Within their network of tunnels they have chambers for sleeping, and storing their winter hoard of food.

They can excavate up to 100 ft. of tunnels with chambers that can measure 6 to 8 inches high and 12 inches in diameter. In these nest chambers they sleep, hibernate, have young and store quarts of food.