The Charming Chipmunk Trivia Quiz

Answer: Eastern chipmunk

According to most sources, there are 25 species of chipmunks; all but one, the Siberian chipmunk, are native to North America. The eastern chipmunk has a wide range, covering most of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. If you live in the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, or western Canada, the chipmunk you are most likely to encounter is the least chipmunk. My chipmunk is an eastern chipmunk.

Answer: Squirrel

Chipmunks, like their cousins the squirrels, are rodents, and members of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks belong to the genus Tamias, which derives from an ancient Greek word which means (among other things) "steward" or "distributor." This refers to the chipmunk's role in dispersing the seeds of various plant species, and its habit of laying up food supplies for the winter.

Answer: Omnivore

When looking at a chipmunk, one wouldn't think of that cute little fellow as a predator, but he is. Most of a chipmunk's diet consists of nuts and seeds, but a chipmunk will eat insects, worms and even small frogs!

Answer: Yes

Most of the time you will see chipmunks running around on the ground, but they can and do climb trees, sometimes to gather nuts and berries, but often to raid bird nests for the eggs. Many birds recognize chipmunks as predators and will drive them away from their nests.

Answer: 10 feet or more

Chipmunks are tiny animals, but they are wonderful diggers. A chipmunk's burrow is actually a very complex underground system of tunnels and chambers. Chipmunks are very organized and clean animals. Some chambers are used for sleeping, some for storing food, and others as bathrooms and garbage dumps for shells, etc. Often a chipmunk's burrow will have multiple entrances, allowing it to more easily escape from predators. One chipmunk burrow was found that was 30 feet long and contained over 30,000 nuts!

Answer: Cheek pouches

Like hamsters, chipmunks have pouches in their cheeks they can stuff with food that they then carry home for storage. Unless you've seen a chipmunk in action, you probably wouldn't believe how much food a chipmunk can cram in its mouth. My chipmunk has been trained to run up on my porch and beg for food. Actually, it might be more accurate to say he demands food! I have seen my chipmunk stuff four whole, unshelled peanuts in its mouth at one time.

It always looks like his head is going to explode, but he runs off, and is back in a few minutes, demanding more. Chipmunks sleep for up to 15 hours a day, but they put those remaining nine hours to good use.

Answer: Scurry

This name obviously comes from the fact that chipmunks like to scurry. Their tiny legs are amazingly fast. You are unlikely to ever see a scurry of chipmunks, though, because they are solitary animals. Each chipmunk defends a territory of about half an acre, and will fight or chase off any other chipmunk he or she deems to be a trespasser.

Answer: Twice a year

Eastern chipmunks usually produce two litters of pups each year, once in early spring, and again in early summer. Litters are from three to five pups. Although chipmunks don't open their eyes until they are a month old, at two months they are fully mature and the mother will drive them from the nest. Chipmunks must produce a lot of young because, sadly, very few survive, Predators of chipmunks include hawks, owls, snakes, raccoons and foxes.

In urban areas, cats kill large numbers of chipmunks. I've never seen any baby chipmunks around my house, so I assume my chipmunk is a male.

Answer: No

Chipmunks are not protected by federal law, but most states and many local governments have laws against keeping any wild native species of animals as pets. You can, however, buy Siberian chipmunks at many pet stores. Many people enjoy having chipmunks as pets, but they require a lot of attention, large cages, and special attention to their diet.

It is not recommended to keep more than one chipmunk in a cage, as they may fight. It is also not a good idea to keep a chipmunk as a pet if you own a cat or a dog. Chipmunks are delicate creatures, and a great deal of care is needed if you pick one up.

Their tails are especially delicate, and can be damaged or torn off quite easily. Another drawback to keeping chipmunks as pets is their short lifespan.

In the wild, chipmunks live for about three years, on average (although my chipmunk is at least four, and still going strong). In captivity, they may live a bit longer, but if you are the sort of person who forms strong emotional attachments to your pets, you have to realize in advance that your little friend is only going to be around for a few years.

Answer: Chipmunks go into an inactive state called torpor

During the winter, chipmunks go into an inactive state called torpor. It isn't true hibernation, because they wake up frequently and eat the food they have stored in their burrows, and may even venture outside if the weather gets warm enough. This was a cold winter and a very cool spring, so I didn't catch a glimpse of my chipmunk until May. Unlike many animals, chipmunks don't store fat to help them make it through the winter. Torpor is very stressful to the chipmunk; many do not survive the demands it puts on their tiny bodies.

In addition, despite their best efforts, some chipmunks are unable to store enough food to enable them to survive a very long, hard winter, My chipmunk is fortunate in that he gets about ten pounds of unsalted peanuts from me each year, so he isn't likely to go hungry. Chipmunks may spend up to half their lives in a state of torpor.