Ron, (aka Dave)
I am a little concerned that you have forgotten your Saturday morning class in Chipmunks 101. The scene always begins with Dave proud of Alvin, Simon, and Theodor's accomplishments but now don't forget it always ended with Dave red faced and screaming ALVIN followed by Alvin's classic response OK Dave. Me thinks you might be setting your self up for disappointment. kt

I am over run with these cute critters. One got into the house, caused a bit of trouble and wouldn't leave until I caught it in a Havahart trap. (You should see the hole he chewed into the clapboards to get in!) He is now living up the street at the high school. My father-in-law said to put it in the cage with my daughter's guinea pigs!

We have them at work, my lab (aka office) is in the woods. One day I saw one in the hallway, and at the same time heard an incredibly loud, piercing shriek. I looked around to see where the awful sound was coming from and was dismayed to find that it was me, screaming like an idiot. I have no idea where that came from, I really think they're cute little critters. (Can you guess that I don't have them in my garden?)

I was going to say thar I don't think they eat snails, but I googled them and see that they do eat insects. Well well.

The chipmunk is carnivorous. It will eat meat, such as slugs, snails, aphids and other insects.

As I was filling a water bucket with the hose, this morning, next to the small fish pond, a fat, sleek chipmunk came traipsing over, completely unafraid of me, went to the pond's edge where a small frog was sunning on a rock, and looked like it was planning to catch the frog.

The frog had other plans and plopped into the water, and the chipmunk looked at me like I'd done something to ruin his chances at a froglegs snack.

Gray squirrels also will eat animal foods, and will raid bird nests for eggs (or babies - eek).

We had chipmunks all over the place when we lived in NC for a few years. Since coming back to coastal CT, I haven't seen a single one in my yard. Have never seen a snake here, either, though I used to see them in another part of CT when I lived more inland.

I remember reading an article that said the number of chipmunks is directly proportional to the abundance of the previous fall's acorn crop. Last year we had a ton of chipmunks (rest of Mass too) and I can attest to how destructive they are to stone walls. They are also carriers of the Lyme ticks so another thing to worry about. Foxes, hawks and cats will reduce their populations thankfully. Last year I was lucky to see a hawk on the look out for the chipmunks in my driveway stone wall and I can tell you the chipmunks went scurrying for cover when they saw the hawk's shadow!

I haven't seen as many of the furry deziens of hell (where their burrow tunnel down to) this year but then, I changed my bird feeders to a baffle system that deters them. I suspect that since I fed them less, they had fewer babies this year. At least that is what I'm telling myself. It's a good thing that they are so cute, otherwise they would become an endangered species in my yard. They drive me crazy eating my tomatoes and figs and digging holes everywhere.

Terryboc - you reminded me they do have the innate ability to get the first ripened cherry tomato of the season -- the one you patiently waiting to ripen and think "I'll pick that tomorrow morning" and they get it that night. To top it off they take a bite out of a tomato and leave it to rot on the ground.

I just found a shell of a cherry tomato. Just the hull is left because the skin is tough on this variety. The innards were gnawed/sucked out by Count Chipula.

You see one of these little guys and you know there are more. Very specific tastes they have this year in my yard.
They start with the basil, then the chives and mint. From there they go to the same few morning glory vines. They wait till there are buds on them then take a chomp. Once done with the MG, they hit the gazania and easter egg plants. Wash it down with a couple of strawberries and go off to nibble the datura. End of story for those for the day. I dig a hole and they go, still got that bit of datura in their mouth too. Those plants are really deadly to these little guys, so have some in pots and just move them around to the plants of choice. Population is by far decreasing now, but a few still get in and chew away.