Chuck Billy’s Editor’s Note: I would like to state for the record, that the following post in recognition of World Chipmunk Day is all Asa’s idea. Opinions expressed are all Asa’s, and do not reflect those of Living with a Golden. I’ll be off doing more important things while Asa shares his “fun” facts about chipmunks.
Asa: Happy World Chipmunk Day! Although when they are babies chipmunks are called kittens, kits and/or pups, they are not related to cats or dogs. Not even Martian Cats as my brother would lead you to believe. Rather chipmunks are part of the squirrel family tree, with 24 species living in North America, and a 25th member preferring Siberia. Some say their name, originally spelled “chitmunk,” originated from the native Odawa word jidmoonh, meaning “red squirrel.” Others argue it was derived from chetamnon, the name given by peoples of the Chippewa nation. Still there are others who believe the name simply came from the “chip-chip” sound they make.
Chuck Billy: I call them annoying.
Asa: I thought you weren’t going to interrupt? Now as I was saying, in captivity chipmunks sleep up to 15 hours a day, and it is estimated that their wild relations require just as much rest. That leaves approximately 9 hours a day for them to get everything done! No wonder chipmunks are always hurrying off someplace and have little time to stop and chat. Similar to dogs, chipmunks prefer to be safe in their beds at night, and are not out wandering. However unlike dogs, chipmunks are solitary creatures, and prefer to live alone in their underground burrows.
Chuck Billy: Why must you compare them to dogs?
Asa: They say it helps the reader when presenting facts to compare it to something they understand. And speaking of understand, here’s something dogs can relate to, chipmunks have a hearty appetite and are not fussy eaters. Their diet includes seeds, nuts, berries, fruits, flowers, mushrooms, insects, worms, snails, frogs, bird eggs, newly hatched baby birds, and as we learned last summer, veggies from our garden. However, when given the choice they prefer nuts, seeds and berries. And don’t go comparing them to their forgetful squirrel relatives! Chipmunks do not haphazardly bury their food. Rather they prefer to keep it all stockpiled in one location, and typically hoard more food than they could possible eat in the winter. In fact, in just one day one chipmunk can gather up to 165 acorns! To bring the food back to their storehouse, their stretchy cheeks can hold food three times the size of their head! Just imagine if dogs could do that with their treats!
Chuck Billy: Why would they hold food in their mouths and not just eat it? Sounds like a waste of space to me.
Asa: What I find most fascinating about my chipmunk friends is their sizable vocal repertoire of chirps, trills, squeaks, and even drumming sounds made with their teeth! They would make great lead singers with their vocal range of high pitched chirps to low range chatter! However they prefer to use each type of sound for a more utilitarian purpose, such as warning of danger, signaling a predator’s presence, announcing territorial claims, or attracting a mate.
Chuck Billy: Speaking of chattering, I think you’ve gone on long enough. Time to wrap up this post!
