Chipmunk bite to the cheek

[Mazin]

My 8 month old chipmunk recently bit me on my cheek.
He is 8 months and I've had him since 5/6/2017 about 1-2 weeks. His eyes were still shut.
Could it be hormones?
As far as I go I can't think of changes in soaps, shampoo etc..
I did bring in a branch from outside for him to play on maybe another animal smell? The bite happened a week after the tree branch came in.
He does eat harty and healthy
He does get calcium
I have a uvb light coming Friday for vitamin D
He does not go outside
He has a temporary cage 5.5Hx4Wx4L. His bigger cage is being worked on. 8Hx6Wx6L
I do have a family member who worked for chipmunk/squirrel rehabilitation so I'm being coached but she's more familiar with squirrels as she handled them more so I'm trying to find out more about my little Mazins behavior. Thanks

[TubeDriver]

I don’t have any chip experience but I have heard they can be pretty bitey.

If those cage dimensions are inches, it is much too small, if feet then they are nice large cages.

[Mazin]

I can handle him being bitey but if its agitation I'd rather know. His cage is in feet. Yes inches would be incredibly small. Thank you for your feedback 😊

[SophieSquirrel]

Don't take it personally or over-analyze it. I have rehabbed several and also had Siberians - flighty and nervous compared to Grays. Was he sitting on your shoulder or were you trying to cuddle him next to your face? I'm assuming he is an Eastern since you are in Ohio? Could be hormones or he was frightened. Use the same diet used for tree squirrels: ( https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/ ) and let him go into torpor. I used Mazuri Rodent as a base diet and Hazelnuts in shells for teeth wear. Mine loved organic Blueberries fresh and dried!

[stosh2010]

Good to see you started a thread...if you need help posting pics---my e-mail is in the Private Messsage.....

[Diggie's Friend]

It is possible that it is hormones. Soaps often contain compounds that act like hormones; some have a high pH that may have a excitotoxic affect to the brains on rodents also. Since rodents rely upon scent to recognize people, an altered scent from the norm can confuse and frighten them temporarily.

I knew of a member that had a squirrel that would attack unprovoked right after they took a shower and came into contact with their squirrel, but not otherwise. The cause was found to be a highly alkaline soap source. So yes, you may want to consider changing to a soap that has lower pH. You can look online for soaps listed by pH.

Another thought, when you hold him does he act aggressive. If so he may be in pain. If he has a dietary deficiency of calcium then he may be having the initial symptoms of Metabolic Bone disease that is a painful condition. What do you feed? Does the diet include a rodent block source, or a non block diet. Do you know how much calcium he is getting daily?

Just covering the bases here, not assuming that is the issue wit your chippy, only another possibility.

If the diet is ok otherwise, I would encourage you to add a small measure of magnesium to your chippie's diet to bring up magnesium into closer ratio to calcium in the diet. Magnesium has a calming effect to the nerves of the brain; Magnesium citrate, or Magnesium Glycinate may work to support mood stability. It also plays a key role in supporting calcium mineralization in the bones.

[Mazin]

Thank you everyone for such wonderful feedback and advice. I appreciate all of it.
Mazins diet consists of:sunflower seeds, alfalfa, whole oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, watermelon, kiwi, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, kale, avocado, tomatoes, broccoli, corn on the husk. He eats just about everything. I take cuttle bone and sprinkle it on his food and in his water.
When the bite happened I walked into his playroom (which he was buy the door and I did shut it fast because my cats were roaming. I could have scared him. He was doing some hard nips at me couple days prior and came at my neck rougher that had me thinking it wasn't normal but I shrugged it off as he was getting older...until 3 days later he bit at my cheek. He's been chattering his teeth at me if that means anything. Not sure if its grinding food noise or he's saying something. I've been slowly moving away in case that's a warning.
I will definitely try out the magnesium citrate. What would be a recommended dose?
Thank you everyone. 💗💗

[Diggie's Friend]

In non-block diets sources high in phosphorus to calcium are needed to fill the need for phosphorus in the diet, for without it the 2:1 Calcium to phosphorus diet cannot be easily achieved in a non-block diet. For those that have not done diets from scratch, it may seem otherwise, yet with nuts limited in the diet, a source other than corn is needful to fill in. The following sources are for use in non block diets, many of which are higher in phosphorus to replace corn, soy, wheat middlings surces used as the base for phosphorus used in rodent block diets, along with inorganic phosphorus also included in those diets, some of which are as close as 1.4:1 Ca:P, which allow little room for feeding much for natural food forms for chippies. Keep this in mind as to not become confused then in the following these recommendations for a non block diet I lay out here.

From what you related, the diet you use is likely low in calcium, even with adding cuttlebone powder you sprinkle on tha tisn't measures I assume; calcium carbonate though 40 % elemental calcium has very poor solubility by comparison to Calcium Citrate, which is easy to compensate in the citrate form by measure, so that isn't an issue. This along with Magnesium Citrate powder from Frontier Naturals, that you can get online also on Amazon.com in 1 lb. bulk pkgs. last a very long time! Both these crucial mineral sources will need to be added to plain low fat yogurt. Stonyfield, or Green Valley are both good sources.

To the yogurt you will need to add two organic seed oils, which are good sources of omega 3 & 6. These also you can purchase on Amazon.com the First is organic Chia oil from Foods Alive, and the second organic pumpkin see oil from Oregon Seed oil Company, both having been used daily in a gray squirrel diet, are well liked. I use in my squirrel diet that will also make them more appealing. These can also be obtained on Amazon.com. Organic Chia oil from Foods Alive only, as some sources are not for oral consumption, and Organic Pumpkin seed oil from Oil seed Company of Oregon. These oils are great on the greens if they don't happen to appeal to your chippy, just don’t go wild with the oil 4 drops a day maximum for the chia oil, and 2 maximum for the pumpkin seed oil. To this include Opti-zinc Zinc L- Monomethionine15 mg. source from Jarrow, which will NEED to be reduced to a small fraction to be a appropriate level of dosage to use as a supplement source of zinc in the diet for a chippy.

In the meantime, remove the spinach, sunflower seeds, corn. The oats are a good source. If you can get pinecones off the tree, they should be fine from sources you absolutely know have not been sprayed with anything by anyone, as pesticides are toxic to these small mammals. Yes you can feed organic watermelon seeds to chippies, just measure them so you don't overfeed phosphorus in the diet. I can help you once you get this all together with the measures. Organic natural sugar only in small measures supports the uptake of calcium into the bones, as it makes Calcium Citrate more soluble and the natural pectin from this source does also.

Organic Hazelnuts are a better source than almonds, for almonds are also a source that is the same calcium robbing anti nutrient that renders the calcium it has to zero, for unlike some vegetables that contain this source that can be boiled to reduce this anti nutrients, with nuts it is needful to limit the amounts included in the diet. hard to do with this species though for it has a far higher metabolic rate, and needs seed sources to thrive, but also flowers and buds in season, along with organic mealies. Soft boiled egg yolk small tsp. fraction sourced for chicken fed only non-soy and non-fishmeal feed.

Be sure to crack open nuts, for there is no guarantee they may not have mold that can kill if ingested. In defense of mold spores that may get by you, include Milk Thistle seed, not leaves, daily. Amazon.com carries Wild Harvest from Oregon that is organic produced. I like the organic low alcohol and organic glycerin MTS Elixer from them, yet the dried is also usable.

Add baked butternut, or Acorn squash to the diet, easy to do, just bake, and scoop out the squash with a melon baller, and place the portions into a vacuum sealed freezer bag, or use a zip lock removing the air by putting a straw into the bag, and zipping it closed to where just the straw is in the small opening, then siphon the air out and seal. Double bagging is recommended. Then when you got to feed the squash you just remove enough for a feeding the night before, leaving into only in the fridge overnight to thaw it, as squashes left in the fridge after a two days begins to breakdown very quickly and mold; best then to keep the cooked squashes frozen till you are ready to feed it. You can bake the seeds on low oven heat, for about 20 minutes; just remember that they are very high in phosphorus, and also a good source of zinc.

Again if you go with a block diet many of the natural sources these animals are keen on eating will not be able to be included in the diet for them in captivity, for those high protein sources are good sources of phosphorus that is already supplied in block diets, making it needful to significantly limited the amount of these food sources in the diet when using Rodent block. It is more convenient complete really save for adding a few fresh organic foods, yet not as appealing to the poachers. Non block diets are more work, but the choices that can be includes naturally appeal to squirrels and chipmunks which mimic those in the wild, can be included in the diet, which are better nutritional sources than corn and wheat.

Instead of spinach try the baby (immature) leaves of chicory, one of the best source of calcium that is often accepted. Kale is good, high in calcium, but you should steamed then before feeding it, as it contains goitrogens, compounds that causes the uptake of minerals to be reduced. Cut up the broccoli and cauliflower and boil 20 minutes, then drain and rinse. Cabbage boiled for 15 minutes should be enough. Boiling stalked vegetables and steaming cabbage sources with not greatly lower the calcium that they contain, just deactivate the two calcium lowering anti-nutrients they also contain.

Organic nuts only, hazelnuts are better than almonds for the same reason fo almonds are high in calcium robbing anti-nutrients. Pecans are also liked.

Berries and mushrooms are appropriate; just give small measures daily, no more than 1/2 Tsp of each. Organic dried chanterelle mushrooms (Oregon Mushroom company online, light weight shipping low no need for refrigeration. I like the ground mushroom powder myself, easy to use, and again can be measured. They also have a number of wild berries that are natural food sources for chippies, and taste better than cranberries. These do require cool packs to ship, which are the main cost. Once the weather cools down they can ship to the east coast two day air.

As for tree fruits, do not overfeed them, but limit the total amount to no more than 1 Tsp. daily. save for low sugar berries like bilberries and huckleberries that can be fed in a bit larger measure daily

All nuts are susceptible to this fungus on the outside, yet since it cannot be seen on the inside save the nut is opened for any squirrel species in captivity it is needful to open the nuts to ensure there is no fungus.

Add organic Milk Thistle seed to the diet. Oregon Wild harvest carries both the dried MTS (seed not leaves source is what to use) or their MTS organic Elixer, also a good source to use.

Chippies love acorns, but it is a risky and tricky business to support feeding them in captivity, with a lengthy prep to ensure you don't feed them acorns with fungus, that they cannot be trusted to not have a bad one that can kill. To learn more on that do a search under my name and include acorns for prep instructions.


It's late here, I will have to read on alfalfa for this species, not sure it is appropriate, or well digested to justify including it in the diet. I will try to get back to your thread tomorrow with other tips on diet you can use. In the mean tie decide if you want a block diet or a whole foods diet, as this makes a big difference in what you would feed your chippy.

[Lighten-Up]

He was doing some hard nips at me couple days prior and came at my neck rougher that had me thinking it wasn't normal but I shrugged it off as he was getting older...until 3 days later he bit at my cheek. He's been chattering his teeth at me if that means anything. Not sure if its grinding food noise or he's saying something. I've been slowly moving away in case that's a warning.
Thank you everyone. 💗💗

When a squirrel chatters it teeth that is a definite warning. In most cases, they are upset. I have not heard a chipmunk chatter, but I should think it is much the same thing.

I have heard many people suggest that chipmunks are more bitey than squirrels. I have not had much experience with chippies, though I will note that I just had a wild chipmunk befriend me outside while I was feeding the squirrels a week or two ago. I chose to offer this wild one my palm full of sunflower seed. It opened wide its jaw and placed it over the end of my finger pad :-0. But when it bit down, it felt it squish and it let go; no mark or puncture on my finger. It went to the next finger pad and did the same. Confused it ran away. It was back a few minutes later, and this time it found the seed in the middle of my palm, and stuffed it into it's pouches. It has been a daily regular ever since. This little chipmunk never bites, and is very conscious of my hand versus seeds and nuts. It will now even jump into my palm to eat. I am utterly amazed that the chipmunk is more calm and poised around me than most of the squirrels are. Each animal is different, so I will not say all chippies are like this, but I do want to suggest that not all chippies are bitey, this friend of mind is the most kind animal soul I have met in a while.

It is my thinking that Mazin is upset about something, and thus the chattering warning and the bite. I think the chattering is a warning, but I don't know about what. It might be that it has some calcium defiency, for which it might be in pain. I'm not a diet expert, but it seems that everyone who keeps rodents, feeds block as well as fresh foods to maintain the proper calcium phosphorus ratio. If Mazin is in pain, he could be upset and bite.

I don't know the specifics of your keeping him after you raised him. Was he injured that you chose to keep him? Is there any possibility that his wild instincts are kicking in and he yearns to be free? If so he might just want to be free outside. Just my thoughts....I wish you well. It's good that you are searching for answers.

[Mazin]

I do have magnesium citrate, and calcium citrate. I am not sure how much to give him because he's so tiny. 3-4 inches sitting. I will be getting the rodent block for him shortly and will buy whatever food he needs possible. This is all new to me as I never imagined I'd be raising such a beautiful fur ball.
I do have some wonderful news though. I did have him out playing today and not once did he try to bite or nibble. My hand was still exposed because he's used to sniffing my hand when he comes out. He went about his usual investigations and ran up on my 3 times. He even ate on a pecan whilst sitting next to me. I cried in joy because I thought I was going to have to wear a suit of armor like our dear friend Stosh. I was prepared for that life as well and still am just in case. I do wear safety glasses to protect my eyes and wear something around my neck but my face was exposed like normal. I'm hoping it was a scent or the tree branch I brought in that stirred him up a couple days ago. It was nice to see him the relaxed little Mazin that I knew and grown to love.
Thank you kindly to all for reaching out to me with wonderful advice. You can bet I'll be taking it all in and utilizing it in Mazins life to achieve his optimum health. 🐿

[Jen413]

I have no experience with chippys, but the teeth chattering is his way of saying "LEAVE ME ALONE OR YOU WILL BE SORRY!"

I have a squirrel that was upset after I accidentally pinched his foot in the cage door. I believe he thought it was my older squirrel that got him rather than the door. He flew to my shoulder seeking safety and comfort and was chattering. I made the mistake of slightly moving my hand (not even in his direction) and he flew to it and clamped down so hard and wouldn't let go. He was being defensive rather than aggressive but he is pretty chattery in general. My advice is when he's chattering pause for a moment then slowly back away. I imagine it could be hormonal but I'd check his room/cage for any stashes of food. He may be protecting those stashes and that is causing the aggression. It he has any clean them out and you may notice a big change.

[Diggie's Friend]

Envigo, formerly Harlan Teklad, 2016 rat diet that has a good ratio of Ca:Mg at 3:1, which happens to be teh same ratio used in a study wthi magnesium in spayed rats, that showed no calcuim was lost in the bones. The old ratio of !0:1 and others lower than 3:1 shold not be used in diets for these animals, which is why the supplmentation wiht magnesium is needed for the block diets to bing them up to this healthier ratio that better supports bone health.

To do this using a rodent block diet, that is a quality Rodent block diet, not just 2016, or 2014 for older animals from Envigo, add 1/64 Tsp. Magnesium Citrate to the meal into a wet food like a small fraction measure of organic apple sauce or the yogurts. After 3 days if the stool is still firm, then add an additional 1/64 total daily then (1/32) Tsp. of the magnesium citrate powder (Frontier Naturals has no additives). Repeat the process by adding 1/64 Tsp in addition to the previous amount supplemented daily, in 3 day intervals, till the stool becomes slightly softens; then lower the amount of magnesium daily by 1/64 and wait 2 to 3 days to see if the stool firms up well again. If not then lower the magnesium total measure given daily by another 1/64 Tsp.. Once the stool firms up you have your magnesium dose for your diet. This should raise the Ca:Mg ratio up to at least 2:1 which is the same as my diet. If closer that isn't an issue, for excess magnesium is loss out the bowel. If you have any other question feel feed to PM me.

[stosh2010]

The one pic where Mazin is on the pink/white towel is how I found him but he was in a ball not moving. He's come a long way!

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Meet Mazin---the CHIPMUNK
(Mandy, I framed some for you)



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[Chomp-Mom]

sophiesquirrel, is it possible you are still active and could contact me? i have a 6mo female chipmunk id like to pick your brain!