Overwintering a chipmunk in Ontario

[klal]

There is a 6-month old chipmunk (Smushey) on our property who's been around since she was a baby. A broken leg a couple of weeks ago had me bring her inside to try to keep her from moving around too much(for anyone who helped on that, she is doing much better! She still walks on it a little funny, but she's practically back to her usual speed!) but I eventually moved the bunny house that we kept her in outside, and she's much happier now that she can run around outdoors.

The only problem is the bunny house seems to be her home now. It's always open and she comes and goes, but I know they're supposed to go underground for winter, and I don't think she has an underground home. I've watched her take nuts and seeds and go hide them somewhere (there aren't many in the bunny house, I've checked) but she sleeps in the bunny house. It isn't insulated (but I'm working on that) and I bought a K&H small outdoor heating pad that is doing the trick so far (she's already sleeping most of the day), but it's only going to get colder.

Any suggestions for helping her through the winter would be appreciated. I know that they're different to squirrels in that they hibernate to a degree, then wake up and eat from their stash. If I create a stash for her, what should I include? How often do I add to it, or just dump a bunch at the beginning of winter and keep an eye on it? Tips for insulation are appreciated as well....I don't really have the space to just put her indoors. Someone had suggested one of those red heat lamps....if it's too warm where she is, will her not 'hibernate' and starve if she doesn't have enough stashed?

Anything to help little angel Smushey make it through the winter :Love_Icon

[CritterMom]

Yes, they HAVE to go underground - the earth is a pretty good insulator, and the burrows usually don't go much lower than 40 degrees Farenheit even when the air temps are well below zero. Smudge can't get that above ground.

I am concerned that she of course lost her home when she was injured and came inside for help - they steal homes like crazy. It is a bad time to be trying to establish a new one, and I wonder is she is trying to do that with only one front leg due to the injury?

People keep chippies as pets and they don't do it outside. Can you move her somewhere warmer? Even a cool room in the house would be good, with bunches of bedding for her to crawl into and tunnel through - someplace quiet? If she will mostly snooze the winter away inside where it is warmer and she isn't losing calories to cold, and where food is right there, and where she won't really be using the paw, she might be able to pick things up outside again in the spring.

[klal]

We have a water pump house that stays heated throughout the winter so it doesn't freeze...there are no windows, so I was concerned about it being too dark, but I suppose if they're underground it's dark anyways? I will try to make a little entrance, so she could come and go from the pump house if she wanted to. I was thinking I could just move the whole bunny house in there for the winter, and give her food throughout the season.

Any idea if it's better to dump a bunch of food in there every two weeks or so, to mimic the 'stash' she should have been making, as opposed to going in and feeding her every day? I know they stash a bunch of nuts and seeds because they're unperishable...can I give her that, and maybe a little bit of fresh food here and there (Or Henry's blocks? I'm going to try to get some sent up to Canada by someone, as they don't ship here).

If anyone knows a lot about chipmunk behaviour, I would love any information, especially in trying to reintroduce her to be outdoors next season! Right now she's essentially an 'outdoor pet', but I'd love some help on introducing her back to being self-sufficient in the wild!

[Lighten-Up]

I love chippies, but I've never had to keep one, I've just made friends with them.

I would be concerned about giving Henry's block, because they are not made with preservatives, and could grow mold and not be good if stored long term in a stash. I know it will be cold, but I still don't know and may not want to take that chance and have it contaminate the good food. That's my opinion.

The chipmunks in my yard gather the black oil sunflower seeds by the pouchful, and also any almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts in the shell or without the shell, they collect a large stash of that and then disappear when the weather is cold. I usually never see them until spring they have so much.

My concern about you giving your chips a huge stash above ground is that it may attract other critters who like seeds, mice, skunks? Whoever is hungry and a seed eater may try to enter your chippies home, unless you lock down the entrance so nothing gets out or in.

These are my thoughts, best to you and your friend. :Love_Icon