Reuniting Baby Chippy with Mama

[Candiceb]

Hi everyone,
This is actually a chipmunk question. I haven't found anything for chippys as promising as this forum, so I hope it's okay to post here. If I should be trying elsewhere, let me know.

This is a long tale, so the short version is this: my dad and I saved a drowning chipmunk baby. However, he ran away from his mom, who was searching for him but gave up at nightfall. We lost track of the baby in our neighbour's yard, in spite of a thorough search, and I'm wondering if there is anything else we can do to find and reunite the baby with its mom.

Here's the full version: Yesterday at supper time, my dad found a baby chipmunk on the pool steps, head above water but very exhausted and scared, struggling. He lifted the baby out with the skimmer, and placed him in the grass to recover in peace. We then went inside and stood guard at the window for about thirty minutes before we realize that Mom Chipmunk (with baby #2 in tow) was frantically searching along the pool's edge for her lost baby. The baby sat curled in the grass, alive but too exhausted to move).

This went on for about an hour. The mom didn't know to look in the grass, and only went to the spot where the baby was last seen. My dad decided to reunite them by putting on some gardening gloves, and transferring the tired little critter over to the hole where mom kept emerging from. To our surprise, the tired baby had more energy than we suspected, and when dad tried to pick him up, he bolted under the fence into the next backyard.

At this point, the sun was going down, and we were heartbroken to see that the mom was still looking for a while, but eventually stopped coming out. I grabbed a big flashlight and hopped the fence to see if I could locate the baby in the final minutes of sunlight (neighbours are away for the weekend), but after a very long search, I found nothing. There is a deck to hide under, but it's not very grassy or welcoming (mostly tires and level dirt). There are also low shrubs and rhubarb that he could have gone under, which I couldn't completely search without tearing the place apart. It's possible he came back under the fence and found his way home without us seeing, but I stood watch at the window until night came and never spotted him.

My question is this: is there anything else I could do? How likely is the baby to make his way back into our yard and home again? Is the mom smart enough to broaden her search? I've seen no sign of mom or baby today, and I feel terrible. I'm tempted to check the neighbour's yard again, but maybe I'm being crazy. I just hate the thought of the little guy all alone because of me and my dad interceding.

If you have any ideas or advice, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you for reading!

[farrelli]

Yes, keep checking. If you find him and the mom won;t take him back, we can tell you what to do to raise him or get him to a rehabber.

[stepnstone]

Wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out but I suspect as he got his
senses back he would have cried for momma and they probably
are already back together.
You and dad saved the little's life, nothing to feel sorry about.

[Candiceb]

Thank you both for replying! I noticed mama yesterday with three babies in tow (I hope one is her lost baby returned). I watched her bring them for stroll - it looks like she's teaching them how to traverse the garden. Lo and behold, a little one swan-dove right into the pool. I had him back out in a matter of seconds, and then monitored until it got dark. It was helpful to see that she takes them very close to the water. This will happen again, so I need to do something.

I'm a bit distraught today, as I found a squirrel and a chippy in the filter. I'd draped a rug over the steps, but they must not have found it. It's not the mommy chipmunk, as I just saw her with a mouth full of nuts, heading into her usual hole. She's eyeing me up as I type this. Still, I'm heartbroken for the others. I made some floating ramps today. I'll post a photo of them. If anyone thinks I could better place them, let me know. The base is styrofoam, and I think they can get their claws into the material. I only worry that they'll fail to see them. I'll be keeping a close eye today!

Once again, thanks for taking the time to read and reply. It's much appreciated!

[stepnstone]

How about placing several larger versions of the toilet ladder
we recommend on here around the sides, especially drape
one over the filter opening(s) since the water is drawn and
circulated through there.

[UDoWhat]

Chipmunk moms are a little different from squirrel moms in that they kick their babies out of the nest much sooner than squirrel moms. The babies usually stay with their moms for only 2 months. Your chippy mom was very likely trying to introduce her babies to the yard and encouraging them to leave her nest soon in preparation for the next litter. If they do not leave she will soon not let them enter her nest. The mating season for the Fall litter is anytime now as the Fall litters begin arriving (gestation period of 30 days) in about early August to early Oct. I also have a pool. I place rafts (2 one on each long side of the pool) on the side of the pool with half of the raft resting on the coping (flagstone) and half resting in the water. I watch my squirrels, chippies, and doves walk down the raft to get a drink of water. Most squirrels are very good swimmers but chipmunks... not so much. I also place just plain red bricks in the filter baskets so if they do get in the filters they can climb up on the brick and not drown. The bricks are about half in and half out of the basket and I can place the filter cover securely back on top. The filters have such a strong pull that squirrels, chippies, birds, frogs and any other critters are unable to withstand the force of the pull. The red bricks do not in anyway change the balance of the pool water and save many creatures that find their way into the pool. In 19 years I have only lost 1 chipmunk. After I found him dead in the pool I placed the rafts on the sides of the pool and the red bricks in the filter baskets and I have never found a dead animal in my pool again. I hope this helps.

[island rehabber]

Excellent info -- thanks for posting that!