Author Topic: Introduction and a few questions  (Read 1378 times)

Jas

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Introduction and a few questions
« on: January 07, 2008, 04:50:22 PM »
Hi
My name is Jason i live in South Wales and just picked up a chipmunk 8 month old female i think.  I was just wondering if you could give me a few tips on taming her.  I have done my reasearch but i was just wondering if you guys have any tips that work well.

I only picked her up yesterday so i am leaving her to settle in for a couple of days.

What do you guys surgest for food also please currently i am feeding her supachipmunk.  Adding some nuts hazel almonds and veg so far but willl add some fruit every so often also.

Possible dull question also are monkey nuts the same as peanuts.

I am looking to get another shortly so does anyone now of any breeders in Wales (South) or close by.

Nate

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2008, 10:32:54 AM »
Hi Jason, and welcome to the message board.

I've got quite a lot of chipmunks, and I've found they vary in personality a great deal. A few, when you put your hand in their aviary will jump straight on you from a very early age, but most will be quite shy, and probably run for cover. I've found that even the very shy ones can be tamed given time, anything up to a year to get them really tame.  Always talk to her in a soothing voice, never make quick movements. Allow them to get used to your voice and the smell of your hand. Let them sniff your hand first. They are intelligent, and will learn their name quickly, but like cats, may chose not to come to you if it doesn't suit them. I would keep a new chipmunk in it's aviary for at least a month, so it gets to know that this is home, and a place of safety. This also makes it much easier to get your chipmunk back home after you have let her out for a run. This is assuming you're keeping yours indoors. I was really tempted with my first chipmunk to let him out to run around. You can use food to tame them, they have their favorites, mine like cherries, and monkey nuts. Monkey nuts are just peanuts in their shells, which you can get from most supermarkets. Avoid the roasted ones, just get the natural ones. They will start by just taking food from your hand, then you can gradually encourage them to come on to your hand. Always wash your hands first, not using strong smelling soap. Chipmunks are very smell sensitive, which is why I let them sniff my hand first if they want to, just so they can confirm it's me. You have to be really patient when taming them, some of mine have taken months to get used to climbing on me, these were the ones which once would run  and hide even if I just came in to the room. Never try to rush the taming, if they are on you and want to get off, let them. Don't try to pick them up, especially from above if you can avoid it. The reason for not picking them up from above is because their wild prey (birds) will swoop down on them, so they hate this. It's always better to let them set the pace, and let them come on to you if they want. Unless your aviary is so big you can get in it, they real taming really only starts when your chipmunk is out in the same room as you. As I mentioned earlier there are some exceptions, you sometimes get a chipmunk that will use you as a climbing frame right from the word go. I've had success using cardboard tubes, about a meter long, and the sort that posters come in, for taming them. If they are out of their aviary and won't go home, you can put a tube down, which they almost can't resist looking in, then use this to put them back in their home. Most of mine like to run in one end of a tube for it to be moved somewhere else in the room, so they come out the other end somewhere different. You will probably get board with this before they do. I got most of my cardboard tubes from outside print shops, they seem to throw a lot out.

Supachipmunk mix is a really good food to start with, it is said to have everything thing they need. Plus daily fresh water of course. They do like all sorts of fresh fruit, but they don't eat very much of it. To begin with you'll have to try nearly all the types of fruit to find out what yours like. All mine like pomegranates, raw supersweet sweetcorn, shelled almonds, grapes cut in half and butersquashs cut in half (with the seeds left in). I personally don't think you can over feed them, as mine will leave most of the fresh stuff I put out. They only store dry stuff like nuts and seeds in their nests and around their aviary.


Jas

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2008, 10:59:21 AM »
Thanks that is great .  She is 8 months ol and lived in an aviary i think the owner use to sit in there with them but not a great deal.  However she does seem to be calming down already sitting at the back of the cage watching you when your near instead of running off.  I will live her a good month to settle in just talking to her through the bars and take it at her pace.  Is there any foods that are a complete no for chipmunks for any reason.

jcoombes2002

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2008, 12:33:12 PM »
We have just got a little girl to go with our male which we had done, she is a mental case wicked to watch run around her cage. I have found that our chipmunks prefer fruit than anything else especially grapes! We let her out last night even though we have only had her a few weeks and she decided to go behind our fireplace not funny at the time but really funny now, dont think she will do that again as it scared her quite a bit!  They are the best animals in the world, I have only had my first one for a couple of months but am loving every second. ps they do chew at furniture so watch your sofas!

Nate

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2008, 01:23:41 PM »
They seem to be OK with any fresh fruit you can buy in the shops. I don't let mine have the stones from peaches and nectarines, as I read somewhere the stones contain toxins. Chipmunks are very picky, I read on other sites that their chipmunks love bananas, but mine won't touch them. They are not supposed to be given too much of green leaves like lettuce, they like it, but if they have too much it can give them the runs, though it's never happened to mine. One thing I buy for them is live wax worms, they love these so much they make a great taming food. But they can't have too many as it can damage their livers, so I only give mine one or two a day, and some weeks none at all. If you don't like handling live food, it's not essential to give them wax worms, as there is protein in the Supamix, Oh you can also try a raw egg. But I found mine weren't interested, and it all got very sticky when they stepped in it.

Be careful when you let your chipmunk out for a run. A friend of mine let his out, and whilst out it eat a bit of a houseplant, it turned out the house plant was poisonous to chipmunks, and his pet died.

Great news about the new girl Julie, sounds like things are working out now. You might find that having a lively female will give the male more confidence. With chipmunks the females are the dominant sex. To me the females seem very busy and business like, and have no problems boxing the biggest male around the ears if they have to.

Your right about the sofa, whilst she was out Sue decided to build a nest in my old sofa, she got down between the cushions and into the framework. I got rid of that sofa, and got one with a metal frame, so there no space to get in and hide or nest.

I don't find chewing a problem, I built their aviaries from untreated softwood (some hardwoods are toxic to pets. I also put mineral blocks and cuttle fish in their homes. After lots of searching I gradually got some branches. Getting branches was difficult for me as I live in the city, and for safety they really should be from fruit trees. In the end I bought some small trees from a garden center. I left them in their pots until the chipmunks had stripped off all the leaves, then cut them up to put in the aviaries. I wash anything I get like branches, as I don't know what they might have been sprayed with. Lastly if you really want your chipmunk to chuckle (they do when they're really happy) get them the biggest deepest pot you can and fill it with damp compost or soil. This will occupy them for hours on end, it's worth the mess, just watching what they do.

Jas

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2008, 02:45:21 PM »
Thnaks guys that wicked i wasnt sure about wax worms as in now they have quite a high fat content (i used to a few lizards) i got her some meal worms though. Will try her with them tomorrow.

jcoombes2002

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2008, 03:17:41 PM »
Hey where do I get wax worms from, I remember you said about them before but cant find any down here in Plymouth!

Nate

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2008, 07:05:15 PM »
I tried giant mealworms in the beginning, they seemed to like them well enough, but went on to wax worms which nearly all except one really like. A guy in the pet shop old me that wax worms taste sweet.

I used to get small tubs of 30 from a reptile shop in Camden, but went on to the Internet and started ordering them from http://www.cjwildbirdfood.co.uk, but they kept on sending stuff to the wrong address, so I found http://www.wigglywigglers.com. Been using Wiggly wigglers for years never once had a problem with a lost order. I normally put an order in on a Monday so they don't get stuck in a delivery office over a weekend, otherwise might end up with a tub full of moths.

Jas

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2008, 02:23:39 PM »
Yeah  i use to keep some tubs aside and ;eave them grow into moths as my chemeleon use to love the moths,. and my bearded dragon use to go crazy for the worms. I use to use www.livefoods.co.uk they are really good at the time i use to find them the cheapest around to.

Jas

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2008, 02:47:00 PM »
Nate i ment to ask what guage wire you used on your cage mate.

Nate

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2008, 10:42:54 AM »
Thanks for the livefood link Jas, I've had a look and they are slightly cheaper in the sort of quantities I buy, which is the 250 worm tubs. If my site ever gets finished I want a links page to help people find where they can get things, but for now this forum will have to do.

All my aviaries are indoors so I don't need a really heavy gauge mesh for their aviaries. I got mine from Wicks the builders merchants on a roll. I've got two sizes one is 1cm by 1cm and the other is 1cm by 2.5cm. The rectangle size mesh is easier to hang things on like water bottles and feed bowls, and never had a breakout yet. I think the gauge is probably too light for an outdoor aviary. They have some on their website http://www.wickes.co.uk called Cage and Aviary Mesh 13 x 13mm mesh size Hot dip galvanised.

Jas

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2008, 02:44:48 PM »
That good i want to build an outdoor by the summer.  And get another of the opposite sex.  Our little s*** was out yesterday and found a new hiding place behind the fire.  She spent all day in and out of it but woudlnt go back to her cage. Finally got her back in there around 6pm.

Yeah i have used them for years they are great quick delivery with good stock.  Last a long time. I use to big bulk loads of  Locusts of them. Have you tried them i read somewhere they will take them to but they may not stay in the cage long enough tho.  If they have they butter worms in try them they are suppose to be better than wax worms for taste. I know my lizards would run from one end of the room for them.

I should think they would be fine for chip munks as well.  If i think of any more useful links i will post them on here for you to.

Nate

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #12 on: January 15, 2008, 06:04:16 PM »
If you get to build an outside aviary i will be so jealous, it's what i want for mine, but I would have to move out of london really.

Never heard of butter worms, they sound good. I've never tried insects either, but read that chipmunks are supposed to catch insects and will eat anything up to the size of a mouse. Whenever a fly has got in they haven't shown the slightest interest, I think mine are too pampered to bother to have to chase their food.

I laughed when I read the problems you had trying to catch yours. I can't really preach that you need to keep them in their aviary for a month or so. When I got my first chipmunk he was let out for a run around the very next day, I just could not resist seeing how he would act. The little sods will get everywhere, up the chimney, down under the floorboards, and a favorite, behind the radiators. Try a long cardboard tube with one end blocked off. Lay it down on the floor, they normally can't resist taking a look inside. Then when they're far enough in, scoop up the tube and put it back in their aviary. When they venture out of the tube they find themselves back home, no stress for either of you. They normally decide not to go back just when you have to go out.

Jas

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2008, 02:37:23 PM »
Yeah i will have to remember that tip.  We have made some big progress with her she has taken monkey nuts off me and my daughter and even let me touch her.  She has gone a bit shy agian now.  The dog also thinks she is the protector of the chipmunk chasing the cat off if it comes near the room the chipmunk is in.

jam

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Re: Introduction and a few questions
« Reply #14 on: January 25, 2008, 10:41:22 PM »
I am just wondering if chipmunks can be feed dates