Still Nesting

[jcoombes2002]

 
Zippy is constantly nesting at the bottom of his cage, we changed around their cage yesterday and put his nest further up the cage so that she wouldnt be dominant over him but he went straight down to the bottom and just started to sleep there will no nest or anything so we moved his nest back down - is this a normal thing to do as we are a bit worried by this?  Also when she is near him or around she always gives him an evil look and he turns away really scared what can we do to make this normal?

[Nate]

Sorry I haven't been around, I've been worried sick abut my chipmunk Sue.

Although your boy has moved to the bottom of the aviary I think it's OK. If there was going to be any big fights they should have happened by now. He just sounds very shy, so needs time. When I introduced three young chipmunks to a new aviary, for the first few weeks they also set up home at the bottom of the aviary. In the wild they live in piles of rocks or shallow holes, so the nesting up high thing seems to be only for domestic chipmunks. All mine have picked nest at least six foot above ground.

Put in a cardboard tube with one end closed off about fist sized diameter for him. I have four chipmunks who for months have chosen to live in their tubes rather than the nest boxes I toiled over. They don't soil in their nests so the cardboard won't go all soggy.

I am afraid it is hit and miss which ones will get on with each other, and it seems to change over time. As they get older they make new friends and new enemies. My Pickles has decided in the last few weeks that he really hates Izzy. After separating two nasty fights, I've had to move Izzy to another aviary. He can only come out for a run when Pickles is locked up.

If you can try to handle your little boy as much as possible now he's got used to your voice. This has worked for my Izzy. He was painfully shy, running to hide even when I just made a movement in the room. Then after months he started taking food from my hand, but no more contact than that. But since the two fights I have been forced to scoop him up and cuddle him for a while. This worked in taming him more, as now he does not mind me stroking him.

BTW, now you have a female you will have this to look forward to twice a year:

http://www.super-chipmunks.co.uk/chloe-chirping.php

[jcoombes2002]

Ah thanks for that video we wondered why she was doing that last week, but do they get stressed by not getting it if you know what I mean.  I will keep an eye on him as we used to handle him quite a lot but once he has been done he doesnt seem to come anywhere near us!!!  I will keep an eye on him and I appreciate you coming back to me as I was really worried I wouldnt get a response and I rely on them. Thanks Nate

[Nate]

No, she won't be stressed by not getting any, quite the opposite. When a female brings up a litter she does all the work non stop, and won't let the father near her or the kid to begin with. It actually shortens the females life span a bit if they keep having litters, which is why I don't want my girls to have any more babies. After the day on heat the next day she should behave as if nothing has happened.

After the boys have had the operation they are supposed to become more placid. It takes a few weeks for the testosterone to leave their body, and although for a few months I did find they were less active, Pickles (he's had the opp) in the last few weeks has become quite aggressive towards the other younger males. I think because they are growing up he is starting to feel his position is threatened.

I think my Tucker sounds a bit like your little boy. He was spending nearly all day in his nest. It's taken months for him to come out now. He shows no interest in coming out for a run, and can only now just about cope with being stroked. I'm glad Tucker wasn't my first chipmunk, I would be thinking that I'm doing all sorts of things wrong.

BTW, chipmunks are moody. Today Pickles does not want anything to do with his life long friend and sister Chloe, he keeps chasing her away. I wonder if he's becoming a grumpy old git 

[jcoombes2002]

Grumpy old git doubt that very much I jst think they love changing there minds and habits all the time. Glad you logged in today that put my mind at rest. That noise is amazing Squeak has done it a couple of times now so cute. Is that your chipmunk as she is lovely! I hope my partner and I will get some more when we move into a bigger place - thanks!

[Nate]

Pickles temperament improved in the afternoon, friends again with his sister Chloe. He's sitting next to me now quite happy, removing all the seeds from half a butter squash and flicking the unwanted pith across the table.

The girl in the video is mine, that's Chloe, she is the daughter of Sue. Glad you like the look of her, my friends, who don't have chipmunks wonder how I tell them apart, as they think they all look the same. Except for my one white one that is, he's the strangest chipmunk. He likes to sleep on his back with his tail over his tummy in a home made hammock, just can't be bothered to make a nest and always gets up late.

[jcoombes2002]

That sounds quite amusing too see you will have to get that on camera next - do chipmunks talk between eachother? It's just ours dont and we are not sure if that is normal or not?

[Nate]

I think I've worked out from watching them that their favorite way of communication is with smell. You may have seen yours rubbing their chins along, scenting a surface. I've also watched mine communicate if one is in one room the other in an another, by chirping. Although this is quite rare, I've mostly seen this happen when they are getting ready to go off to their nest boxes, and want to locate their friends. More common is the warning sound they make, often if a bird lands on the windowsill. They also use their tails to indicate danger, nervousness, anger and excitement. Then there is the drumming of the two back feet when they're approaching something they want to investigate but aren't quite sure about yet.

I did read that they also communicate on frequencies that we can't hear, and that they communicate over quite long distances using these frequencies. I think I would want to see some proper research before saying that was true, but it's a nice thought that they could all be chatting away without my knowing.

[jcoombes2002]

Thats nice to know - well they both slept in the same next last night I am hoping that maybe the start of them liking eachother but we aint being too hopeful yet! We think Zippy may of really hurt his leg and now and again he will put his weight on in and other times he wont.  Even she is starting to make nests when she is out and about in the front room which is very unusual for her!  Oh yeah before I forget with regards to catching them, do you know the best place to find a sort of net or something similar?

[Nate]

That's the thanks you get, you provide them with a safe home and nest and all they do when they're out is try to move out.

I've seen padded nets used to catch chipmunks in pet shops where they have lots of chipmunks. One store is http://www.petsathome.com, they also sell the nets. They have stores all across the UK and it looks from their website that they are going in to e-commerce.

Another place I've found is http://www.norfinenets.co.uk/index.html , but you have to contact them, and it looks like they make them to order. I think if I wanted one I would go to a fishing tackle shop and pad out one of the standard nets.

I've not got for a net, as I think mine would soon learn to run away as soon as they saw it. I just spend hours for them to decide to go home, I think I'm really just here to wait on their every need and desire 

[jcoombes2002]

Thanks for that Nate good idea - also sorry I bet you hate it when I email as I always have questions, Zippy is not putting weight on one of his back legs does this mean it is broke and if so what do we do about it as a vet wont be able to put plaster or anything on do we let him get on with it and heal?  We have also noticed that when he sits on his back legs to eat or clean that this one stick out more than usual?

[Nate]

Hi, please keep asking questions, as the idea of this site is to help chipmunk owners in the UK. Although there are not many of members yet, there are already plenty of people reading the forum. I still feel i have lots to learn about chipmunks myself, and I hope that others will chip in with their experiences and tips, as I'm no expert.

When I first got my chipmunks my place was carpeted throughout. But the place became so hard to clean because of the chippies ramming seeds right down in to the carpet. So I've now got wood floors instead, very much easier to clean, but more chance of a chipmunk having a hard fall. And they do sometimes when they miss their footing. I've seen mine land on the floor from up to eight feet. Although this shakes them up, they are very tough, and within a few seconds they race off. Except for one time that is. When Snowey was a baby he fell on to the floor and he hurt his back leg. I didn't know if it was broken, the vets was shut, so I wrapped in some fleece and stayed up with him all night. The next morning he still had a very slight limp but that soon went, and he's fine now. Now I don't think he had broken his leg, or perhaps because he was so young with soft bones he was able to heal so quick. Ever since that night Snowy never sleeps more that about four foot from me in a hammock hanging from the ceiling. I think it was then he realised his mother wasn't such a good mum after all. But if it happened again I would take him to the vets the next day to have him checked up.
I'm concerned about Zippy, because I think he's been like it for a while from what you say. With my recent experience with Sue who was in such pain I know now that when in pain they hardly eat, spend all their time in the nest, but don't make any noises not even when you handle them. But if he tries to bite you when you handle him, and he doesn't normally, then I think you can take it he's in pain. I think if Zippy were mine I would be off to the vets now, see if he can have his leg x-rayed, and if he is in pain see what your vet can do to help him. You maybe surprised what skills and modern techniques vets have now, probably not a splint, but the vet might have some good advice at least on how to boost Zippys weight.
Let me know how it turns out.

[jcoombes2002]

I will wait for the weekend see how he gets on as I work all day I cannot keep an eye on how he is on it so will let you know the outcome. Thanks Nate

[jcoombes2002]

Everything seems ok and vet said to just keep an eye on him so all good!

[Nate]

Great news, they can be quite tough little creatures. I see you might be interested in expanding your collection. If I was starting again I would only have one boy and a group of girls. I have six boys and all of them hate each other, so I have to do my best to keep each boy apart. Although girls can have the odd squabble they don't seem to have any serious fights, unlike the boys.