How To Make Friends With Chipmunks
This video provides a step-by-step process for befriending chipmunks.
First of all, location is key. Start in an area where you know there are already chipmunks.
Stock up on black oil sunflower seeds and peanuts.
INITIATE LEVEL TECHNIQUES:
CHUMMING THE RAIL: Dump out a heaping row of seeds to attract chipmunks to your general area.
SCATTER SHOT: Scatter seeds all around you to attract chipmunks.
PEANUT PITCH: Progressively pitch peanuts closer and closer to you, getting the chipmunk more and more comfortable with being a closer distance to you.
THE MINI-CUTE SARLAC PIT MONSTER: Leave some treats on the doorsteps of the chipmunk burrow.
PROXIMITY PILES: Make little piles of seed in close proximity to you, and the chipmunks will often approach.
THE OUTDOOR STUDY BUDDY. Put piles of seed near your books or computers, to create a cute work atmosphere.
STUDENT LEVEL:
PEANUT SWORD: Hold a peanut out, just like a little sword. This keeps your fingers at a safe distance.
BUSH BABY: Toss a bunch of sunflower seeds into the bushes, then approach the bushes using the peanut sword technique.
THE BABY JOEY: Put some peanuts in your hoodie pocket, the one that acts kind of like a kangaroo pouch. The chipmunks go in one end, and come out the other.
THE FURRY POTATO FOOD PLATE: Turn your hand into a sunflower seed food plate, and try to serve the chipmunk in close proximity to you.
CHIPMUNK ELEVATOR: While a chipmunk is feeding from your hand, slowly elevate your hand. If they let go, just lower the elevator back down, they’ll grab on, and try again. Just keep repeating until they hop onto your palm.
ELITE LEVEL CHIPMUNKING:
The FLOWER GIRL. Use a peanut sword, or chipmunk elevator technique to attract a chipmunk to some flowers, so that you can take a bunch of pretty photos.
THE PEACE TREATY: Make a peace sign, and have a little peanut treat in your palm.
THE FISHERMAN’s FRIEND. Start by collecting the peanuts that have stems still attached, and use them like fishing rods, to see if you can catch the chipmunks in some cute little fishing poses.
THE PEANUT POUNCE: Hold a little peanut sword out and wait to see if the chipmunk will spring for it.
RODENT REFLEXOLOGY: A little massage, for some fast and furr-ious chipmunk feet.
CHIPMUNK MASSEUSE: Give a chipmunk a little belly rub.
THE PEANUT PURSUIT: Present chipmunks with the promise of a peanut reward, and inspire them to follow your lead. If the chipmunk backs off, just put the peanut back in front of it’s face, and it will start to follow again.
CHIPMUNK HAT: Use peanut pursuit to lead the chipmunk to the top of someone's head.
THE ALADDIN: Start by doing the chipmunk elevator, then turn all the way around, 360 degrees.
MUSTACHE A LA CHIPMUNK: Use the chipmunk tail to pose with a mustache.
CHIPMUNK HAND PASS: Carefully drop seeds, and chipmunk into the hand of a partner.
THE CHIP AND DALE: Simultaneously hold one chipmunk in each hand.
THE SUPER-WOW CHIPMUNK UNIBROW: Use the chipmunk tail to pose for a photo or video with one big bushy eyebrow.
THE CHIPMUNK SMOOCH: Hold a chipmunk, and give it a kiss.
EXTREME LEVEL CHIPMUNKING TECHNIQUES:
THE HOUSE GUEST. Leave the door open a crack, a chipmunk must enter on its own free will, take some goodies, and then exit.
THE MASSAGE PARLOUR: A combination of the house guest and chipmunk. masseuse.
THE CRITTER KITCHEN HELPER: Once the chipmunk is inside, you try to trick them into doing the dishes for you (this technique has not be successful yet!).
THE DINNER GUEST: Have the chipmunk sit and eat at the dinner table.
THE FURRY POTATO PORTRAIT: Have the chipmunk pose in front of some family portraits.
THE MOVIE WATCHING 'MUNK: Watch a movie with a chipmunk.
THE PEANUT PIANIST: Get the chipmunks on top of a piano, and get them to pounce on the keys to make music.
THE BATHROOM SELFIE SUPER FRIEND: Get the chipmunk in front of the bathroom mirror, to pose for some cute photos or video.
THE TOP BUNK CHIPMUNK: Get the chipmunk to pose with the stuffed animals on the top bunk.
THE CHIPMUNK VACUUM CLEANER: Start with a proximity pile, then slowly and gentle lift the back side of the chipmunk up, and steer it around to suck up all the seeds.
THE BINGO DABBER: Hold the chipmunk upside down, and lift it up and down as it eats seeds out of your palm.
DISCLAIMER: Make sure you know the laws in your area, as it is illegal to feed chipmunks in some municipalities. Be aware of any disease risks with the animals in your area. One of the most popular concerns with chipmunks is rabies, however the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says chipmunks have not been known to transmit rabies to humans. So consider that people travel in cars even though over a million people die every year. We all take calculated risks, chipmunks remain relatively low risk, but be careful anyways.
