These chipmunks also have a food reserve to get them through the lean months, but they will still forage throughout the day to avoid eating all of their stored food and make the food they have last longer. They retreat into their burrows at night and may remain underground during very cold days, but they spend the winter collecting what food they can find. Hibernation allows the chipmunks to significantly lower their heart rate and metabolism, allowing them to conserve energy and heat to get through the freezing winter.Ĭhipmunks are too small and do not have enough overall body mass to hibernate throughout an entire winter continuously, so the species of chipmunk that exhibit this behavior wake up every few days to eat before falling back into hibernation.įor this reason, the food collected by the chipmunk for the winter months is still essential, even for chipmunks who hibernate through the winter.Ĭhipmunks that live in warmer environments that do not experience frigid winters do not hibernate. The ones that hibernate during the winter are those that live in the coldest regions. We have learned that chipmunks retreat into their burrows during the winter, where they have stored up food for the sparse months of the year.īut what do they do in these burrows during the winter? This stored food means that chipmunks can remain underground for the entire winter if needed and have plenty of reserve food to sustain themselves. When chipmunks keep themselves underground for the cold and lean winter months, they survive by eating the food they stockpiled during spring and summer. With that said, chipmunks do eat in the winter. That haul alone is enough to sustain a single chipmunk for a long time. Some chipmunks have been seen gathering and storing more than 165 individual acorns in a single day. Chipmunks even understand what food will keep fresh for long periods without going bad so they can store enough food for the winter. These rodents will eat what they forage and then store anything extra that they find in their underground burrows. They take the opportunity to gather extra food into underground larders during the summer months. Do Chipmunks Eat In The Winter?Ĭhipmunks are among the most forward-thinking rodents out there, as these small squirrels understand there is far less food in the winter months, regardless of the temperature. Then, they’ll resurface in spring when the weather gets warmer. They’ve likely located underground where it’s warmer. If you live in a region with cold winters, you’ve likely wondered where the chipmunks go. However, they will continue to forage for whatever food they can find, as the weather is not cold enough for them to retreat underground. These chipmunks will still gather and store food underground to eat when there is less food available to forage. Not all chipmunks behave this way, however, as there are some chipmunks in parts of the world that do not experience frigid winters. When it gets cold, these animals move into their burrows, become significantly less active, and feed on the food they have collected throughout the year. Are Chipmunks Still Active In The Winter? This food is stored in larger larders underground in preparation for winter. Chipmunks are master burrowers and collect large food reserves during the spring and summer months when food is abundant. When the winter months roll in, chipmunks that live in cold regions retreat underground. These are such small animals, and they are usually so active that when they disappear over the winter, some people become concerned about the safety of these animals. Where Do Chipmunks Go In The Winter?Ĭhipmunks live in some areas of the world that get very cold in the winter. Nevertheless, many people wonder where chipmunks go when it gets cold, as they are far less commonly seen in the coldest months of the year. This means that not all chipmunks follow the same behavioral patterns. ![]() Some chipmunks hibernate during this time and only wake every few days to eat.īecause chipmunks live in so many places means that they survive in a wide variety of habitats. They store food in their burrows during the summer to sustain themselves through the lean winter. So where do they go in these cold months?Ĭhipmunks in cold climates retreat into their burrows during the coldest winter months. ![]() Chipmunks are commonly seen throughout spring, summer, and autumn, but chipmunks in many places seem to disappear during the winter. These animals are common in North America and large areas of Europe and Northern Asia. Chipmunks are more widespread than you may realize.
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