mouse vs chipmunk

[midlf]

I need to know the size of a hole that will allow mice to enter a "feeding station" that will not allow a chipmunk to enter. I am referring to the Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) as found in SE Wisconsin. I need to modify the mouse feeders to exclude the chipmunks.

I have a very unhappy spouse who has realized that, while we now have no mice, all her "happy little buddies" are missing. If momma ain't happy, nobody is happy.

midlf

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't know about chipmunks, but it you can fit your pinky finger through a hole, you'll have mice using it. Field mice are pretty tiny and there skulls are much smaller than most people realize when they see them.

Eddie

 

[arthr31]

and is it you don't want the chipmunks trapped? you don't want chipmunks too close to your home either, they can cause problems...
As eddie wrote, they, mice, can get into tiny spaces..

 

[SPIKER]

personally speaking the chipmunks are more of a problem as they are simply destructive & love digging holes WORSE than mice however they tend to stay OUTSIDE more than mice. personally I would add larger feeders for both and keep them stocked with decon

I have a cat that seems to take care of most of the problem critters close by though...

markM

 

[billbill1]

I read (in the past few days) that a mouse can get through a 1/4" flat opening and a rat can get through 1/2".

 

[riptides]

Interesting.

We had to call in the professionals on our place, since it was, shall we say, in need.....

Now close to two years later, the mice and rats are no where to be seen, but the chipmunks are everywhere! We have seen four to six out at a time running amok.

I'll have to ask the type of posion they used in the bait stations.

-Mike Z.

 

[arthr31]

You can't easily poison chipmunks, they gather and store food, sometimes forgetting where it is.. They are horders. Other critters might then get the stored food and die, something you might not want to see.

You can trap them, that's better. And, it can be fun too... Latest thing I trapped was a feral cat. Maybe the scariest thing I've caught yet.... VERY aggressive...

 

[midlf]

and is it you don't want the chipmunks trapped? you don't want chipmunks too close to your home either, they can cause problems...
As eddie wrote, they, mice, can get into tiny spaces..

The CFO likes the chipmunks. She has said any chipmunks that are causing a problem, like digging near foundation, under drive or walls, I can eliminate, as long as she doesn't hear about it. The exact quote was "do want you gotta do just don't let me know about it". For nuisance chipmunks I pour some mouse pellets down the burrow.

 

[midlf]

personally speaking the chipmunks are more of a problem as they are simply destructive & love digging holes WORSE than mice however they tend to stay OUTSIDE more than mice. personally I would add larger feeders for both and keep them stocked with decon

I have a cat that seems to take care of most of the problem critters close by though...

markM

Agree on the cat but we have a small Cockatoo that would prove way to interesting for for a cat.

The problem with my current feeders is the chipmunks can get in and they all disappeared at once the cluing the CFO that mouse feeders were also poisoning the chippys.

 

[midlf]

You can't easily poison chipmunks, they gather and store food, sometimes forgetting where it is.. They are horders. Other critters might then get the stored food and die, something you might not want to see.

You can trap them, that's better. And, it can be fun too... Latest thing I trapped was a feral cat. Maybe the scariest thing I've caught yet.... VERY aggressive...

My mouse feeders are 3 short sections of 1-1/2" PVC with a PVC T. The bait blocks go into the stem of the T and the stem is closed off with a not glued PVC cap. The bait blocks cannot come out of the arms of the T, at least until the blocks are chewed down a bit. The arms of the T are long enough to prevent other critters from reaching in and getting the bait. The critter has to be small enough to crawl in. I was hoping the chipmunks would not be interested as it would be too difficult to get the bait off the block can carry it back, unlike the pellets which would be very easy to carry away. Apparently the chippys have no compunctions about spending the time needed to chew off the block. I am trying to exclude the chipmunks from the bait. Those chippys that are still a problem will get pellets in the burrow. Anything else that gets into the poison is welcome to it as we do not have cats or dogs (yet). I'm sure if we had cats or dogs my chipmunk problem would be minimal.

 

[midlf]

I don't know about chipmunks, but it you can fit your pinky finger through a hole, you'll have mice using it. Field mice are pretty tiny and there skulls are much smaller than most people realize when they see them.

Eddie

Thanks Eddie. I'm going to clue some caps on the arms of my mouse feeder T's and drill a pinky size hole in the cap. We'll see how that works. Our mouse population this year seems to be enormouus.

 

[arthr31]

midlf, what are these mouse pellets you are writing about?

I have a lot of chippies again and not enough time to trap...

 

[SPIKER]

expanding on that T idea why not use 1/2" pvc for the top part of the T and use the larger pvc to hold the bait, which means the chippies can't get to the bait but the mice can, they (mice) crawl into smaller spaces, may have to use some slots in the end cap to let out enough ssent to attract the mice.? you may be able to use 3/4" pvc for the top part of the T so bigger mice can get in.

just a thought

mark m

 

[midlf]

midlf, what are these mouse pellets you are writing about?

I have a lot of chippies again and not enough time to trap...

Just the standard Decon/tomcat mouse and rat poison. I use the bait blocks in the "feeders" and the pellets to pour down burrows. I also use the pellets inside the shop.

 

[midlf]

expanding on that T idea why not use 1/2" PVC for the top part of the T and use the larger PVC to hold the bait, which means the chippies can't get to the bait but the mice can, they (mice) crawl into smaller spaces, may have to use some slots in the end cap to let out enough scent to attract the mice.? you may be able to use 3/4" PVC for the top part of the T so bigger mice can get in.

just a thought

mark m

Good thought. I use 1-1/2" PVC as that is the smallest diameter that will contain the bait blocks. I used the 1-1/2 for all legs as it was easiest. I use the bait blocks so the hoarders cannot carry away all the bait.

I did find this website today Rodent Control in Livestock Facilities
that somewhat shows my feeder. Although that one appears to be for pellet bait. A google search for mouse hole diameter turns up lots of hits. Did you know that "mouse hole" is an oil field term?

 

[jinman]

Did you know that "mouse hole" is an oil field term?

No, but I've "rat-holed" a lot of stuff in my life.

 

[kossetx]

I read a while back what billbill1 wrote about mice.

midlf, Quite the contraption you have there. I won't use pellets because the mice just take and store them. I use the stick bait blocks with the hole through it, wired to an old food serving tray. The mice can't haul it away and the tray catches all their dropping while they eat. I keep one in the pump house and one in the garage. You can also wire one in your tractor or vehicle if you have problems their. It has worked well for me, but I'm not worried about chipmunks either. We don't have them here.

 

[midlf]

I ended up putting caps on the ends of the T. I drilled a 5/8" hole in the cap. Hopefully it will keep out everything but the mice. About the only way to know for sure is to live trap some chipmunks and see what size hole they can escape through.