Chipmunks

[skinpath]

I’ve seen chipmunks running around the pool area and it looks like they’ve dug some holes in the dirt at the edge of the concrete on one side of the pool.
I don’t find them to be too bothersome, but I’m worried about the possibility that they will damage the pool. Is this likely?

 

[pookiesunshine]

dont know about pool damage but you are likely to find at least one at the bottom of your pool. at our place, they dont seem to learn.

 

[John85]

I rescued one out of my skimmer, no more since then (found a few dead mice in one, 1 each on different mornings) early in the season though. Don't know about damage, I don't think they burrow deep/long enough to really cause any problems.

 

[skinpath]

Even though I see them scurrying around all the time, none has ended up in the pool yet.

I've had a couple rats, something that was either a shrew or a mole, and a frog. But no chipmunks....yet.

 

[wkussmaul]

Hi,
We have lots of Eastern chipmunks in Pennsylvania (well of course, what other kind would we have?!)
They burrow but do not do any damage, so far.
I hate drowning them so we bought a couple of Frog Logs. Put one next to each skimmer, haven't lost a critter since then.

 

[CJadamec]

Over time with a large enough population chipmunk tunnels can get large enough to do damage. They essentially can excavate enough soil under foundations and sidewalks to cause settling issues. I wouldn't panic at the site of one or two chipmunk tunnels near the pool I also wouldn't encourage them to stick around either.

 

[skinpath]

Since I originally posted, a couple of them have managed to find their way into the chipmunk afterlife via the pool.

Maybe they couldn't live with the idea that I will be closing the pool soon, or maybe they had a falling out with the local chipmunk gang.

In any case - maybe it will work as a form of population control. If not, does anyone have a recommendation for how to ward them off / eliminate them?

 

[CJadamec]

I accidentally found out that large mouse traps baited with tomatoes from the garden is effective at eliminating chipmunks.