by James Johnson

Created on: July 10, 2009   Last Updated: July 12, 2009

Do chipmunks make good pets? Can you tame a squirrel? Can one keep rats or mice as pets? All of these questions are related because a chipmunk is just a ground dwelling squirrel with a striped face, and a squirrel is basically a bushy-tailed rodent that lives in trees! If you can keep squirrels, rats, and mice as pets you can keep chipmunks and chipmunks are very cute little creatures.

It should be noted that there are actually 25 species of chipmunks and all except one are native to North America and that one is from Asia. They all are omnivorous, small, live on the ground, and have striped faces. They do squeak and squeal, but not much (don't sing as well as Alvin and his group)!

Chipmunks, like most rodents, are very intelligent and can be trained to run mazes, beg for food, or ride in your pocket, as well as a whole host of other things. They are also small, meaning that they do not require much space and therefore fit well in crowded homes. Chipmunks are also much cuter than most rats, and more sociably acceptable. If one escapes in a city, there isn't much danger of it getting confused with normal vermin and thus killed, so chipmunks can make nice pets.

As previously mentioned, there are numerous types of chipmunks and they come in a variety of colors. So, just like with a cat or dog, your pet will have distinctive patterns and you can get one that is not native to your region. This is important as if it wanders off you want to make sure it will not be confused with wild animals and will thus be easier to locate, a good thing for any pet.

And chipmunks, because they are omnivorous will eat a wide range of foods, so make an easy-to-feed pet. Hard dog or cat food is your best choice as it will supply most of the nutrients your pet needs, but rabbit pellets also work well and you will need to give it hard nuts in the shell. Chipmunks are rodents and their front teeth constantly grow, so they need to chew. They will also like branches to gnaw, and if not provided will chew furniture, but then so do puppies. At least they don't climb on the furniture and scratch like kittens.

But chipmunks are a generally quiet animal and unobtrusive, while common in the wild most never even realize they are around. If this is what one wants in a pet, chipmunks will fit the bill. Of course if you want something big, noisy and showy, get a Saint Bernard, or if you have cats, the chipmunk isn't for you!

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