Care & Health of Chipmunks

Caring for a chipmunk doesn’t require too much effort. However, there are a few basic things to keep in mind.

Since most chipmunks use toilet corners, cleaning them once a week is sufficient. This way the entire litter does not have to be changed. Some Burunduks also set up proper outhouses. If you have such an animal, you can fill the toilet with sand or litter, which is then changed once a week. It is important that the house is protected against the ingress of urine by varnish (only use non-toxic clear varnish). You can also use the same paint to treat seat boards and other furnishings, making them easy to clean.

Basic cleaning of the cage

Since the rest of the enclosure is not very dirty after the toilet corner has been cleaned, it is sufficient to completely clean the entire enclosure every four weeks. Here the litter is replaced, with a small amount of old litter always remaining in the enclosure to maintain the usual smell. Otherwise, you should wipe down all furnishings thoroughly. To do this, it is best to use warm water without the addition of cleaning agents, as these can be toxic or at least harmful to health. You should refrain from disinfecting the enclosure unless there is a good reason (e.g. a bacterial infection in your protégé). In general, it is of no use, on the contrary, excessive use of disinfectant can lead to resistance to germs, which can ultimately cause serious problems. It is advisable to change a large part of the climbing branches every 6 months, but of course, this can also be done earlier if necessary.