No type of chipmunk is native to the British isles. But Siberian chipmunks have been in the news this week because as well as being popular pets indoors ...
... they are frequently being found outdoors, where they most definitely should not be, either having escaped or having been thrown out by idiotic owners who take them on then don't feel able to continue caring for these tiny critters...
It is illegal to release any non-native species into the wild in the UK.
Britain is on full-alert after a "plague" of feral chipmunks was "discovered" around Paris. The stripey "vermin" are said to be heading to British shores (and the Channel Tunnel) at a pinging pace...
The feral chipmunk plague is causing great concern because these animals can carry Lyme disease and it is feared chipmunks from France could even be carrying RABIES! Lyme disease, incidentally, was not endemic on these islands till very recently ...
Smaller than squirrels, chipmunks are VERY agile, VERY fast... (so almost impossible to recapture from the wild and not at all easy to cull)... and (fascinating to me) have cheek-pouches just like hamsters!
They breed like rabbits...
... and of course the furry babies are really cute ...
Siberian chipmunks how-to taming/looking after site ...
Come and see this gaggle of baby roborovskis ...
What cute little critturs. But I'd love to wring the necks of the irresponsible owners who just let them go into the wild blue yonder. We have that problem here with feral cats. They cause havoc amongst the native wildlife...especially koalas and possums...all because their idiot owners can't be bothered with them anymore. Grrrr!
ReplyDeleteDid you know idiot westerners actually DELIBERATELY imported crows to the south sea islands... where they have caused equal furore amongst the technicoloured local plumage out there... it all begs the question why why WHY??!?
ReplyDeleteGattina that is a very good point. I wish I had bourne that in mind before. It might have made me a little less chipmunkaphobic!
ReplyDeletei LOVE furry fridays and that pic of the baby in the hand is just too much for me!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteps have u ever done raccoons for furry fridays??? if not do it please i LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE raccoons, did u see the pics i posted of the raccoon ted i took care of for a few weeks on my blog? if not ill send u the link its adorable.
ttyl gleds
We have chipmunks here and I have a few living under the house. I like them, they are so sweet. They plant trees and sunflowers all around, busy little guys.
ReplyDeleteHi Gleds ~~ I also like the little
ReplyDeleteSiberian chipmonks. Pretty colours.
Hope you are keeping well.
Thanks for the comments about my
beautiful family. Of course I
agree with you. Take care, my friend. With best wishes, Merle.
Are these the chipmunks that have been attacking people?
ReplyDeleteThe baby pic was especially cute, and I feel the same way as Puss-n-boots about the irresponsible persons who release non-native species into the wild. It happens all the time here too. Gaters in the lake or pacu in the creeks.
ReplyDeleteJanice~
Sweden: no and OK then
ReplyDeleteCatvibe: what you mean? they bury seeds like squirrels and forget where they all are??
Merle: ;->...
Akelamalu: allegedly so! or that "could" attack people being as in the wild they carry Lyme disease. But not in captivity
Janice: terrible stuff!
God, those babies are adorable!
ReplyDeleteHope you are ship shape and all well, Gleddy.
Much love,
SB
Hi Gleds ... sometimes I can't help but think it's humans who ought to be inside cages ;)
ReplyDeleteAnytime a country permits it's citizens to import and keep animals that are clearly wild for pets ...you're going to run into such issues. Chipmunks are wild animals and are viewed as such in Canada.We have a burrow in our back enclosure and the pleasure of watching and on the odd occasion feeding these tiny creatures. Very cute but not to be domesticated. They gather nuts,maple keys,sunflower seeds and I'm sure lose the odd seed which is replanted.Much nicer than squirrels..
ReplyDeleteIf you don't want these issues... pass a law banning importing foreign animal species.