I’m watching a movie last night, and I see something out of the corner of my eye. I turn to look, and there’s a chipmunk sitting on my living room floor. Yes, a chipmunk. I have no idea how he got in, or how long he’s been there. I grabbed him and tossed him out the door. He chomped on my thumb, the ungrateful beast.
Not a peep from my birds. You’d think they’d alert me to a small furry rodent running around, wouldn’t you?
Any guesses as to how he got in?
I thought you had some something very bad when I read the thread title. Glad to hear it was just a chipmunky intruder in your home. The question is, was it Chip, or Dale. Sorry, had to ask.
As to how he got in? I’d check for any openings around your foundation and inside your house inside cabinets and such. We had a full grown possum get into our house when I lived out in the country, he had chewed through a vent at the bottom of the house and then up through one of the cabinets that had a pipe going down through it. Scary thought that was. But it should be a simply easy fix if you can find where he got in. It might be a pretty small hole though, I would think chipmunks could fit through a pretty tiny opening.
I bet Jac or Gus left it open as they were sewing your dress.
Birds and chipmunks? What a cool castl… err… house.
Did you know rabies can present in one of two ways? Furious and paralytic. Each with contrasting symptoms like agitation or apathy. Hyperventilation or depression. I say, who isn’t agitated or apathetic during some part of their day?
This wasn’t Chip or Dale; they are sweet…this was Chomper McTeethy.
Actually I live in an apartment, not a house. You might think he came from another apartment through the walls, but I put stuff down to prevent roaches and I’ve never seen an opening. The only place I haven’t looked is behind the refrigerator.
My coworkers are now telling me I’ll turn into a chipmunk on the next full moon.
How did you grab a chipmunk? The ones I’ve seen have been fast little devils (and the cat and I once chased one around the house.) Was this one sick or disoriented?
You beat me to it. There is no way in hell you can just reach down and grab yourself a chipmunk. It’s just not possible. If that is indeed what happened and you didn’t leave out part of the story, that chipmunk was sick. That combined with the statement from Richard Parker about rabies presenting itself in a paralytic way makes me think you should get yourself to a doctor.
:eek: I was so happily thinking that it might be nice to live in a place with chipmunks until I got to the mentions of rabies. Oh well, I’ll remain here then.
Yeah, I agree that it would be a good idea to go to a doc. Even though it is highly unlikely to get rabies from a chipmunk, it seems better to err on the side of caution since rabies is so very deadly after symptoms become apparent.
From the wiki article on chipmunks:
“While rabies is exceptionally rare (if not non-existent) in rodents, chipmunk bites can transmit virulent and dangerous bacterial infections.”
However, I also found this reference:
“According to the October 1999 issue of the Probe, newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association p. 5., a twelve year old girl in Ohio was bitten by a chipmunk that tested positive for the raccoon strain of rabies in April of 1999.”
So, yeah, go to the doctor.
Although you should talk to a doctor if the bite broke the skin, don’t panic. Rodents don’t readily transmit rabies and usually when a rodent gets bitten by a rabid animal it’s usually the end for the little guy. Again, talk to a doctor first.
I would recommend that you ask your neighbors if there’s any chance that they had a hand-raised chipmunk, just in case that’s how the little guy managed to get into your apartment. It would also explain why you could handle him.
How about Mac or Tosh?
I’d be willing to bet this guy had something to do with it…
Yeah, I’d like to know how you managed to grab a chipmunk too.
Years ago I worked as a painter over a summer with a couple of guys from Ireland. We were walking up a customer’s driveway one day when a chipmunk darted across it. One of them pointed and said ‘Wow, whats that?’ I said it was a chipmunk. Both of them looked at me like I was stupid. After a second, the other one said ‘Ken, chipmunks are cartoons.’ It took me a week and another sighting to convince them that they were real.
This sounds ridiculous but put some non oderous powder (I’ve seen people use tooth paste but that can get messy) around the edges of the room you were in. Its hard to FIND the holes. But you’ll see powder tracks if the little bugger gets in again.
Wiki says one thing, the CDC.gov website says:
There has been nothing about rabies in my area, but I’ll give my doctor a ring anyway.
As for catching him, he was already near a corner. I just corralled him in and grabbed. I used to catch lizards as a kid…I’m pretty quick, although not enough to avoid a bite. He wasn’t slow, just didn’t know where to turn when he saw the wall…
Count Blucher, now, that is evil!
Man, I just GOTTA meet you one day! You sound too cool!
Rabies is nothing to take chances with. Once symptoms appear, it’s too late. I always keep up on my rabies vaccine over here, especially since being bitten by one of our mangy soi dogs a few years back. People don’t think about it too much in the US, but you definitely need to check with a doctor.
What movie were you watching?
**The Good German. ** Sadly, not Alvin & the Chipmunks as it was suggested to me today.
Maybe you already have…you just didn’t see me, I was so quick!