Stay Chipper and Hit the Ground Running

Chipmunks are small striped rodents of the same family as squirrels.  They are native to North America and the Siberian chipmunk is found in Asia. Chipmunks have stripes on the head, back and tail.

Chipmunks are fun to watch, but they don’t usually want to be picked up or cuddled.  Wild chipmunks want to stay away from humans.  Because of their tiny size, they are afraid of almost anything. 

Chipmunks are rarely aggressive and will often run away from most threats.  When cornered or handled, they may scratch or bite to defend themselves. Swelling, redness, oozing, and fever are symptoms of an infection. Chipmunks rarely carry rabies, but it is still a possibility.  Tetanus is another rare outcome from a chipmunk bite. This is preventable through vaccination. 

Chipmunks love nuts, berries, seeds, and fruits.  They like food that’s easy to find.  If chipmunks are prevalent around your home, it is probably because they found a reliable food source.  Chipmunks love exploiting pet food, bird feeders, feed bags, or garbage.

Chipmunks can be a pest because they cause damage due to their burrowing activities.  They may injure ornamental plants when they harvest fruits and nuts. Sometimes they dig up and eat spring flowering bulbs and burrow in flower beds or under sidewalks and porches. Chipmunks can also carry fleas to and from your yard.

Chipmunks help disperse the seeds of the plants and fungi that they feed on. Their burrowing may also help aerate and recycle the soil.  

Chipmunks burrows can be quite large.  The main tunnel can extend two to three feet deep under the ground and can reach 20 to 30 feet in length. Chipmunks gather and store food in their underground burrows throughout the late summer and fall to tide them over the winter.  Chipmunks hibernate during the winter. 

Real chipmunks don’t sing.  They do however make shrill chirping sounds when sensing a threat.  Chipmunks are most active in the early morning and late afternoon.

These are the sayings found on the bookmark called Advice from a Chipmunk.

• Be playful

• Hit the ground running

• It’s OK to be a little cheeky

• Earn your stripes

• Plan ahead

• Be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

• Stay chipper!

Here are my comments about each of these sayings. 

• Be playful - Don’t take things too seriously and be someone who likes to have fun. 

• Hit the ground running - Get started and keep moving at a fast pace with enthusiasm.

• It’s OK to be a little cheeky - Be a little playful and amusing.

• Earn your stripes - Do something that shows you should be respected by the other people in your field. 

• Plan ahead - Identify your goals early. You can put measures into place and adjust them along the way to help you achieve your goals. 

• Be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed - This expression means to be enthusiastic, eager and happy.

• Stay chipper! - Stay alert and full of good vibes.  

Have a great day everyone.  Stay Chipper and Hit the Ground Running. 

# living life abundantly  # published author  # travelling tuesdays