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Small Cabin Forum / Nature / Chipmunks Chewing Wood???
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spencerin
Member
# Posted: 27 Aug 2012 19:57 - Edited by: spencerin
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I bought my white pine cabin a few months ago. I didn't realize it at the time (because the wood was only stained), but I came to later realize that some animal was either chewing the wood or the builder purposely filed down parts of the wood to make the cabin look more rustic. The damage was strictly found on the wood corners underhanging the roof (i.e. not at ground level or anywhere else), but the damage was pretty extensive cosmetically on some corners. I've since painted the cabin, and I've had some chew marks continue where they originally were.....but they are pretty shallow, like just barely enough to take the paint off, and sometimes just like little pock marks, not to the extent of what they were.

When I was last there, I happened to hear what sounded like a chipmunk chirping at me from the inside of the low edge of an overhang (like he was chirping at me to stay away!). I lightly banged at the end of the roof with a stick I could hear the animal scurrying around inside the roof. I have a tin corrugated roof, and the entrance right there is maybe 1" by 2", no more.....I could barely stick two fingers in the gap.

So, I doubt a squirrel could fit in there, and squirrels don't chirp..... definitely sounded like a chipmunk to me. Chipmunks are rodents and need to file their teeth down sometimes, and I can see a chipmunk chewing on my cabin to do that. But, I don't know chipmunks to be climbers and to hang upside down to chew. But, nature has a way of doing its own thing. Can anybody tell me if this sounds like a chipmunk?

groingo
Member
# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 11:07
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First it could be a Chipmunk or Squirrel and most importantly you need to be sure you have any and all gaps screened to keep the little buggers from getting in period, they can be very destructive, but keep in mind it is not their fault, you have provided the opportunity for them.

TheCabinCalls
Member
# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 22:38
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Neighbor had those little red squirrels. They love those areas.

Also bats would love that area too. Groingo has good advice!

Spudmasher1
Member
# Posted: 29 Aug 2012 04:10
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Don't under estimate the ability of a chipmunk or ground squirrel to get in through a very small hole. If they can get their mouth in it they will make it big enough to get in. Make sure they don't have reason to get in like food on a shelf or crumbs on the floor. And yes if they get in they will make a mess of things.

While living in a cabin in Colorado one summer I had a hole about twice the size of a quarter and that was their front door. Chipmunks chewed socks, ate pages of magazine, chewed pictures and love the toilet paper. I once entered the cabin to surprise one, we both ran for our doors to get out. I did fill the hole with steel wool and it kept them out for the weeks I had left to stay.

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