How to Catch a Chipmunk with a Milk Jug?

How much we love the tiny eared rodents! Yes, we are talking about the chipmunks. But be aware if they are in your yard. The reason behind your favorite fruit disappearing from the garden might be a work of a chipmunk.

So, what are you going to do about these little mammals? Have to tough of any idea? Because we have an excellent DIY idea on how to catch a chipmunk with a milk jug! You are right, a milk-jug. Doesn’t it sound fun?

Steps to Catch Chipmunks with Milk Jug

If you are fond of the homemade traps for the chipmunks destroying your garden, a milk-jug trap can be incredible. But in that case, you have to be a pro with your hands. No worries, we have studied the tips and tricks- here you go!

Step 1: Get the Milk Jug

Getting the jug is the first step of knowing how to catch a chipmunk with a milk jug. This milk-jug trick is also known as a water-jug trick for the chipmunk. Well, not only for the chipmunks, this trick almost works for all the rodents that are disturbing you!

The water-jug trick is a common name because when it comes to filling the jug, we fill it with water! But the reason we call it a milk-jug trick is because the water-filled jug you are using used to be a milk jug. We know you’re confused- let’s figure it out!

First of all, get your hands on a regular milk jug. While picking up the jug, make sure it’s not much transparent. You know chipmunks live in holes, so, they will prefer to get it if they think the bottle to be a hole!

However, don’t settle for something that’s too transparent. You have to keep your eyes on the jug from away. It shouldn’t be too dark that you cannot see what’s going to!

Step 2: Add Water

So, you have got the jug already. It’s time to prepare the jug for the job. Once the milk jug is on your hands add some water there. Fill it up will normal water.

After you have filled it up, move to the next step. If you don’t have a regular milk jug, you can simply get your hands on a jug that has a narrow mouth. Keep milk in the jug for a while and congrats- it’s become your new milk jug for trapping the chipmunk!

And as a substitute for this method, you can take a look at how to get rid of chipmunks bucket method. That works as amazing as this one!

Step 3: Search for the Hole

The jug is ready for doing its part. It’s time to go for your part. In this step, you have to search for the holes of chipmunks. You can simply place your milk jug anywhere and expect the chipmunk to come for it! So first, you have to find the hole it lives in.

We are sure you’re tired of them as they are destroying your well-kept garden. Make sure you get your eyes on how to keep chipmunks out of flower pots if you want to safeguard the garden. And proceed with catching them by finding the hole!

Go to the lawn and search for the hole. You might need to observe it for a while because finding a chipmunk hole isn’t easy. You can plan on setting cameras or you can check it with your bare eyes.

They will surely get out for food. And this is when you will know where the hole is! Once you find a hole, you have to jump to the next step.

Step 4: Position the Milk Jug

All observing for the hole is done, my friend. It’s time to position the milk jug! Once the chipmunk goes back inside the hole, you have to go near the hole. Now, take your milk jug right to the mouth of the chipmunk hole.

Now, read carefully because the positioning of the milk jug is where the trick lies. The idea of using a milk jug for trapping the chipmunk comes from making the jug an extension of the chipmunk hole. To do this, take the milk jug to the mouth of the hole.

And then, you have to turn it upside down. But there is water in the jug, how can you turn it upside down? Here, the tip is to keep the cork closed when you switch the jug to an upside-down position.

Once you are done positioning it at the mouth of the hole, you have to take off the cork of the jug. And release the water. Certify once again that the mouth of the chipmunk hole is through the mouth of the milk jug.

Step 5: The Process

You have done your part, it’s time to rest! As the bottle or the jug is set at the mouth of the hole, you are ready. But in this case, you have to wait for a good amount of time. You cannot expect it to work fast as this is just a DIY trap for the rodent.

When you place the jug there, the water of the jug will flow through the hole of the rodent. Once the water reaches its burrow, it will be wet. Yes, they love to eat seeds and veggies but what we commonly don’t know is they love milk too!

The minute their burrow is flooded with the smell of milk, they will come out of their holes. This trick might work because they love milk. Or it might also work because they don’t like a wet burrow. Whatever the reason is, this method surely works!

Just when it gets out of the hole running without thinking twice about what’s going to happen, they will run into the milk jug you have set as a trap. Just like this method, the cayenne pepper method is also one raved-about technique for getting rid of these rodents. Can cayenne pepper deter chipmunks– check out if it’s possible or not! 

Step 6: Trap it

When you will position the milk jug upside down, you have to wait there holding the jug. If you are not holding the jug, there’s a chance that the rodent will skip. So, make sure you keep holding the jug. Also, ensure that you have the cork in your other hand ready.

Right when you will see the chipmunk getting out of the hole reaching the milk jug through the mouth of the jug, you have to switch the jug’s position.

Move it swiftly to a straight position and close the entrance of the jug with the cork. Make sure you are quick with your hands otherwise the rodent will flee.

Step 7: Disposing of the Mammal

Hooray, you have sealed the cute thing in your jug. There’s no way it is running away! However, catching it should be followed by disposing of the rodent. We all know that if we wanted to kill the chipmunk, we wouldn’t have done so much work!

Our intention here is not to kill it and instead, to catch it and dispose of it appropriately. However, if you feel like you should kill it and your state doesn’t have any law against killing it, you can do so!

But most of the states these days have laws against killing chipmunks, groundhogs, and other such animals. Make sure you take a look at the law before you take any step. Anyway, getting back to disposal, we must tell you that there are laws on where you can dispose of the chipmunks and where not.

Whatever the place of disposal is, make sure the chipmunk isn’t nearer than 10 miles from your property. And there, no more sealing! Get rid of the cork and let the chipmunk free!

Note: For the animal lovers, let’s tell you chipmunks are not usually domesticated- forget that idea to keep them! Also, if you want to carry it away, make sure you cover the jug with a darker cloth. Otherwise, it will be afraid of moving.

Wrap Up

Chipmunks are just like other rodents, they don’t even know they are hurting your property. So, it’ll just be unfair if you hurt them. Trapping them with larger traps is the best way we agree. But if you don’t want to invest so much, this milk-jug DIY trick and do the job for one or two rodents in your yard!