What should I do about the lame chipmunk in my garage?

August 9, 2006 4:04 PM

A chipmunk with two broken legs is living in our garage. It drags itself in and out under the door. Should I intervene or let nature take its course?

We've been leaving acorns for it.

posted by Gull City to Pets & Animals (21 answers total)

How long has this been going on?
posted by thebrokedown at 4:07 PM on August 9, 2006

Contact your local wildlife rescue and see what they recommend. They might be able to give the poor chippy medical attention.
posted by brain cloud at 4:11 PM on August 9, 2006

Call your local animal rescue people and see if they'll do anything for you. I once found an injured pigeon in my driveway and after watching it try to drag itself to shelter with its wings and give up, my heart broke and I called the Animal Rescue League. They sent someone out to get it and were nice enough not to laugh at me for caring about what happened to a pigeon. They took it away, and made it clear that they'd likely be able to do nothing to help it except euthanize it, but that seemed a better death to me than being eaten by lord-only-knows-what in my back yard.

So even if they can't do anything for your chipmunk except kill it, it's going to die anyway and this will be a kinder death.
posted by jesourie at 4:25 PM on August 9, 2006

Not trying to be a hard-ass... at all.

But your local animal-welfare organization is probably underfunded as is, without having to making a service call to advise on injured-beyond-repair wildlife.

Don't call them, and let them use that money to spay a cat or whatever.
posted by cadastral at 4:34 PM on August 9, 2006

If you honestly think that it's a goner, you might as well give it a quick and painless death. Put it in a bucket and put the bucket under car exhaust. This kills mice in about 5 seconds of gasping.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 4:40 PM on August 9, 2006

Best answer: Call your local animal welfare organisation, and give them a donation as well. You don't need a chipmunk on your conscience.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:59 PM on August 9, 2006

Second obiwan's suggestion: call the appropriate agency, then write them a check.
posted by rossination at 5:05 PM on August 9, 2006

Use the acorns to trap it in a box or dog crate and take it to the shelter or PAWS yourself. I did this a couple weeks ago with a baby bird who fell out of the nest and couldn't fly and would have been kitty food within hours. They said they'd nurse it back to health for a few weeks and then release it in the same neighborhood I found it. This is what those organizations are for. And good for you for caring.
posted by vito90 at 5:12 PM on August 9, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks all. Looks like it's worth making a call, if just to get advice.
BTW, I also found a large battered feather on my driveway this morning. The kids think the chipmunk was injured in a heroic struggle with the neighborhood hawk.
posted by Gull City at 5:14 PM on August 9, 2006

It sounds like you will, but just to reiterate - please call animal control or the equivalent agency where you are first, before taking him anywhere. Most shelters are only set up to handle dogs and cats, and would refer you elsewhere anyway. Might as well save yourself the drive around town by calling first.

If you really want to save this critter, and animal control or a shelter isn't offering much except euthanasia, ask for the name of a local licensed wildlife rehab facility (or individual), or look for one online.

Good luck. I would probably attempt to do something too, so I understand your concern.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 5:22 PM on August 9, 2006

With animals I'd say it's best to let nature take it's course, unless it's particularly impeding you in some way. It's ethically clean, natural, and if you worried about every living thing on your property your wallet, spare time, and sanity could collapse fast.
posted by wackybrit at 5:31 PM on August 9, 2006

The circle of life, and whatnot.

Would it look cute with wee casts on it's legs?

Also, vis-à-vis Alvin and the Chipmunks, you should seriously consider extermination, or at least somesort of War crimes trial.
posted by oxford blue at 5:41 PM on August 9, 2006

For those of you who told Gull to kill the poor animal, remember that he has been feeding it for a while and watching it limp around, and has probably developed some sort of feelings for it attachment for it or something. Gull, I can understand if you would not feel comfortable euthanizing it yourself.
posted by radioamy at 6:02 PM on August 9, 2006

I went looking for a book reference... 'Caring for the wild, furred and feathered', but could not find it. It has some techniques for taking care of injured wildlife. If you can find it, it's a good reference to have. I have a copy in storage, and am unable to give you the ISBN. I may have the title wrong, but you get the idea.

In many places, it patently illegal to hold wild animals of any sort captive... I guess the idea is to protect unsuspecting humans from the plethora of infectious diseases out there that affect critters. Chipmonks bite, BTW.

Your kind heart shows, and like you, I hate the thought of an innocent in pain, but the lives of prey animals (like chippies) are short, uncertain and did I mention short?

As hard as it is to know that the critter is in pain, he has no concept of anything but the instant, and will just continue to do what he does until something snuffs out his existence... It goes on around you all the time, sadly.

My usual practice is to take them to a willing vet, who usually euthanizes them and charges me a small amount. It's good to call around and find one for future use. There are also lots of local volunteers that deal with orphan critters. Call your local Audubon society and find out who cares for the kazillion orphaned birds that show up every spring and I'll bet they can direct you to someone who will help, and who will mightily and deservedly appreciate a nice donation when you hand over the critter.

Good luck.
posted by FauxScot at 6:07 PM on August 9, 2006

Oh, damn. The scrappy little fella fought off a hawk, and has the perseverance to drag himself around. with two broken legs trailing behind? The little guy's a tough one, the little chipmunk that could. Take him to the vet and get him splinted up. He's earned it.
posted by orthogonality at 6:47 PM on August 9, 2006 [4 favorites]

Ditto on the wildlife rehab. And please update us as to whether anyone took Chippy in.
posted by Joh at 7:23 PM on August 9, 2006

I couldn't agree with orthogonality more.

He's a superchipmunkish little tyke in need. Trying to do something for him isn't stupid, it's compassionate, and good for you for trying.

Even just providing him with a safe source of food, water, and shelter would be kind and thoughtful, and give him a fair shot at recovery on his own. If you have an animal rescue place in your area that will help the little guy, even better.
posted by The Monkey at 9:31 PM on August 9, 2006 [1 favorite]

Help him.

A few years ago I found an injured wood pigeon in my yard. I tried to catch it but couldn't, and was on a deadline to get to work, so I had to leave it, saddened that it would probably be killed by one of my cats during the day.

When I got home 10 hours later, it was still in the yard, and I was able to catch it. I contacted the vet and they gave me the number of a local 'bird woman' who took care of injured wild birds. It was treated and later released.

Your chipmunk sounds like a tough little fella. Give him a chance.
posted by essexjan at 1:33 AM on August 10, 2006

If it's dragging both of its back legs around, unfortunately it's probably broken its back, not both legs, and is partially paralyzed.
posted by penchant at 6:56 AM on August 10, 2006

Response by poster: I'm sorry to say that our heroic chipmunk didn't last the night. Nature got there first. Thanks for your kind wishes. Will perhaps make that donation anyway...
posted by Gull City at 11:09 AM on August 10, 2006

My experience with wildlife rehabilitation groups has been they will euthanize animals with debilitating injuries, and they will insist on a "donation;" if I had known before I took the Grackle with the broken wing there, I would have kept it and cared for it myself. Sure, it's against the law, so what. And they argued, "The Grackle would have suffered in captivity," which, you know, if the bird could answer the question "Free food, water and shelter for as long as you live, or lethal injection?" I personally think it would have chosen the former--
posted by revonrut at 10:21 PM on August 10, 2006