How do chipmunks reproduce?

Answer 1

Male chipmunks are the first to emerge in the spring, as soon as patches of bare ground begin to appear through the snow. The females emerge one or two weeks later. Soon after, mating takes place near the female's burrow. Several males may compete for a female, and a male may mate with more than one female during one breeding season. In Canada, the main breeding season is from mid-April to mid-May.

The gestation, or pregnancy, period is about 30 days. When it is over, the female chipmunks rear their litters-usually four to six young-without any help from males. In Canada, in most years, chipmunks have only one breeding season and one litter, but in favourable years a small percentage of adult eastern chipmunks produces a second litter in the fall. In the southern United States, the production of two litters per year by both eastern and western chipmunks is not uncommon.

Young chipmunks are born naked and blind and weigh about 3 g at birth, with some variation by species.In the eastern chipmunk, hair does not become visible to the unaided eye until about 10 days of age, the ears are closed until around the 28th day, and the eyes open at 31 to 33 days of age.

When they are four to seven weeks old, the young chipmunks begin to leave the burrow to forage. At first they are unafraid, but after a few days above ground they are more wary and escape quickly if disturbed. The young grow rapidly during the late summer and reach adult size before the end of September. Most breed in their first spring, but some may wait until their second year.

Answer 2

Male chipmunks are the first to emerge in the spring, as soon as patches of bare ground begin to appear through the snow. The females emerge one or two weeks later. Soon after, mating takes place near the female's burrow. Several males may compete for a female, and a male may mate with more than one female during one breeding season. In Canada, the main breeding season is from mid-April to mid-May.

The gestation, or pregnancy, period is about 30 days. When it is over, the female chipmunks rear their litters-usually four to six young-without any help from males. In Canada, in most years, chipmunks have only one breeding season and one litter, but in favourable years a small percentage of adult eastern chipmunks produces a second litter in the fall. In the southern United States, the production of two litters per year by both eastern and western chipmunks is not uncommon.

Young chipmunks are born naked and blind and weigh about 3 g at birth, with some variation by species.In the eastern chipmunk, hair does not become visible to the unaided eye until about 10 days of age, the ears are closed until around the 28th day, and the eyes open at 31 to 33 days of age.

When they are four to seven weeks old, the young chipmunks begin to leave the burrow to forage. At first they are unafraid, but after a few days above ground they are more wary and escape quickly if disturbed. The young grow rapidly during the late summer and reach adult size before the end of September. Most breed in their first spring, but some may wait until their second year.

Answer 3

Chipmunks reproduce through mating in the spring and summer months. Mating occurs when a male attracts a female using vocalizations and scent markings. After mating, the female will give birth to a litter of 4-5 babies after a gestation period of about 31 days.