When, and how, is it safe to relocate a burrow of chipmunks without harming the young?

Question

One of my neighbors is terribly concerned that her resident chipmunks will harm her flower beds. They dig holes, and she finds the holes unsightly. She wants to trap them and relocate them.

Trapping a chipmunk is pretty easy -- I have trapped several that got into the house -- but you can do it only one chipmunk at a time. Moreover, I looked up some chipmunk facts, and I am not sure the young are capable of making it on their own, or whether they need a few more weeks or another month.

I live in northern Virginia, near DC. I have several chipmunks scurrying around, and they look adult, but I'm no chipmunk expert. I just know they are a joy to watch, and I don't want my neighbor's prematurely thrown out to fend for themselves.

When can the chipmunks be safely relocated?

(Not a valid part of this question, but does anyone understand why people move to a woodsy region if they see animals as pests to be displaced?)

Answer 1

It looks like they leave the burrow fairly quickly after you see them out and about so that shouldn't be a problem.

Eastern chipmunks mate in early spring and again in early summer, producing litters of four or five young twice each year.[11] Western chipmunks breed only once a year. The young emerge from the burrow after about six weeks and strike out on their own within the next two weeks.

Source

It also looks like people often complain about chipmunks eating their flowers and digging holes in flower beds.

It looks like trapping and relocating plus a spray of garlic and hot pepper water is supposed to be effective at keeping them out.

Also see,

• Chipmunks in the Garden
• Chipmunk Repellent Natural Recipes and Analysis
• How to Deter Chipmunks From Eating Flowers
• How To Keep Chipmunks Out Of Your Garden Naturally