In this article, “8 Animals Like Chipmunks (With Pictures),” Wildlife Informer explores the fascinating world of chipmunks and highlights several other animals that share similar characteristics. Chipmunks, small rodents known for their striped backs and cheek pouches, are a part of the Sciuridae family in the Rodentia order. They are omnivorous, storing food for the winter and living in underground burrows. Alongside chipmunks, this article introduces animals like squirrels, marmots, prairie dogs, gophers, mice, rats, porcupines, and beavers, drawing attention to their similarities in behavior, appearance, diet, or habits. Regardless of the species, there are numerous creatures around the world that share common traits, making the animal kingdom diverse and intriguing.

8 Animals Like Chipmunks

Squirrels

Squirrels are like chipmunks in many ways. Both are members of the Sciuridae family and have several similarities. Squirrels also store food for the winter, are omnivorous, and have hairless, blind, defenseless young. There are over 280 species of squirrels, and some are more similar to chipmunks than others. Like chipmunks, squirrels are omnivorous and forage for nuts, seeds, insects, bird eggs, and more. They are known for their cheek pouches, where they store food to carry it back to their dens. During the fall, squirrels work hard to store food for the winter when food will be more scarce. While squirrels do not hibernate for the winter, chipmunks do. Both squirrels and chipmunks have tiny, hairless, blind babies with no way to defend themselves.

Marmots

Marmots, like chipmunks, are also members of the Sciuridae family. They are larger than chipmunks, but they share several similarities. Marmots dig burrows underground to live, hibernate, and breed, just like chipmunks. They have a similar omnivorous diet, which means they eat both plants and insects. Marmots, like chipmunks, have blind, hairless young that are much smaller than an adult marmot and are completely defenseless. However, there is a key difference between marmots and chipmunks when it comes to hibernation. Marmots are known as “true hibernators” and do not wake for almost 200 days during the winter, living off their fat stores.

Prairie Dogs

Prairie dogs are members of the Sciuridae family and have many similarities to chipmunks. They live in complex burrows underground and are considered omnivores, just like chipmunks. Prairie dogs primarily feed on grasses and plants but will also eat insects when available. One significant similarity between prairie dogs and chipmunks is that they go into a state of torpor during the winter. Torpor is not the same as true hibernation, but rather a state of reduced metabolic activity. During torpor, prairie dogs have lower body temperatures, metabolic rates, and breathing rates but are still active and consume the food they stored for the winter. Prairie dogs also have hairless, blind young when they are born, similar to chipmunks.

Gophers

Gophers may not be members of the same family as chipmunks, but they are still rodents and share several similarities with chipmunks. Both gophers and chipmunks are members of the order Rodentia. Gophers live in burrows underground, similar to chipmunks and many other rodents. Some gopher species, like the pocket gopher, have large cheek pouches similar to chipmunks. They use these pouches to store food and carry it back to their burrows. Gophers also have hairless, pink young, just like chipmunks.

Mice

Mice are another type of rodent that share similarities with chipmunks. While they are not members of the same family as chipmunks, both mice and chipmunks belong to the Rodentia order. Mice are similar in size to chipmunks, as they are both small rodents. Like chipmunks, mice have sharp teeth for gnawing through food. These teeth are necessary for their survival, as they constantly grow and need to be worn down. Mice also have hairless, pink young when they are born, just like chipmunks.

Rats

Similar to mice, rats belong to the Rodentia order and have several similarities to chipmunks. Rats are larger than both mice and chipmunks but still share common characteristics. Like chipmunks, rats have sharp teeth for gnawing through food. They can be a nuisance when found inside houses because of their destructive teeth. Rat babies are also tiny, hairless, blind, and pink, like chipmunks and many other rodents.

Porcupines

Although porcupines may not seem similar to chipmunks at first glance, they do share some common characteristics. Both chipmunks and porcupines are members of the Rodentia order and have sharp teeth for gnawing. While chipmunks live in burrows, porcupines are known to live in complex burrows underground. Unlike chipmunks, porcupines are herbivores, meaning they primarily feed on plant material. Despite these differences, the fact that chipmunks and porcupines are both rodents with gnawing teeth and live in burrows makes them somewhat similar.

Beavers

Beavers are semi-aquatic rodents and are larger than chipmunks. They are also members of the Rodentia order and have long, sharp teeth for gnawing. While chipmunks primarily live in burrows on land, beavers are known for building dams and lodges in bodies of water. Beavers do not hibernate like chipmunks, and they have a herbivorous diet. Despite these differences, both chipmunks and beavers share the common characteristics of being rodents with gnawing teeth.

Conclusion

Chipmunks may be small, striped members of the Sciuridae family, but they share many similarities with other animals. They are omnivorous, forage for food, and store food for the winter. Chipmunks spend the winter in a state of torpor, and they have close relatives such as squirrels, marmots, and prairie dogs. Chipmunks also share similarities with mice, rats, gophers, and porcupines. While these animals may not be exact replicas of chipmunks, they have comparable behaviors, appearances, diets, or habits. It’s fascinating to explore the diversity of animals around the world and discover these similarities among them.