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Hand Feeding a Chipmunk

Hand feeding takes a bit of patience, but is not as difficult as it seems. To get this little fellow to eat from my hand I first put a small pile of sunflower seeds on the steps and waited for the chipmunks to find them. Once this one had found them I sat on the steps with the small pile of seeds next to me. Soon the chipmunk came back for more seeds. I sat very quietly as he worked up his nerve to come for some seeds with me sitting there. After a minute or so he did. I let him come for seeds about three times, then while he was gone with a load, I scraped up all of the seeds and placed them in the palm of my hand. I rested my hand on the step and waited. When the chipmunk returned he hesitated,then he began picking up a few of the seeds that had fallen from my hand. After he couldn't find anymore he moved closer to my hand. I hardly breathed. Finally he took a seed from my hand, then another. Then he put his paws on my fingers and began filling his cheeks. When he left to take that load back to his burrow, I put more seeds in my hand. After that it was just a matter of being still when he returned. After a few trips he hardly hesitated to come to my hand, but he would leave at the slightest movement. I'm sure with a bit more patience he will get very comfortable coming to me for seeds. (My wife took the photos)
Roger Mayhorn
Being very Still
Being very Still
Chipmunk Getting Bolder
Chipmunk Getting Bolder
Filling His Cheek Pouches
Filling His Cheek Pouches