Siberian chipmunk cage: aviary size, mesh and safety
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · reference guide rewritten with every source checked
The right cage for a Siberian chipmunk (also sold as the Korean chipmunk) is really an aviary of at least 100 × 100 cm of floor space and 180 cm in height, built from fine-mesh metal wire, with a deep digging floor, several nest boxes and a latch it cannot force. A standard rodent cage, however wide, will not do: this chipmunk climbs, leaps and is forever looking for a way out. And in the European Union, a secure aviary is not just about comfort: it is a legal condition for keeping the animal.
Contents · 7 sections
Why an aviary rather than a cage: what the studies say
The Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus, also known as Eutamias sibiricus) lives between the ground, where it forages and digs, and the branches. A study by Zozzoli, Menchetti and Mori, published in 2018 in Behavioural Processes and carried out in 31 woods in northern and central Italy, found that a very dense understorey lowers its presence because it stops the animal searching for food on the ground and digging burrows. In an aviary this translates simply: it needs an open floor covered with deep substrate to dig in, not just shelves.
Individuals also differ. A study by Boyer and colleagues, published in 2010 in the Journal of Animal Ecology on a population introduced into a forest near Paris, measured consistent individual differences in activity and exploration among 73 chipmunks and showed that the most active ones use more space. So size the aviary for a very active animal, not an average one: the figures below are minimums.
Dimensions and equipment, item by item
| Item | Benchmark | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Floor area | 100 × 100 cm minimum | Foraging, running and ground caches |
| Height | 180 cm minimum | A climbing species: height matters more than width |
| Wire mesh | Metal, 1.5 cm mesh maximum | Plastic gets chewed, and chipmunks squeeze through small gaps |
| Floor substrate | 10 to 15 cm in a deep tray | Digging and hiding food stores |
| Nest boxes | Several, wooden, hay-lined, one placed high | Choice of refuge, sleep, storage |
| Platforms and branches | Solid platforms at several heights, untreated branches | Climbing and gnawing without wire underfoot |
| Room temperature | 15 to 22 °C, frost-free in winter | Respecting its winter slowdown |
| Access | Double door advised, secure latch | Preventing escapes every time you open it |
These figures are for one animal: our attribute database lists the species as solitary, and two chipmunks sharing an aviary usually end up fighting. For branches to install and replace, see our guide to enriching the aviary with branches; for nesting, avoid synthetic fibres, as explained in our article on why fluffy cotton bedding is dangerous for rodents.
Escape-proofing is a legal obligation
Since 2016 the Siberian chipmunk has been on the list of invasive alien species of Union concern, set by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1141. Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 then prohibits keeping, breeding, selling or releasing it. Its Article 31 provides a single exception for private owners: an animal kept before the listing may be kept until the end of its natural life, provided it is “kept in contained holding” and all appropriate measures are in place to ensure it cannot reproduce or escape.
This is not a theoretical risk. A survey by d’Ovidio and Pirrone, published in 2018 in Preventive Veterinary Medicine and covering 81 European squirrel owners, found that 25% of them kept an invasive species on the Union list (grey squirrel or Siberian chipmunk), almost always unneutered; the authors stress that escapes caused by improper keeping can reinforce feral populations or found new ones. Our article on why an escaped Siberian chipmunk is an ecological problem covers the consequences.
- Latch: a spring bolt or padlock, never a simple hook.
- Double door or airlock: close the first before opening the second.
- Meshed floor for an outdoor aviary: chipmunks dig.
- Time out only in a fully closed room, with windows and the chimney flue shut.
- Monthly inspection of welds, corners and door bottoms, where it gnaws first.
Indoors or outdoors?
Both work. Indoors, choose a calm, bright room with no direct sun or draughts, and set the aviary against a wall. Outdoors, you need mesh on all six sides, an insulated frost-free shelter, summer shade and protection from predators. In autumn and winter its activity drops markedly: do not wake it, and keep water available. The full species portrait, including temperament, diet and legal status, is on our Siberian chipmunk profile.
What we checked
- The DOI of each of the three studies was resolved on Crossref and its abstract re-read on PubMed.
- Articles 7 and 31 of Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 and the annex of Implementing Regulation 2016/1141, which lists Tamias sibiricus, were re-read in their official version published on EUR-Lex.
- Dimensions, mesh size, substrate depth and room temperature are the benchmarks from our species profile and attribute database; they are consensus minimums, not study results.
- We did not build or test an aviary for this update.
Frequently asked questions
What size cage does a Siberian chipmunk need?
An aviary of at least 100 × 100 cm of floor space and 180 cm in height for one animal, in metal wire with a mesh of 1.5 cm at most. Bigger is always better, especially in height.
Will a large rat or ferret cage do?
Rarely: they are usually lower than 180 cm, with bars too far apart or plastic parts. A metal bird aviary, fitted with solid platforms and a substrate tray, is a better starting point.
Can two Siberian chipmunks live together?
It is not advisable: the species is solitary and territorial. Breeding is also prohibited under Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014, which rules out a male-female pair.
Does the aviary need a wheel?
It is optional if the aviary allows climbing and leaping. If you add one, choose a solid running surface and a large diameter, with no spokes that could trap the tail.
Sources
- d’Ovidio, D., & Pirrone, F. (2018). A cross-sectional survey to evaluate the pet squirrel population and ownership profiles. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 159, 65-71. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.08.018
- Zozzoli, R., Menchetti, M., & Mori, E. (2018). Spatial behaviour of an overlooked alien squirrel: the case of Siberian chipmunks Eutamias sibiricus. Behavioural Processes, 153, 107-111. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2018.05.014
- Boyer, N., Réale, D., Marmet, J., Pisanu, B., & Chapuis, J.-L. (2010). Personality, space use and tick load in an introduced population of Siberian chipmunks Tamias sibiricus. Journal of Animal Ecology, 79(3), 538-547. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01659.x
An accessory from our shop for this use: Double-layer plush hammock for rats, squirrels or ferrets (€18.90) · the whole shop
An accessory from our shop for this use: Electric pet heating pad 45 × 45 cm (17.7 in) with chew-resistant cord ($48.90, ships from the US) · the US shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Rodents universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.