Siberian chipmunk: temperament, diet, lifespan and EU legal status
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · reference guide rewritten with every source checked
Looking for : Siberian chipmunk cage and aviary: size and safety
The Siberian chipmunk is a diurnal, solitary and territorial ground squirrel, best regarded as a watch-only pet rather than a cuddly one. Extremely quick and an eager climber, it requires a tall, spacious aviary far beyond a standard rodent cage. Note: it is listed as an invasive alien species in the European Union, so acquiring one is now heavily restricted or banned; check the rules before any purchase.
Profile : Around 12 to 17 cm without the tail and 70 to 120 g, a lifespan of 6 to 10 years in captivity, and an independent, quick, territorial temperament.
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Species profile
- Lifespan
- 6 to 10 years
- Adult weight
- 70 to 120 g
- Minimum floor space
- 100 × 100 cm
- Temperament
- Diurnal, hyperactive and territorial, this climbing chipmunk stays a watch-only animal that rarely tolerates handling.
- Health watch
- dental malocclusion · obesity and deficiencies on an unbalanced diet
- Legal status
- An invasive alien species of Union concern (EU Regulation 1143/2014, listed in 2016): acquisition, sale and breeding are prohibited; only animals kept before the listing may be retained until their natural death. Check with the authorities before taking any step.
🩺 Our hygiene and health advice stays general: it never substitutes for an examination by a veterinarian, the only person qualified to advise on your animal.
The Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus), often sold as the Korean chipmunk, is a small ground squirrel of 70 to 120 g, diurnal, solitary and very quick, that lives 6 to 10 years in captivity. It is a pet to watch rather than to cuddle. Above all, it can no longer be bought, sold or bred in the European Union since it was added to the list of invasive alien species in 2016: this profile is written first for people who already keep one, and for anyone who wants to understand the species.
Legal status: what EU law actually says
Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 governs invasive alien species “of Union concern”. Tamias sibiricus is on the first list of these species, adopted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1141 of 13 July 2016, published in the Official Journal on 14 July and in force twenty days later. Since then, Article 7 applies in full, with a single exemption for private owners set out in Article 31.
| Situation | Rule | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Buying, selling, exchanging, giving away | Prohibited | Art. 7(1)(e) and (f) |
| Breeding, even in captivity | Prohibited | Art. 7(1)(c) and (g) |
| Transporting (outside eradication work) | Prohibited | Art. 7(1)(d) |
| Releasing into the wild | Prohibited | Art. 7(1)(h) |
| Keeping an animal owned before the listing | Allowed until its natural death, in contained holding, with no possibility of breeding or escape | Art. 31(1) |
| Owner unable to meet those conditions | May not keep the animal; the State may offer to take it back | Art. 31(3) |
Why so strict? Because released or escaped animals have founded wild populations in Europe. A study by Marsot and colleagues, published in 2013 in PLoS ONE and carried out in the Forest of Sénart near Paris, showed that introduced chipmunks produced nearly 8.5 times more questing tick nymphs infected with the Lyme disease agent than bank voles and wood mice, two native reservoir species. For the practical side, our guide can you still get a Siberian chipmunk in 2026? sets out the rules.
Temperament: an animal to watch, not to handle
Diurnal, hyperactive and territorial, the chipmunk dislikes being picked up; with patience, some will take a treat from your hand, and that is about it. It lives alone: two animals sharing a space usually end up fighting. It is also an exceptional escape artist, nearly impossible to catch indoors, which matters twice over when the law requires that it cannot escape. Its housing therefore has to be tall and secure: everything is covered in our guide to the Siberian chipmunk cage and aviary: size and safety.
Diet
It is an opportunistic omnivore: a squirrel seed mix as the base, nuts in limited amounts, fresh fruit and vegetables as extras and, from time to time, animal protein such as insects. It hoards heavily, first in its cheek pouches and then in caches and nest boxes, so remove hidden fresh food regularly before it goes mouldy. Our guide to Siberian chipmunk diet: cheek pouches and caches gives the right amounts and the foods to avoid.
Lifespan, winter and health
In captivity, our attribute database gives a lifespan of 6 to 10 years. In autumn and winter its activity drops sharply and it enters bouts of torpor broken by wake-ups to feed from its stores. This rhythm does not depend on temperature alone: a study by Kondo and colleagues, published in 2006 in Cell, showed that in chipmunks kept permanently cold and dark, hibernation followed an internal yearly rhythm, carried by a hibernation-specific protein complex whose level rises in the brain as hibernation begins. So do not try to wake it: keep the room frost-free and fresh water available, as explained in our guide to Siberian chipmunk hibernation and winter care.
On health, our database flags two points: dental malocclusion and, on an unbalanced diet, obesity and deficiencies. A survey by d’Ovidio and Pirrone, published in 2018 in Preventive Veterinary Medicine and covering 81 European owners of pet squirrels (all species together), found that 63% of the animals had had health problems, mostly skin (52%) and digestive (34%), and that most owners only saw a vet when the animal was ill. A check-up with a vet experienced in exotic pets remains the only way to reach a diagnosis.
What we checked
- The DOI of each of the three studies was resolved on Crossref and its abstract re-read.
- 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.
- Weight, lifespan, diet, temperament and health points come from our species attribute database.
- This profile does not replace advice from a vet or from the competent authorities on a specific situation.
Sources
- Marsot, M., Chapuis, J.-L., Gasqui, P., Dozières, A., Masséglia, S., Pisanu, B., Ferquel, E., & Vourc’h, G. (2013). Introduced Siberian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus barberi) contribute more to Lyme borreliosis risk than native reservoir rodents. PLoS ONE, 8(1), e55377. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055377
- Kondo, N., Sekijima, T., Kondo, J., Takamatsu, N., Tohya, K., & Ohtsu, T. (2006). Circannual control of hibernation by HP complex in the brain. Cell, 125(1), 161-172. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2006.03.017
- 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
Frequently asked questions
Can you still buy a Siberian chipmunk in the EU?
No. Listed in 2016 as an invasive alien species of Union concern, the Siberian chipmunk can no longer be bought, sold, exchanged or bred (Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014). Only an animal kept before the listing may be kept until its natural death.
How long does a Siberian chipmunk live?
Our attribute database gives 6 to 10 years in captivity, for an adult weight of 70 to 120 g.
Does a Siberian chipmunk hibernate in captivity?
It enters winter torpor broken by wake-ups to feed from its stores. In chipmunks this cycle follows an internal yearly rhythm (Kondo et al., 2006): leave it undisturbed, keep the room frost-free and water available.
Can a Siberian chipmunk be tamed?
Only partly: with patience it may take a treat from your hand, but it stays solitary and territorial and dislikes being picked up. It is an animal to watch.
Siberian chipmunk gear, family by family
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🍖
Food
A squirrel seed mix, hazelnuts and walnuts in limited amounts, fresh fruit and vegetables as extras, plus occasional protein (insects). It hoards food in its cheek pouches and caches, which should be checked regularly.
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🧴
Care & grooming
A sand bath available for coat care, with regular aviary cleaning that spares some food caches. In autumn and winter its activity drops markedly: respect these rest phases without disturbing it.
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🎾
Toys & enrichment
Natural branches to climb and gnaw, platforms at various heights and hidden food to hunt for. A wheel works if it is solid and large, but climbing remains its main activity.
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🏠
Bedding & habitat
An aviary of at least 100 x 100 x 180 cm, as large as possible, with several hay-lined wooden nest boxes including one placed high up. Sturdy fine-mesh metal wire, never plastic.
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🧳
Travel & safety
A rigid metal or thick plastic carrier with a secure latch: it is an outstanding escape artist, nearly impossible to recapture indoors. Free-roam only in a fully secured room with windows and chimney closed.
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Accessories
A sturdy water bottle, ceramic bowls, multiple nest boxes, a sand bath and regularly replaced branches. A suitable aviary is the bulk of the budget: expect 300 to 600 euros in total.
🧴 Care for a Siberian chipmunk: healthy bedding and prevention
Self-grooming, gently assisted
The Siberian chipmunk grooms itself and never gets a water bath, apart from spot-cleaning with a damp cloth. Your job: clean, dust-extracted bedding free of essential oils — never cedar or untreated pine shavings, documented respiratory irritants.
Habitat upkeep: your real mission
The rhythm that works: toilet corner every two days, a full bedding change (100 × 100 cm to cover) weekly or fortnightly, accessories in hot water with no scented detergent. Smell is the Siberian chipmunk’s primary sense: scented disinfectants stress it more than they reassure you — and always keep back a handful of old bedding to preserve its scent map.
Health signals specific to the Siberian chipmunk
Worth knowing for the Siberian chipmunk: dental malocclusion and obesity and deficiencies on an unbalanced diet. Its prey instinct hides every sign of weakness: the scales, out once a week, speak first — and the exotics vet decides. Life expectancy: 6 to 10 years.
Quick answers
- Should you wash a Siberian chipmunk?
- No: it grooms itself. Clean bedding and a healthy environment replace any shampoo — water only brings stress and chilling.
- Which bedding for a Siberian chipmunk?
- Hemp, flax or dust-extracted paper; never cedar shavings or scented litters. A 5 to 10 cm layer covers burrowing and comfortable movement.
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