Nest boxes
I've not yet found a supplier of nest boxes specifically made for chipmunks, probably because there is not yet enough demand for them. If you look around your pet shop the nearest nest box you may find is one for small birds. I've tried these bird boxes, and although if pushed a chipmunk will use them, given a choice they much prefer the examples further down this page.
This could be because the small bird nesting boxes seem to be a bit on the flimsy side and have gaps where the sliding door is, which can let light and draughts in.
The accommodation I describe on this page is only suitable if your chipmunks live or sleep indoors. If you're chipmunk is kept in an outdoor aviary you will need something weatherproof and warmer for them.
Cardboard tubes.
It was my own chipmunks that showed me they sometimes like to nest in cardboard tubes. In some of the aviaries I'd put in some cardboard tubes for them to use as another way to get around their home. In two of the aviaries the chipmunks chose to make their homes inside of the tubes, rather than the custom made nest boxes. The sort of tubes they like are about 8cm in diameter and around 70cm long.
They should have one end stopped off and securely fastened in the cage at a slight incline pointing down to the blocked off end. My chipmunks prefer to nest near the top or middle of the aviary, with none of them wanting to nest at ground level. When they fill the tube with nuts and seeds it will get very heavy, which is why I recommend you secure it well to the side of the aviary. Because chipmunks do not store perishable food or defecate in their nests, the tubes last a long time (a number of years).
I've found all my tubes outside of copy print shops, put out for rubbish collection. So I'm sure if you ask your local copy print place they can give you some.
Deluxe custom nest box
Using some of the timber left over from the aviary shelving I made several custom nest boxes. If you want to make some yourself you don't have to be that precise on the dimensions. In the example below you might get up to about four chipmunks using this size box, although just one chipmunk would be quite happy with it. Because the timber I used was quite thick it made the box nice and heavy. That's a good thing as you will be putting it on a shelf off the ground, and you don't want it moving around and falling. I don't fix my nest boxes, as a couple of times a year you may need to take the box out for cleaning. There have also been the odd times when I have lost a chipmunk, and needed to take down the nest boxes. to look inside for them. Use untreated timber, as the chipmunks will quite likely want to chew around the entrance hole (a 6cm diameter hole seems about right).
I've used a couple of magnetic catches to hold the lid on, just to allow for easy removal. I went a bit overboard on my design by adding a ledge to step up to the entrance, and a baffle inside the nest box to cut out stray light. Most chipmunks seem to like the boxes a lot.
The nest box in the photos above had been in use for about a year and a half. It was Cobys last nest box before he died of old age. As you see it's quite clean inside, I've taken out the old nest material and the stored nuts, so I was just going to wash out the inside ready for the next tenant.
If you have more than one chipmunk I think it would be good if you can provide them with a nest box each. They may well decide to sleep in the same box, but if they don't get on to well it's nice for them to have a choice.
Try to resist putting in any nesting material, as chipmunks really like to put in their own bedding. I provided them with torn up strips of face tissues. Mine also like a certain type of plastic bag cut in to small pieces. I say certain type, as mine only like the crinkly type of plastic. It's hard to describe what type of plastic that is, but it's the material that Superdrug and Pets At Home use for their bags. I guess it best reminds them of leaves, which is what they would use in the wild.
I've tried the bags of soft cotten wool type nesting material on sale for small animals, but my chipmunks don't seem to like it much.
My last tip is, when you introduce your chipmunk to your home, try to keep it in it's avairy for the first month. You need to teach it that it's avairy is its home, where is should find its food and its nest box. I wasn't told this when I got my first chipmunks and couldn't wait to let them out to see what they did. The problems I had letting mine out early was they tried to nest outside the aviary in the most daftest and unsafe places. It also makes it very hard to persuade them back in the aviary, and they could end up taking over your home :)
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