One thing that many people aren’t aware of is the fact that chipmunks are omnivores. This means that they eat both plants and animals. But can chipmunks eat grapes?
The answer is yes, chipmunks can eat grapes. In fact, they love them!
Chipmunks have a very sweet tooth and love nibbling away on lots of different fruits including blueberries, strawberries, and even oranges. So, if you want to feed your chipmunk something new, try adding a few grapes to their food bowl.
What Are The Nutritional Benefits Of Feeding Grapes To A Chipmunk?
Now you know that chipmunks can eat grapes. But, aside from their sweet taste and juicy texture, why do chipmunks eat grapes? Well, there’s a very good reason – they are packed with loads of nutrients that chipmunks need to stay strong and healthy.
The first of these nutrients is Vitamin C. Chipmunks need a good source of Vitamin C as this boosts the immune system and helps fight off infections. It also helps with the growth of bones and teeth in young mammals like chipmunks. And, since chipmunks rely on their teeth for so many things, Vitamin C is an essential part of their diet.
They also contain several other nutrients including:
- Potassium – helps regulate blood pressure and muscle contraction
- Calcium – helps build strong bones and teeth
- Phosphorus – which aids digestion and helps form muscles and tissue
- Magnesium – helps maintain normal nerve function
- Iron – helps with the formation of red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body to vital organs
- Copper – supports the immune system and promotes nerve ending health
- Manganese – helps keep the circulatory system healthy and prevents blood clotting
- Zinc – provides support to the immune system
- Selenium – helps support metabolism and regulates hormone growth
- Niacin – helps to keep your chipmunk’s skin, eyes, and fur healthy
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1) – helps convert food into energy and supports the immune system
Each of these nutrients plays its own role in maintaining your chipmunk’s health and, combined, they help keep your chipmunk healthy and strong.
But that’s not all! Grapes are also an excellent source of water. So, while you more than likely keep your chipmunk’s water bottle filled with clean, fresh water, an occasional handful of grapes gives them an additional source of water should they need it. They’re also a fun, tasty way for your chipmunk to hydrate and feel great!
What Are The Dangers Of Feeding Grapes To A Chipmunk?
The biggest danger of feeding grapes to a chipmunk is obesity. Like most fruits, grapes are high in natural sugars. Feeding too many grapes to a chipmunk can lead to rapid weight gain. This will also be the wrong kind of weight gain, too (fat rather than lean muscle) which, in turn, can lead to a variety of health issues including heart disease.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to only feed your chipmunk a couple of grapes each week.
Another potential danger that can come from feeding too many grapes to a chipmunk is digestive issues. Since grapes have such a high water content, eating too many may cause your chipmunk to suffer from stomach cramps or diarrhea.
Finally, another danger that could come from feeding grapes to your pet chipmunk is poisoning. While grapes themselves aren’t poisonous to chipmunks, many vineyards use pesticides and insecticides as a form of pest control. Some of these chemical repellents can be deadly if ingested.
The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to make sure that you wash the grapes under clean, running water before you give them to your chipmunk. This will remove any pesticides and ensure that the grapes are safe to eat.
How Do You Feed Grapes To A Chipmunk?
There are a couple of ways you can feed grapes to a chipmunk.
The first, and the easiest, is to use frozen grapes. Freezing grapes requires no preparation at all – simply pop them into a freezer bag and place them in the deep freeze. Then, when the time comes to treat your chipmunk to a couple of grapes, you can take them individually from the bag, let them thaw, slice them up, and put them in their food bowl.
This method is also beneficial in a couple of other ways. First of all, it reduces your food waste as there’s no risk of the leftover grapes turning bad before you’ve had a chance to feed them to your chipmunk. Secondly, it’s more cost-effective. One punnet of frozen grapes will last you for months, and this means you won’t have to worry about spending money on any more for a while.
The second way of feeding grapes to your chipmunk is to give them fresh grapes. Simply take them off the vine, slice them up, and put them in your chipmunk’s food bowl.
Whether you go with the fresh or frozen method, one thing you must always remember to do is throw away any grapes your chipmunk has hoarded in their underground food store. If left, they will go moldy and this can lead to other health issues for your chipmunk.
Can Chipmunks Eat Grape Seeds?
There are no known dangers associated with feeding your chipmunk grape seeds. This means that there is no real need to purchase seedless grapes. Your chipmunk will also be quite content nibbling on any variety of grape too, regardless of color.
However, it is important to remember that, as with any food item you add to your chipmunk’s diet, the grapes must be thoroughly inspected before being fed to ensure that it doesn’t pose any danger.
Final Thoughts
So now you know that chipmunks can eat grapes and that they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals. However, as with feeding any type of fruit to your chipmunk, it’s important that you limit their intake to just a couple of grapes per week. Since grapes are so high in natural sugars, any more than this could lead to health issues including obesity and diabetes.
