I have never tried electric fencing but I have read that the animal (typically, deer) has to be standing on the ground for the shock to work. We have been quite annoyed by chipmunks eating our tomatoes. My husband employs two Hav-a-hart traps. Chipmunks are a species whose birth rate reportedly explodes based on available food. Hubby typically has to deal with two birth explosions in the spring/summer, where he catches around 32-35 chipmunks per round and transports them to another (undisclosed) location. :) You can search some discussions on a very effective "chipper dipper" if you have the stomach for it. Somewhat related, I spent hours and hours installing 256 Clemson fruit bags around my budding peaches. The squirrels unwrapped them like bon bons and threw the bags all over the neighborhood. I had the tree cut down this week. Sad, but sometimes faux farming is just not worth the effort.

Get a Rat zapper. Throw a little birdseed in it past the electric plate, turn it on and it'll take care of the chipmunks. Ask me how I know!

A Rat Zapper will work but you should make a little shelter to keep it from getting wet. A 5 gal bucket with a 1" hole drilled in it should work nicely. But yea I've been impressed with my Rat Zapper.

Agreed, forgot to mention it's for dry areas. They are small enough to move it's going to rain or get wet somehow.

Hmmm....maybe I should have consulted you all before cutting down my exuberant Redhaven peach tree, LOL....What happens if we unintentionally "zap" a roaming cat or some other such domesticated animal? I don't want to be the pariah of the neighborhood. I like animals and other critters but get frustrated by the garden destructiveness of squirrels and chipmunks. Another thing we have tried that has been somewhat effective, is a box that is advertised as a security system. It is a a motion detected barking dog box. Hubby puts it under plastic protection in the garden and plugs it in. We actually haven't used it this year because the neighbor, closest to the garden, has four small kids, and we don't want to annoy the sleep deprived parents. However, it does work although I often would get barked at if I forgot to unplug it and wandered into the garden. Sorry, Catherinet, didn't mean to hijack your thread.

I'm not going to kill the chipmunks. Period. So we can stop talking about that method. If I were going to starve because of them, I might consider it, but I'm not. I removed all the fencing jammed around the stock tanks and there is evidence that they're still eating the cherry tomatoes. Hubby wondered if it could be birds, but I don't see them around the tomatoes, plus, there are left-over cherry tomato skins on the lip of the stock tank....where they must sit and eat on them. I spent some money on organic peppermint oil and had to use a lot of it on the cotton balls.........so apparently that had no effect. I guess I'll try a garlic/red pepper spray next. As long as they stay away from the larger tomatoes, I feel like I have enough cherry tomatoes for us too. I finally seemed to get rid of mice eating the bottoms of my pole beans a lot 2 years ago and now other types of animals have shown up. Don't know what's so different from this year and the previous 35 years I've gardened here. Hmmm.....we do have red squirrels around here, so I supposed it could be them too. No sign of poop anywhere...so I'm sure it's not mice. They poop constantly, everywhere. haha

<Don't know what's so different from this year and the previous 35 years I've gardened here.>

Certainly it could be someone who relocated some so they were out of their garden? I gardened here for years before I had a problem with groundhogs too.

I believe in balance and just wish they would leave something for me - I mean after all I did plant the stuff. So then is having a cat or dog not an option?

Are you able to fence all the way around including the top - it would have to be something they can’t fit through and I’m not sure how big these chipmunks are? The stock tanks don’t look to be too big, you just need to fence high enough for your highest plants and then also cover the top (maybe with zip ties to make sure they can’t find a hole to climb into. It’s not convenient when you need to pick ripe fruit but at least you will have something to pick.

Chipmunks can burrow UNDER fences. You'd have to install hardware cloth UNDER the garden bed as well.

You know, I'm not even positive it's chipmunks. I did see one running around in there once, and so I'm just assuming. Hmmm......well, we can't move all these stock tanks filled with dirt......just too much trouble. But I could place some hardware cloth under the stock tanks, in-between the cement blocks, and maybe anchor them with landscape staples? I'm sure they've find other places, but at least those more protected areas under the stocktanks might not be available to them.

We used 1/2" hardware cloth all over the sides of our chicken run, even putting it underground around the perimeter, and it worked really well. I wish I'd thought of putting that down before we set all the stock tanks down. There are 9 of them. Another problem we're having this year is with moles under the stock tanks. Their tunnels cause the cement blocks to sink and we've had to add some wood on top of the cement blocks to level the tanks out.....but the moles keep doing their thing. At least they're eating bad grubs!

About not want to kill things..........for me, it's a continuum of how I approach things.

Yes, animals have chewed my car wiring at times, so I use some dryer sheets to discourage them, at least under the hood. We live in the country and don't have a garage. If I see a rabbit/squirrel go under my car from my kitchen window, I set of the car remote alarm. haha. I try alternative things first. But....as far as mice in the house and in the basement/crawlspace, we set traps. Unfortunately for my husband....his job is to set them and dispose of the bodies. I hate having to do this, but their chewing can burn down the house. Plus.........who wants mouse poop in their living space? So.......for me, dealing with "pests" is on a continuum. I don't just immediately kill everything that's bugging me (except ticks and mosquitoes)......but try to find some kind of balance, if my life isn't in danger or my food supply isn't dependent on my garden.

I have had luck squirting some fox urine that we ordered online around the garden. Not too much so it doesn't smell, but they smell the urine (even when we can't) and won't go near the garden for fear of a fox being there....pesky little varmints!!

Oh....that reminds me that we used to try to use that too, on the beavers and maybe the groundhogs. I don't think it worked for us.....but it might be good for the smaller guys. I wonder if I just let my dog be out there a little while I was working, if that would help? But then.....she would whine forever 'cause she'd want to go back to the garden. haha

A Rat Zapper may be just the thing you need for the mice?

I have been trapping field mice outside for several years now using snap traps baited with peanuts (in a shell) and a dab of peanut butter placed inside a jar with a 1" hole drilled in the lid.

That serves a couple purposes - first it helps so that other critters don't get snapped - who can resist peanuts or peanut butter?

Second - they have to approach from the business end.

The jars are placed in an unused gas grill out near the woods and stone rocks where the field mice love to live. Up until last year the traps were quite successful.

For some reason they just stopped going for the bait - whether it is/was the odor of the deceased family/friends I don't know - so last year I bought a Rat Zapper from Walmart after reading about it here Die squirrels die!!! (How to kill furry little pests safely) after which I caught at least 1/day for the rest of the summer.

I prefer to catch them outside before they get into the house, garage, or cause damage to vehicles or wiring etc.

btw - I am the same as Catherinet out in my garden - don't use pesticides and have plenty of spiders etc. but I don't want them in my house, period. After all, I am gardening in their space.

I don't mind sharing some with the critters but when they get greedy it really annoys me.

It has been on the news this year that CT is experiencing an abundance of field mice this year they suspect it is due to the mild winter. No problem here <smile>.

In any case, if hubby runs into a similar drought where they stop biting the bait that may help him.

I love nature, too..but the sad fact is that once animal tastes what's in your garden, not much keeps them out, and you lose a ton of produce trying. I'm at the point where I kill anything that eats my produce, and don't feel bad about it. To me, killing a squirrel that's eating my beans is no different than killing a slug that eats my seedlings.

Something is eating all my tomatoes this yr. Wish there was some toy or something which can sense motion and make little noise to scare of the critter. Maybe there is something but I haven't found it. Those water jets things seems to have pretty bad reviews.

I'm expecting my solar owl to arrive today. I don't think I'm allowed to post a link to it on Amazon.......but it's a fake owl that has a solar motion detector and it goes off with motion with a scary noise and eyes flashing.

What kind of damage to your tomatoes are you seeing? I have a 4' high fence and had to add a solar electric fence to keep out the raccoons, but then the chipmunks started eating my cherry tomatoes. I'll position the owl on the ground, so it can see them low down.

< I don't think I'm allowed to post a link to it on Amazon.>

Sure you can. Others may be interested also. I know they sold something that made a loud noise for deer too. The problem is bothering the neighborhood late at nite.

Thanks gumby.....Here's a link to what I bought.

https://www.amazon.com/Eliminator-Scarecrow-Decoy-Lighted-Frightening/dp/B072WFYVR1/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503090934&sr=8-3-spons&keywords=solar+owl&psc=1

This is sooooo funny/weird. This arrived this afternoon and I was taking it out to the garden. We live in the woods and have big trees in the yard. As I was walking, I turned on the "on" switch to the fake owl and the (strange) noise came out of the owl. Just then, a big owl flew out of the tree facing the garden! I hadn't seen an owl all summer. I hope this thing doesn't scare the real owls away! lol!

For sure cuz owls love chipmunks. I think a cheetah is needed for deer.

I've got to find a way to spook the family of coons that spends a couple hours here each nite.

I'll be interested to hear how it works out for you. Sometimes they get used to things and you have to move it around.

Well, I stand corrected. I went back out to the garden this evening and it was there again.....but it was a hawk. It was so large and quiet in its flight, I thought it was an owl. But this is probably better, since they hunt in the daytime, when most of the rodents are out. Even though I'm frustrated with the chipmunks, I don't want to see it when/if it happens.

gumby......yeah, coons are VERY frustrating. I know they must come into our big fenced-in yard at night. I quit feeding the birds in the back yard long ago because the coons would come for the dropped seeds, then they'd go up in the trees right outside the bedroom window and fight with each other. On one of the reviews for the solar owl, one person said it helped get rid of the coons. I'm not sure how reliable some of those reviews are though.

I'll let you know how this one works. I'm thinking I need a couple, since my garden is about 40x25.

I've been picking all my tomatoes before they are completely ripe, so that I at least get some before they're taken. This year is really strange. I've never had the coon or the chipmunk problem in the garden before. Maybe next year will be different.

Good luck with your coons! They are too smart for their own britches. ;)

Yes, each year is diff and while it is frustrating it is also what keeps us all challenged.

I have been amazed at just what goes on in my yard/garden when the sun goes down. I wouldn't doubt if chipmunks get out at nite also, I know I see field mice but normally after mid-nite for some reason.

At least 3 times I have seen a woodchuck at night - the last was after midnight.

Today it was the deer way out back 2x. I don't have a fence around the garden but starting last year I lay some wire fencing down on the ground cuz I read that deer don't like walking on it. While it seems that does work they just learn to come in on another side. With deer (and prob other critters) I think it also depends on what food is avail and just how hungry they are.

Do keep us posted.

I'll keep you posted about how the solar owl does. Hopefully, between that, the electric fence, the regular fence and the new hawk, I'll keep more of my tomatoes! I should put up the outdoor camera a friend got me last christmas, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.. But I'm not sure I want to see what's all out there at night. haha

Gardening is expensive. Might be cheaper to go to the Farmers Market but not near as much fun or enjoyment.

<But I'm not sure I want to see what's all out there at night.>

It started a whole new hobby for me.

LOL.........I'm thinking my tomatoes are at least $80 each by now! Yeah, I definitely need to get that camera up in various places on our property (35 acres). I just hope I don't see a Yeti or something........ :) Have you found anything interesting? I'm thinking I'll mostly see coons or deer. Nighttime is definitely a cool time though. I especially love August with the nighttime symphony outside my bedroom window.

Other than seeing a woodchuck in the dark? One was kinda cartoonish.

The cam records for ten seconds after sensing motion. So on one I saw a rabbit, rather large rabbit which I haven't seen many here - maybe 3x in the last 17 yrs.

It showed the rabbit running at a fast pace down the path into the woods line. Then before the 10 seconds were up the same rabbit racing back out of the woods down the same path.

I never did figure out what scared him back out. lol

Then there were the two field mice - I couldn't tell if it was a fight or a mating dance. They were both up on their hind legs kinda dancing around.

That sounds interesting. So much goes on at night that we we're unaware of. The camera I got just takes a still picture. I'd sure like one of those wireless ones that you can actually watch for quite a while. There's a guy on the birding form that lives in Alberta Canada or maybe it's Edmonson, but he has taken some of the neatest pictures with the camera he put out in his woods. All sorts of animals up there. You should check out some of his older pictures on the birding forum. His name is Konrad.