A Chipmunk Mystery

Turkey Tracks: December 19, 2020

A Chipmunk Mystery

AC doggie is…fast!

AC and I were on the downstairs couch last night—I had a quilt over my lap, and he was on my lap.  SUDDENLY he leaped from my lap like something shot out of a cannon, ran around the back of the couch between all the legs of the sewing table I’ve set up to do a quilting job while I watch tv—an area he has avoided—and there was all sorts of frantic scuffling on the wooden floor beyond.  

By now I was trying to get out from under the quilt to see what on earth…  

In about 3 more seconds as I was finally on my feet, he appeared on the rug in front of me shaking a dying chipmunk.  What???  The whole event took less than 10 seconds.  My heavens that dog can move fast.  

Then I had to find something with which to pick it up and throw it out into the snow—which meant AC who was jumping around me had to follow.  And for the rest of the night, he wanted to go outside about every 30 minutes in the bitter cold to check on it. And I’m sure that happened first thing this morning.  

But how did it get in?  And when?  With this cold, the chipmunks would be hibernating. I am suspicious of the closet at the downstairs door.  AC has been telling me that chipmunks are under the porch just outside there.  Have they found a way inside? Could they get into the tv room by going under the closet door? 

It’s a mystery.    

PS: I wasn’t sure at first it WAS a chipmunk as the animal’s coat was very dark. But I googled it, and chipmunks lose their bright orange color in the winter in favor of a dark brown and black coat. Who knew as I never see them from the onslaught of cold weather until spring when they emerge to herald that spring is on the way.

Today will involve a thorough inspection of the suspect closet, which is full of coats, scarves, mittens, hats, and shoes.