Petting Zoo

We know that the chipmunks here are tame. Especially over at my brother's place, where they have been spoiled rotten by all of the good chippie food like corn, sunflower seeds and the assorted bird seed that would get scattered on the ground.

Last night my sister-in-law went to the shed for birdfood - they'd been gone all week and the feeders were empty. Setting the food on the picnic table, she turned to say something to my brother. When she turned back, a chipmunk was on the table trying to eat its way into the bag of seed.

"Why, you cheeky monkey!" she declared.

Okay, she didn't really say cheeky monkey - this is Minnesota, after all.

As she and I got closer, the chipmunk didn't run away, didn't even act like he cared. He filled his cheeks with food and ran off behind the woodpile.

A few minutes later, with the feeders full, Mr. Chipmunk came back for more. While he was gorging on the spilled bird food, I decided to see how close I could get. 2 feet, 1 foot...I put my hand down thinking "ooh, maybe I can touch his tail before he runs away".

He didn't run away. He turned his head back like he was going to bite, saw it was my hand, and went back to eating. My hand moved closer. I touched his back! I rubbed behind his ears! I ran my hand down the entire length of his body. My sister-in-law did the same.

Next time he came out for more food, we dared my brother to pet him. Now my baby brother startles easily - he once jumped 5 feet and screamed like a girl when a chipmunk ran out of the shed towards him once. Last week a kildeer (a bird) chased him around the campground.

He reached his hand towards the chipmunk, jerked it back, moved it down again...success!

Now if we can get the muskrat, the snapping turtle, the ground squirrel, and the heron living in the swamp to cooperate, we can open our own petting zoo. Well, maybe not the snapping turtle. I'm not sure if my homeowners insurance would cover it.