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Quiz about Chipmunks The Real Ones That Dont Need to Sing

Chipmunks! The Real Ones, That Don't Need to Sing Quiz

North American Chipmunks are little furry balls of cuteness who probably live in a park or forest near you, and don't need to wear sweaters or sing, to be worth watching for! Here's a quiz about them.

A multiple-choice quiz by littlepup. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
littlepup

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
384,569

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
216

Question 1 of 10

1. Eastern chipmunks are classified in the genus Tamias, and it's fitting because of their busy, careful habits with nuts and seeds. What does Tamias mean in Greek? Hint

wasteful, careless, spendthrift

a steward, housekeeper, or someone trusted with valuables

stingy, miserly, boring

musical, always singing, tuneful

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. The name "chipmunk" may come from one or more Native American names, but in English, chipping, chip, chit, chipper, and such sounds are frequently used in the animal's various names. Why, according to etymologists' best guesses? Hint

Webster's Dictionary standardized the name in 1828

it's in all the native language names, spelled just like that

it's the chipping sound they make

Mr. Chip discovered the chipmunk in 1832

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. There's the Siberian chipmunk in Asia, but where are all other chipmunks found? Hint

worldwide except for Antarctica

in North America, and a few as pets in Europe

in North and South America

in Australia and North America

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. How do chipmunks carry food that they don't want to eat right away, but need to transport? Hint

in front "hands" while running on two legs

in cheek pouches

in little backpacks

in nylon fanny packs

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Question 5 of 10

5. Do chipmunks hibernate? This isn't an easy yes or no question, because chipmunks have that stash of food they gathered. Hint

they hibernate in alternate years

they only hibernate if their food supply runs out

none hibernate except when they rest up the week after New Years Eve parties

they hibernate a while, then wake up, eat, urinate and defecate, then hibernate again

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. How many litters a year do chipmunks have? The east and west genuses need to get coordinated on this. Hint

typically, eastern chipmunks have two, western have one

all have one litter

all have three litters

all have two litters

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Chipmunk burrows -- what are they like? Hint

up to 11 feet long, with several small "rooms" and several entrances

whole cities underground, thousands of feet of tunnels

not more than a foot long

never more than one single room

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. How many hours a day does a chipmunk sleep on average, not counting hibernation? This surprised me, because they always seem to be on the go, busier than humans are. Hint

1 hour, almost no sleep at all

8 hours, about like a human

15 hours, or almost twice what a human does

5 hours, what a human could barely get by on

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. How long before chipmunk babies are ready to go outside the burrow? As small as they are, you'd think they'd be so much faster than dogs and cats, but they really aren't. Hint

six months before they can go out

six weeks to go out, another two for full independence

almost immediately, an hour at most

about a week, then another week to be fully independent

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. How friendly are chipmunks with others? Do they live in large groups? Perhaps they don't see each other as cute as we see them. Hint

They live in pairs

Chipmunks are solitary, generally living alone except to mate

They live in family groups of half a dozen, including grandparents and siblings

They live in large colonies or "cities"

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Eastern chipmunks are classified in the genus Tamias, and it's fitting because of their busy, careful habits with nuts and seeds. What does Tamias mean in Greek?

Answer: a steward, housekeeper, or someone trusted with valuables

Chipmunks take preparing for winter seriously. They gather a supply of seeds, grains or nuts, and stash it near where they plan to spend the winter so it's easily accessible. What they don't eat can sprout the next spring, and if it grows, the chipmunk has also done its part for seed dispersal for the plant.

Answer: it's the chipping sound they make

The best guess of etymologists is that the chipping sound made by chipmunks predisposes people to use that in their name, adding other syllables as they want. A few names don't use it, such as my favorite, "timber tiger," but "chipminck" and "chitmunk" are just some of the many variations.

3. There's the Siberian chipmunk in Asia, but where are all other chipmunks found?

Answer: in North America, and a few as pets in Europe

The chipmunk's range in North America means it encounters everything from deserts to mountains. There are some biologists who say the western chipmunk should have its own genus, Neotamias, with 23 species, but others say that two genuses are enough: the Tamias in North America and Eutamias in Asia, with minimal species. DNA testing may bring the arguments to a close, but there's still work to be done in 2016.

4. How do chipmunks carry food that they don't want to eat right away, but need to transport?

Answer: in cheek pouches

The chipmunk is supplied with built-in cheek pouches, allowing it to carry nuts or seeds while looking absolutely adorable with its little cheeks puffed out.

5. Do chipmunks hibernate? This isn't an easy yes or no question, because chipmunks have that stash of food they gathered.

Answer: they hibernate a while, then wake up, eat, urinate and defecate, then hibernate again

Because chipmunks stash food near their sleeping quarters in their burrows, they don't need to go into complete hibernation and live off their fat. They can wake up, eat, then sleep some more. During the sleeping phase, their respiration and heart may slow and they may be difficult to wake, but who would disturb a cute little sleeping chipmunk? During the waking phase, they bring their vital signs to normal for a few days. Sounds like a pretty nice way to spend a winter, honestly.

6. How many litters a year do chipmunks have? The east and west genuses need to get coordinated on this.

Answer: typically, eastern chipmunks have two, western have one

Eastern chipmunks mate in early spring and again in early summer, squeezing two litters out of the year. Typically, western chipmunks breed once, and they all have four to five in each litter, though they can have more. If weather is favorable, either may squeeze in two litters, and only have one if cold comes early.

7. Chipmunk burrows -- what are they like?

Answer: up to 11 feet long, with several small "rooms" and several entrances

Chipmunks don't put in the effort that prairie dogs do, but they can have nice burrows. They tend to keep the underground sleeping areas neat and clean, and store waste in its own areas. Outside entrances are carefully concealed. If one sees a chipmunk sitting by a tree trunk, and suddenly it's gone, you can guess it has an entrance to its burrow there, even if you don't see it go in.

8. How many hours a day does a chipmunk sleep on average, not counting hibernation? This surprised me, because they always seem to be on the go, busier than humans are.

Answer: 15 hours, or almost twice what a human does

Chipmunks can snuggle down in their burrows and feel safe from predators when they sleep. Biologists guess that animals that can sleep in safety, may take advantage of that situation and sleep longer, compared to animals that need to stay on alert. Rodents, including chipmunks, and bats are typical examples of animals with safe burrows or caves.

9. How long before chipmunk babies are ready to go outside the burrow? As small as they are, you'd think they'd be so much faster than dogs and cats, but they really aren't.

Answer: six weeks to go out, another two for full independence

Baby chipmunks start without fur, and blind. They stay underground with their mother in the burrow where they were born. During their second week, they start to grow fur, and within a monh, they begin to look like little chipmunks, with stripes and open eyes.

After six weeks, the babies are ready to go outside and in another couple of weeks they can start out on their own lives, though they continue to mature for another nine months.

10. How friendly are chipmunks with others? Do they live in large groups? Perhaps they don't see each other as cute as we see them.

Answer: Chipmunks are solitary, generally living alone except to mate

Chipmunks have a home range around their burrows of a half to one acre, which may overlap a little with other chipmunk home ranges, but they will defend the area nearest their burrow entrance from other chipmunks as well as predators. In breeding seasons, males may wander farther, looking for females, and compete with chases, posturing and chipping noises.

When local females are no longer in heat, chipmunks go back to their solitary life.

Source: Author littlepup

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