Chipmunks live in forests, on the edges of fields, and in bushes near homes. They reside in burrows with 1 or 2 tunnels about 5 cm in diameter. These tunnels lead to a main chamber carpeted with leaves and grass where they hibernate from late October to early March.

For the most part, chipmunks are granivores, feeding mainly on seeds, fruits, nuts, and herbaceous plants but also slugs, worms, grasshoppers, eggs, and even chicks. They use their cheek pouches to carry food back to their burrows, which they then store as provisions. This habit can, however, become problematic when they choose an attic as their hiding spot, as insects are drawn to their stores of nuts and seeds.