Chipmunks do not truly hibernate like some other animals. Instead, they enter a hibernation-like state called torpor during the winter. In this state, their body temperature, heartbeat, and metabolism drop significantly, but they wake up every few days to eat stored food, warm themselves, and tend to their needs. Typically, chipmunks enter their winter burrows and go into torpor around late October to November when temperatures begin to drop. They remain underground through the winter and begin to emerge with the first warm days of March or sometimes in April. During this time, they may tunnel up through snow to come out. In warmer regions, chipmunks might hibernate for a shorter period, such as from December to late January. So, chipmunks usually come out of their hibernation-like torpor state in early spring, around March or April, depending on the local climate and weather conditions.
