Along its flanks there are five dark and four light colored long stripes. The color of its fur depends on the origin of the animal. Its ears are small and rounded up at the ends. Like its relatives, it has bright colored fur with dark stripes, and large pouches in its cheeks to collect food. The Siberian chipmunk generally enjoys feeding on vegetables, fruits, rodent lab-blocks and nuts. It is a universal fact that animals born in captivity become disciplined to some extent. Their lifespan is short in the wild but in captivity, they can survive for more than 10 years. They are not much active during winters but generally avoid sleeping for a long time in heated rooms.
Siberian chipmunks have made colonies in some parts of central and Eastern Europe, since they escape easily from captivity. This species can prove dangerous since it can spread grave diseases like rabies by its bite. Mustelids, cats, and birds are the main predators of the Siberian chipmunk. Their diet includes conifer seeds, nuts, and vegetables and they also eat tree buds, wheat, buckwheat, and oats. The Siberian chipmunks are omnivorous animals and feed on mushrooms, shrubs, small birds, berries, and small animals. When compared to its other relatives such as the red squirrel, it is rather smaller in size. The weight of an adult Siberian chipmunk varies according to the season but normally, an adult Siberian chipmunk weighs about 50 to 150 grams (1.76 to 5.29 oz).
Its total length from head to tail is 18 to 25 cm (3.93 to 9.84 inches) of which one third is occupied by its tail. Ranging from Russia to China, northern Japan, Korea, and northern Asia, its main habitats include woodlands with thick bushy vegetation. The Siberian Chipmunk ( Tamias sibiricus) is the only member of its genus that lives outside America.
Suborder Sciurognathi contains 11 families
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