Until you have squirrels in your loft or attic space, you do not realise the extent of damage they can cause. If you think you have a squirrel family in your home or property, do not hesitate to contact us…
Noise – without a doubt, squirrels must be one of the noisiest pests, and there is no doubting their scampering and activities in your loft! Never still, always on the hunt for food, they will be hopping in and out of your loft space, looking for food constantly. They also hide their food, in preparation for the winter so that when food is scarce, they have a nice supply in their warm home.
Damage – like other pests, squirrels can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage. Like other gnawing pests, they can literally eat anything but also shred a variety of material for nesting material too. Hence, the important wooden beams and trusses in your roof space could actually be compromised in terms of their strength and integrity if squirrels are allowed to remain in the attic space too long…
However, like some other pests, squirrels need carefully handling and this should not be done by someone who is not trained. Although squirrels are not normally aggressive or a danger to human health, they will, if cornered and protecting young, scratch and bite.
Unlike some other pests, squirrels have two breeding seasons a year which means that in late winter/early spring and then again in summer/early autumn, squirrels will be looking to nest in places where they can raise their young. Three or four kittens are born per litter, staying as part of the nest until they are 10 to 12 weeks old; after this, they leave the nest to begin breeding elsewhere. As a result, any pest control technician looking to trap and relocate squirrels will need to bear this in mind.
Humane ‘treatment’
It is illegal for anyone, including a pest control technician, to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal, even if it is a pest. On one hand, grey squirrels are not protected (red squirrels are!) but on the other, they are not to be caused unnecessary harm; they have, in effect, ‘lost their way’ deciding that a loft or attic space is the perfect place to make their nest.
The best treatment is PREVENTION
Squirrels are opportunistic, like other animals and so with a hold no larger than their head, they can gain access in and out of a building. Therefore, a pest control company will need to identify how they are gaining access to a property and, once the squirrels have been removed, ensure that any access points are blocked.
In many cases, pest controllers prefer to leave the nest until the young have left the nest but this may not always be possible, especially if they are causing damage in the loft.
It may be possible for licensed pest controllers to carry out what is known as ‘lethal pest control’ measures but, do not attempt to deal with the problem yourself. Call in the experts!