Inoculand offers a grey squirrel control service from £89+vat including 2 visits within 3 months. We also provide a rodent proofing service that can prevent Grey squirrels from accessing the roof space.
Grey squirrels are an invasive specie that was introduced in UK at the end of the 19th century. Since the local Red squirrel has become nearly extinct.
Besides, when a Grey squirrel get access into a roof space,. It can then cause extensive damage on the insulation wool, wood beams and electrical wires. But the most distressing aspect of a squirrel infestation is the noise they make at night. Tenants often complain of being woken up around 4AM.
Grey squirrel control
People like squirrel. They are mostly cute to look at in our parks and they can be scarily friendly eating from the palm of your hand at times.
But when they invade your roof space to create a nest for the coming breeding season they soon become a nightmare.
Baiting against Grey squirrels
Grey squirrels are very agile and can jump from a nearby tree onto the roof easily or climb along the rain gutters and drain pipes. At the eve of the roof there is often a gap that can run all along the building, or at times it may only be a space left into the carpentry work. But if there is an opening, Grey squirrels can take advantage of it to go inside the roof space.
Once in the attic, the squirrel will possibly gather whatever material that is available to create a nest. Since Grey squirrels are also rodents, they will probably wear their teeth down on the wood beams and at time on electric wires.
There is a very thin line between wildlife and pest. To some extent Grey squirrels are only doing what we are all conditioned to do. It is unfortunate that our homes gave them the ideal type of shelter to bring up their progeny. Roofers are simply more concerned about making the house water tight than rodent proofed.
Now that you have them inside the attic as pest, the safest way to deal with them is using Warfarin bait. The warfarin will act slowly and will not cause acute pain.
How to get rid of squirrels in attics using traps
A squirrel trap can also be used to catch live squirrels. They are fairly efficient. But they need to be monitored daily. More distressingly, you are left with a live squirrel.
You cannot release Grey squirrels in the wild or let them escape since the regulation see them as an invasive specie. It is simply illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Therefore you need to dispatch in ways that I will not describe. I do have serious misgivings about them.
Getting rid of Squirrels using approved Fenn traps
Fenn traps approved for killing Grey squirrels are very efficient. The great benefit is that the Grey squirrel will die instantly. They are very strong and powerful and need to be handled carefully to avoid accidents. They would still need to be monitored on a daily basis in the unlikely event a squirrel would be caught but not killed on the spot.
Use of non approved spring trap should not be considered against Grey squirrels.
Preventing squirrels in loft
As for any other rodents, Grey squirrels need an opening large enough to let them in. And they also need to be able to reach the roof. One thing is for sure, if a Grey squirrel managed to find its way in once, it is only a matter of time before another squirrel shows up.
Squirrel proof the attic from within
Squirrel proofing can normally be carried out from the inside if a roof hatch is present. From the darkness of the roof space, we can often spot the entry point as it will often allow day light in. From there, plugging the entry point using mesh can be straight forwards and inexpensive.
But in most instance, we found a gap running all along the eve. So we end up having to mesh thoroughly all the section one by one and on both sides (street side, and back garden). In some houses, the roof design is so intricate that squirrel proofing becomes infeasible.
In other case, proofing from within is impossible and therefore will often involve long ladders, scaffolding or even possibly a roofer. There are all the other instances when the roof has been converted and there is no attic to speak of. Squirrels may also be infesting a section of the roof containing no hatch to access it.
Often enough what tenants report is squirrels being active above the ceiling that happen to be the floor of the upstairs level. Squirrels being between the floor board and the plasterboard.
Prevent Grey squirrel from accessing the roof
I do not support killing Grey squirrel outdoor. Kill one and another one will occupied the territory that was just freed.
A survey of the outdoor area can highlight the presence of a tree. If the branches reach the roof may require a tree surgeon. The rain pipes may allow squirrels to climb up to the gutters. An inverted collar can be fitted midway to stop them in their tracks
Our squirrel pest control team
We will come to your property and survey the area that is infested and advise you about the best course of action. We will want to carry out the treatment for Grey Squirrel. But we will also advise you on the squirrel proofing or on any deterrent devices that could be place to prevent the problem from returning.
If you hear scratching noises from the attic, call and request our pest control team to check if it is Grey squirrel.
