Scampering up a tree trunk, squirrels look like delightful creatures; the focus of many a character in children’s books, on the whole squirrels cause us very few problems… until they find their way into our lofts!
Natural habitat
Squirrels in the UK, of which there are two species, live in woodland. The grey squirrel, imported from America in the 19th century, is vast in numbers and resilient to British weather and lack of food. The red squirrel is less in number and native to the UK, but also prefers woodland.
However, their twice a year breeding pattern in spring and summer mean that they look for somewhere safe to make a nest – and the smallest gap in a roof can make the perfect entry to a safe and secure place.
The problem with squirrels in your loft
Apart from being incredibly noisy as they run about, squirrels also gnaw everything; they can quickly damage structural aspects of the roof, as well as gnawing through electrical cables. This of course, presents significant fire hazard within a property, as well as expensive damage.
Dealing with squirrels
Even though they are not known for aggression, when cornered or under threat, especially with young in the area, squirrels can bite and scratch. For this reason, we always suggest calling a professional pest control company.
Trapping squirrels and their young in live traps will not take long but, grey squirrels cannot be released back in to the wild and so they will be euthanized. Red squirrels, on being trapped, will be relocated.