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How Do I Get Rid of Squirrels in My Loft?

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Whats the best way to eliminate squirrels quickly and safely?

Having a problem with squirrels in your attic we know can be extremely stressful. They can scare you with their untimely late night noises, as well as wake you up with their early morning routine which can impact on your work and social life being so sleep deprived. These little woodland friends may look cute and cuddly with their bushy tails but they can cause a real nuisance to people lives once inside the home.

Other than keeping you awake, these guys can also bring an invasion of ticks and fleas, as well as gnawing through electrical cables giving you more headaches to deal with.

Squirrel pest animal

Why are they attracted to my house?

Every living species on Earth has a role to play with each creature interacting with nature. It makes an impact and leaves its own footprint in some way. Think back to your biology class where you may have touched on the relationship between a predator and it’s prey.

Imagine if the predator becomes extinct, what adverse effect will this have on the prey species or the environment. What would happen if lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and other predators of the African Savannah become extinct? There will be no predators to hunt the grazing animals, the population of wildebeests, gazelles, and other herbivores will increase and will run a riot on the Savannah, thus destroying the vegetation cover.

Wasps serve a similar purpose to the big cats and carnivores of the Savannah. They are hunters. Wasps feed on other insects and often attack insects that are considered a pest. This makes them a natural regulator of the insect population. Without the “Angry Evil Wasp” tons of other insects will overrun our gardens and crop fields which may negatively impact our food resources.

Therefore the main purpose of wasps would be to act as a natural regulator of the population of other insects.

What options do I have to remove these guys?

1. Humane Traps

Cage traps are a good way of catching squirrels. Peanut butter is an excellent choice of tempting bait as are Monkey nuts to entice the animal into the cage. Please note: Under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 , it is illegal to release a grey squirrel back into the wild, or allow one to escape. The reason for this is that the grey squirrel carries a virus that is harmful to our protected native Red squirrels. Please see our Squirrel Page for more information. For disposing of the animal humanely, you can take to the your local vets at a cost of around £30-£40, or you can dispose of by cranial concussion using a blunt object and giving the animal a swift blow to the back of the head. Be aware drowning or other methods of disposal are deemed as animal cruelty and prosecutions may be served.

Cage to aid with catching and controlling pests

Squirrel Break Back Trap

Using a lethal squirrel trap is a fast way to solve your squirrel problem. Rodent snap traps for mice and rats are simply not powerful enough to eradicate a squirrel. A Fenn trap, or tube trap design specially to eliminate squirrels is required. Our bait of choice would be peanut butter with a nice monkey nut on top to encourage the animal. Please read all instructions accompanying the trap as these devices may cause harm if incorrectly used or set. Always set away from children and pets.

Calling a Professional Pest Control Service with a reliable reputation and adequate liability insurance to deal with the infestation. After the removal an extended guarantee is awarded to give you full peace off mind.

The other option you have is to simply scare the animal back out the way it come in, and then block its entry point with a hardened material. Please ensure if choosing this method you have have thoroughly surveyed the loft space for potential young in the nest. Trapping squirrels, especially the young inside will be seen as animal cruelty and you may be prosecuted.

What You Must NOT Do.

Use Rat or Mice traps.

Installing snap traps that are not designed to eradicate squirrels is pointless. Snap traps for mice and rats will not kill a squirrel. All you will succeed in doing is making this unwanted visitor very angry.

Use Rodenticide (Poison)

Under NO circumstance should you use poisons to eradicate squirrels. The law changed some years ago to prohibit the use of poisons for the safety of the environment and the wildlife. If a squirrel dies somewhere accessible to the natural wildlife due to poisoning, with the wildlife then feeding on the carcass, there is a possibility of secondary poisoning for the feeding animals. Therefore to protect these natural scavengers, some of whom may be a protected species we can no longer use poisons.

How Do I know if I Have a Red or Grey Squirrel?

Grey Squirrels may have some red strands of hair on their heads and tails but will be predominantly be grey on their bodies. Red squirrels will have pointy hairy ears with big bushy tails and will be red all over. Remember, the reds are native to the UK and are protected!!

Squirrel pest animal

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