When Is Professional Squirrel Control Needed in Edgware?

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You Do Not Need Us For

• Squirrels in the garden, on a fence or in a tree
• Squirrels raiding a bird feeder — irritating, and a gardening problem
• A drey in a tree away from the building
• Squirrels on the roof but not inside it — worth watching, not treating
• One seen in the garden with no noise indoors

We are not in the business of removing garden wildlife. If they are outside and staying outside, leave them.

You Do Need Us For

• Noise in the loft — daytime, heavy, moving across the ceiling
• Droppings or a drey found in the roof space
• Torn-up insulation
• Gnawed cabling, pipework or timber
• Visible entry at roof level with activity
• Anything in a wall cavity
• A squirrel inside the living space — that is an emergency, close the internal doors and open a window

Why the Legal Position Makes It Professional

• Grey squirrels are a non-native invasive species. It is illegal to release a trapped one back into the wild
• Traps must be checked regularly — leaving a live-capture trap unattended is not acceptable
• Dispatch must be humane and carried out in accordance with the relevant legislation
• Only approved trap types may be used, and spring traps must be used in accordance with the applicable orders
• Non-target species must be considered — placement matters for that reason
• Red squirrels are protected. Not present here, but it is why the law reads as it does

This is the honest reason to use a professional. It is not that the trap is complicated.

Why DIY Trapping Usually Goes Wrong

• The release problem. Most people buy a live-capture trap intending to release, which they cannot lawfully do
• Placement. Squirrels follow routes; a trap in the wrong place is ignored for a fortnight
• Caution. Squirrels avoid new objects and traps often need pre-baiting
• Monitoring. A trap left unchecked in a loft is both unlawful and inhumane
• Handling. A trapped squirrel bites hard
• Sequencing. Blocking the hole at the wrong moment creates the ceiling damage

How Urgent Is It?

Prevention Afterwards

• Get the roofing work done promptly once the loft is clear
• Cut back overhanging branches — squirrels jump a surprising distance
• Move bird feeders away from the house
• Check the roofline each autumn for new gaps
• Deal with rotten fascia or soffit before it becomes an entry point
• In a terrace, raise it with neighbours — a shared roof run needs a shared answer

Read nextSquirrel Trapping Edgware – How Much Does It Cost? →

Is Trapping Humane?

A fair question, and one people ask us directly.

• Carried out properly — correct trap selection, correct placement, prompt checking — yes
• Carried out badly it is not, which is the argument against leaving a trap in a loft and forgetting it
• Poison would be worse, which is part of why squirrel control is trapping-based
• Relocation is not the humane alternative it sounds like — it is illegal, and a relocated squirrel into occupied territory usually does badly
• We will explain what we do if you would rather know than not

What It Costs

• Complete programme, however many visits it takes
• Inspection, trapping, monitoring, removal and written proofing advice
• No call-out fee and no charge for the assessment
• If it turns out to be rats or mice, we price it as that instead

Related Questions

Can you use poison?

Squirrel control is trapping-based. An animal dying inside a void is a problem of its own.

What if there are young?

It changes the approach and the timing. Tell us when the noise started.

Will it come back?

Not the same one. Another will, if the entry point is still open.