Heard heavy scrabbling and thumping overhead in the daytime? That's often the first sign a garden squirrel has become a loft problem. Here are five quick things worth knowing.
1. Garden squirrel vs loft squirrel
In the garden, a gray squirrel is mostly harmless, a raided bird feeder and a few dug-up bulbs. It becomes a real problem the moment it gets into your roof, following trees and rooflines up and squeezing in through a gap in the eaves, a lifted tile or a rotten fascia board.
2.The signs to listen and look for
Daytime noise is the big tell, squirrels are active by day, while rats and mice are night-time. Also look for gnawed woodwork and cables, larger droppings, and loft insulation flattened or pushed aside where they've nested.
3. The real risk: chewed wiring and fire
This is the one people underestimate. Squirrels gnaw constantly, and chewed electrical wiring in a loft is a genuine fire risk. Add damaged insulation, timber and pipework, and a "cute" animal becomes an expensive, potentially dangerous one.
4. The law: you can't release a trapped gray squirrel
Here's the surprise. Gray squirrels are a non-native invasive species, and it's illegal to release one back into the wild once it's been caught. So the plan of live-trapping one and letting it go in the woods isn't allowed, which is exactly what makes DIY handling such a minefield.
5. Why humane, professional handling matters
Because of that legal side, this is one to leave to a pro, who'll deal with it legally and humanely and, just as importantly, seal the entry points so the next one can't follow. Our gray squirrel removal service covers homes across the North East.
Hearing daytime activity is worth acting on early, both for the fire risk and because the law makes DIY awkward. Clear Pest Control will also tell you honestly if it's more likely overhead rats or mice.
For the full picture, see our guide on what a gray squirrel problem really looks like .