– PEST CONTROL SERVICES –
Thumping and scratching above the ceiling first thing in the morning, torn insulation in the loft, a chewed gap in the soffit. Once grey squirrels get into a roof space, they settle in fast and do real damage. Wiltshire Pest Services Ltd provides professional squirrel removal and proofing for homes, farms and businesses across Wiltshire and into the borders of Somerset, Dorset and Hampshire. Call us on 07711 259749 or use the form on this page and we’ll get them out and keep them out.
– LOVED BY HOMEOWNERS & BUSINESSES –
Squirrels are active in daylight, so the signs usually show up at times when rats and mice would be quiet.
Thumping, running and scratching in the loft early in the morning and again late in the afternoon is the classic sign. Squirrels are heavier than mice and rats, so the noise is often surprisingly loud.
Squirrels gnaw constantly. Look for chewed rafters, stripped cable casing, and insulation that’s been torn up and dragged around.
From outside, check for holes in soffits and fascia boards, lifted roof tiles and gaps around vents. Squirrels often chew an existing small gap until it’s big enough to get through.
Squirrels build bulky nests, called dreys, from leaves, twigs and shredded insulation, usually in a sheltered corner of the loft. Their droppings are larger than a mouse’s and rounder than a rat’s.
If you regularly see squirrels running along the gutter, the roof ridge or overhanging branches, there’s a good chance they’re using the roof as a route in.
Almost every squirrel in southern England is the grey squirrel, a species introduced from North America in the 19th century. Adults have grey fur, often with a brown tinge, and a large bushy tail. Native red squirrels are protected, but they survive only in a few isolated places in the south, so a squirrel in your loft here is almost certainly grey.
Timing is the easiest clue. Squirrels make noise in the daytime, especially at dawn and dusk, while rats are busy at night. Rats also leave smear marks and smaller, pointed droppings. If you think it’s rats, see our rat control service.
Squirrels strip the insulation off electrical cables in lofts, leaving live wires exposed. That’s a real fire risk, and often the damage isn’t noticed until an electrician finds it.
They chew roof timbers, soil and flatten insulation, and gnaw plastic pipes and water tank lids. The longer they stay, the bigger the repair bill.
Grey squirrels are an invasive species in the UK, and it’s illegal to release one back into the wild once it has been caught. Any squirrel that’s trapped must be humanely dispatched. That’s why removal is a job for trained professionals rather than a DIY trap.
Blocking the hole while squirrels are inside traps them in your loft, where they’ll chew a new way out, sometimes into the house. Repellents rarely work for long, and in breeding season there may be young in the nest.
Call us or use the form on this page. Tell us what you’ve heard or seen and when: noises in the loft in the morning, a hole in the soffit, squirrels on the roof. If you call, we’ll take the details and send you a follow-up form through our booking system, then talk you through your options and what happens next.
We inspect the loft to find the nest, check the damage and see how many squirrels are involved, then check the outside of the building for every way in. Where roofs, chimneys or high fascias are hard to reach, we can use a drone to survey them. Commercial sites get a full professional survey before any treatment plan is agreed.
We plan the removal around what we find, the layout of the property and who lives there, including children and pets, and always in line with the law on grey squirrels. We explain what we’re doing and why, so you know what to expect at every stage.
Once the squirrels are out, our proofing service seals the entry points with materials they can’t chew through, so new squirrels can’t move in. Where they’ve soiled or torn up insulation, our sanitation service removes the contaminated material and makes the loft safe.
After the job, domestic customers get a follow-up to check everything has been resolved. For businesses and rural properties with ongoing squirrel pressure, we offer service agreements with regular monitoring.
We price each job once we understand it. The main factors are how many squirrels are involved, how easy the loft and roof are to access, how many entry points need proofing, and whether damaged insulation needs clearing. Get in touch for a clear quote.
Our team has over 30 years of combined experience, including BPCA-certified professionals and a Fellow of the RSPH. Every technician is qualified to at least Level 2 and works within the law on grey squirrels.
High-end food manufacturers rely on us to meet BRC and AIB audit standards, and keeping wildlife out of buildings is part of that. Your loft gets the same attention to detail.
If sealing one gap after the squirrels have gone will solve it, that’s what we’ll recommend.
We arrive in unmarked vehicles and keep the job low-key.
Removing the squirrels without proofing the roof just leaves space for the next ones. We deal with both, so the problem doesn’t come back next season.
Look over soffits, fascias, roof tiles and vents from the ground once or twice a year, and repair small gaps and rotten boards before squirrels find them.
Branches that touch or overhang the roof give squirrels an easy route in. Trim them back, but check first whether the tree has a preservation order or you’re in a conservation area.
Bird feeders and fallen seed attract squirrels to your garden. Use squirrel-proof feeders and keep them well away from the building.
Heavy thumping, running and scratching, mostly early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Noises only at night are more likely to be rats or mice.
They can be. Squirrels chew electrical cables, which creates a fire risk, and they damage timber, insulation and pipes. Their droppings and urine also contaminate the loft.
Not while they’re inside. Squirrels trapped in a loft will chew a new way out, sometimes into the house. Entry points should only be sealed once you’re sure they’ve gone.
No. Grey squirrels are an invasive species, and it’s illegal to release one into the wild once it has been caught.
Usually through gaps in soffits, fascias, roof tiles or vents, often reached from overhanging branches. They’ll chew a small gap until it’s big enough.
It depends on how many squirrels there are, access to the loft and roof, and how much proofing is needed. We give you a clear quote once we’ve seen the property.
Most often from autumn through to spring, when they look for warm, dry places to shelter and raise young.
We remove squirrels from homes, farms and businesses across Wiltshire and the borders of Somerset, Dorset and Hampshire, including:
Swindon, Bath, Salisbury, Chippenham, Andover, Trowbridge, Devizes, Frome, Warminster, Melksham, Shaftesbury, Calne, Marlborough, Corsham, Westbury, Amesbury.
– WHAT WE TREAT –
Eliminates mice with targeted treatments, preventing future infestations permanently.
We remove Grey Squirrels humanely and seal entry points to stop them coming back.
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Humanely eliminates large-scale rodent and bird infestations efficiently.
Decontaminates properties after infestations, ensuring hygiene and safety.
