Saw a squirrel in the loft last night.
Didn't see any evidence of a nest, but if it is making a home [do they hibernate?] then how to I go about getting rid of it before it does?
Cheers!
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Advice please: Squirrels in the loft
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Posted 1 year ago #
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Squirrels do not hibernate.
Posted 1 year ago # -
They cause no end of damage. Shoot be bugger ASAP
Posted 1 year ago # -
It wasn't me
Posted 1 year ago # -
are you a Red Quirrel or a Grey Quirrel?
Posted 1 year ago # -
I had this problem. They're right destructive little buggers. And generally sound like a herd of elephants.
If you phone the local council, they'll send the pest control guys out for what was a nominal fee *
They only come for a brief stay though apparently. They seek a bit of warmth for to basically spawn ickle squirrels, stick around for a week or so, then they scarper, new offspring in tow. But they can do quite a bit of damage in that time
*NB: Call-Me-Dave has probably abolished or privatised this department now, so costs will have probably risen
Posted 1 year ago # -
Squirrels in the loft.
I thought this might be a quaint euphemism used in the polite discussion of insanity.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I had "squirrels in the loft" too - I went up to see what was thundering around and the little blighter went for me. I threw the wallpaper stripper I was holding and legged it (nice girl). The pest control chappie said that was the right thing to do as they carry some particuarly vile diseases if they do bite, plus they can do no end of structural damage (squirrels, not strippers). Anyway, it ended up with him and gun and pretty soon afterwards a rather dead squirrel.
Posted 1 year ago # -
+1 for the nuissance comments. Had them in our loft but got a man with a trap to come round and sort them. He feeds the bodies to his pet ferrets
Apart from the fact that they will home back to you anyway, once trapped they can't be released (assuming they're grey squirrels) as apparently they're classed as vermin and should be killed.
Apparently they taste ok for hoomans to eat also.
Posted 1 year ago # -
My dad had a lot of trouble with the pesky little vermin
he bought an air rifle
My dad no longer has a lot of trouble with the pesky little vermin
Posted 1 year ago # -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/americana
"Squirrel hunter Hovey Smith steps into his backyard in rural Georgia to share some hunting tips and a family recipe for squirrel stew."
GreytreeratsSquirrels are vermin but can be eaten if thoroughly cooked.Posted 1 year ago # -
If you do buy/borrow an air rifle I recommend some hollow point pellets. The problem I found was that the normal domed or pointed hunting pellets used for rabbits went straight through the squirrel!
Please also make sure you get a good head or chest shot. For your's and the squirrels sake don't shoot and injure it or he'll just limp off and die some where in agony you can't reach.
Posted 1 year ago # -
You can borrow my bedlington terrier...he'd clear the lot!
Posted 1 year ago # -
best bet is a cage trap or fenn trap in the loft, if you use a fenn trap remember to fix it down bait with peanut butter or bounty bar
both work wellPosted 1 year ago # -
are you a
RedQuirrel or a Grey Quirrel?
I used to me mrsquirrel, but people on forums thought my name was Mrs Quirrel, and eventually Quirrel stuck.
I'm pretty common, so I suppose I'm grey
Posted 1 year ago # -
If you have more than one, a cage trap might be a better bet, where are you based teacake?
As BigEaredBiker said, you will need to be a top class shot too to put one down & if they are caught up in a small area like a loft, they will go crazy once you start shooting...
[edit] remember to find out where they are getting in and block it, otherwise another family will just move in
Posted 1 year ago # -
If you do trap a grey squirrel; you will still need to kill it since it is illegal to release grey squirrels into the wild in the UK.
Posted 1 year ago # -
If you do trap a grey squirrel; you will still need to kill it since it is illegal to release grey squirrels into the wild in the UK.
They are easier to shoot once inside a cage, but only just
Posted 1 year ago # -
They are vermin (would you handle a rat with your bare hands?) so wear gloves when handling the carcase.
Posted 1 year ago # -
don't shoot and injure it or he'll just limp off and die some where in agony you can't reach.
And that would be a problem because....?
Posted 1 year ago # -
And that would be a problem because....?
It's in his loft.
Posted 1 year ago # -
they taste like chicken...... with a hint of nuttiness
Posted 1 year ago # -
[quote]And that would be a problem because....?
It's in his loft. [/quote]
... and it will rot
Posted 1 year ago # -
Damn and arse.
And I thought I was being a troll!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'll fax you a New Mexico coyote to turn loose in the attic--should sort it all out
Posted 1 year ago # -
What you really need is a python. Silent and deadly.
We had a problem with possums in our roof space in Oz, but a python moved in and the problem went away.
Only found out about the python when the plumber went into the roof space to fix our solar hot water...
Posted 1 year ago # -
He didn't have a little bespectacled mole friend with him did he?
EDIT: The squirrel that is, not the python.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Set fire to the house. That'll deal with the vermin.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Had one of the little beggars in the loft a few years back - a whole lot of noise above the bedroom, on Christmas eve for good measure !
Out predecessor's builders had extended the bays at the back of the house so they met the eves - so the eves formed a nice (tree) rat-run from one side of the house (where the eves were open) into a space above a second bathroom on the other. I'd found evidence of a nest there before, but didn't think too much of it.
All I needed to do was make sure there was bird food outside, then nip up the ladder and cover everything in with chicken wire while I thought it was out foraging.
We had a recurrence later 'cos I'd tried to be tidy with the chickenwire - where it/another squirrel could reach an adjoining timber batten, it munched through to push the wire out of the way/squeeze through.
Just had to repeat the above and lob up *way* more chicken wire so there was nothing it could reach to chew.
Posted 1 year ago # -
The RSCPA hate people killing squirrels and have taken someone to court for drowning one - he got something like a £1500 fine. Theoretically they'll do the same to anyone who is found to kill a squirrel inhumanely. My plan for catching and killing them involves a trap and then putting squirrel into a hessian sack and then hitting v hard with a brick whilst wearing gloves - don't attempt anything without the gloves.
BTW, it is legal to release grey squirrels - but you need a license to do so. The RSPCA can do this so givem their willingness to punish anyone who hurts the little furry things I suggest any that are caught are given to them to look after. Or smash it's head in and have it for your tea.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Had 3 of the buggers now all at different times, every Spring seems to be favourite. Apparently they can do a lot of damage but they weren't given the opportunity as I've a hotlines to the pest control people as we've had wasps up there as well.
Noisy bastards tend to stomp around at about 4AM.
I've since strengthened the roof with chicken wire and cut down a near by tree they were using as a launchpad to get to the roof.
Posted 1 year ago # -
BTW, it is legal to release grey squirrels
But they have a habbit of finding their way home, big users of public transport
Posted 1 year ago # -
You want one of these:
Posted 1 year ago # -
Article in todays Southern Reporter
""Making a concerted effort to control grey squirrels prior to their breeding season next year will also greatly benefit our native reds during this critical time."
Red Squirrels in South Scotland (RSSS) operate a trap loan scheme offering traps and training to anyone wishing to help protect red squirrels. Anyone interested in joining the scheme can contact Miss Ramoo on 01750 23446 or 07733 121838.
She urged the public to report sightings of both red and grey squirrels using the online form at http://www.redsquirrels.org.uk or by email to:info@redsquirrels.org.uk."(on same page as article "Glentress to lose Hub")
Posted 1 year ago # -
These squirrels... you sure they've got 'bushy' tails?
Posted 1 year ago #
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