Grey squirrels are found in a wide range of habitats from parks and gardens to woodland. They spend part of their time foraging on the ground but are always within easy reach of trees. They usually have their young either in dreys (nests made of twigs and leaves) or in holes in trees. They will also breed in roof spaces where they may build their nests from loft insulation or other available materials. Grey squirrels do not hibernate but are less active during periods of cold weather. They normally have two litters each year; the first in February to March and a second in June to July. The litter size averages three to four, and the young are independent at about three months of age.
Damage and nuisance caused by squirells
The grey squirrel is classified as a rodent, but is not regarded as vermin as unlike rats and mice, they do not present a human health risk.
Problems occur mainly where squirrels gain access to roof spaces. In these situations, they may cause damage to electrical wiring, insulation, plastic water pipes or other materials and this can sometimes result in fires or flooding. The noise they make can be annoying and can often be distinguished from a rat as it will normally only happen during the day and it is more of a thump, thump, thump sound as they hop rather that scurry.
"I phoned Seekers and explained my concerns which they gave me advice about and they worked with me with regards to my commitments and availability. Excellent service. Very discreet and would definitely recommend them. Cheers Michael
How we control them
Believe it or not, it is an offence to release a Grey Squirrel back in to the wild once captured. It is therefore necessary for our technicians to use humane traps which quickly dispatch a problem squirrel rather than capturing them alive.