22/08/2026
🐿️ SQUIRREL PROBLEM? – IT’S NOT ALWAYS A QUICK FIX!
Another squirrel job recently completed for a customer, and this one was a good example of why squirrel control can sometimes take a little patience.
The customer had suspected squirrel activity within the roof space. Rather than repeatedly attending the property just to see whether anything was happening, I was able to install a remote monitoring camera to keep a close eye on the situation.
This meant I could monitor activity remotely, identify when the squirrel was using the area and make decisions based on what was actually happening, helping to keep unnecessary visits and costs down for the customer. 📷
Grey squirrels might look harmless, but once they get into a roof space they can cause some serious problems. They have constantly growing incisors and will gnaw on all sorts of materials, including:
🔨 Timber and roof structures
⚡ Electrical cables, potentially creating a fire risk
🏠 Insulation, which they can tear apart to make nests
💧 Pipes and other building materials
💩 They can also contaminate loft spaces with urine, droppings and nesting material.
And squirrel control isn’t necessarily a case of setting a trap and catching one the same day. Depending on the circumstances, it can take days or sometimes longer to establish exactly how many squirrels are present, understand their movements and achieve a successful result. There can also be young squirrels which is why rushing the process can create more problems.
🐿️ There is also a much bigger reason why grey squirrel control matters.
Grey squirrels are an invasive non-native species and are one of the biggest threats to our native red squirrels. They compete with red squirrels for food and habitat, but they can also carry squirrelpox, which is generally harmless to grey squirrels but can be fatal to red squirrels.
In fact, squirrelpox is considered one of the greatest threats to the future of red squirrels in Scotland.
⚖️ And there is an important legal point when it comes to trapping grey squirrels in Scotland.
Grey squirrels cannot simply be trapped and released somewhere else. It is an offence to release a grey squirrel into the wild, and there is no general provision allowing them to be captured, transported elsewhere and released.
This is why squirrel control needs to be carried out by someone who understands the relevant wildlife legislation and animal welfare requirements. It’s not simply a case of catching an animal and dropping it off somewhere else.
Every squirrel job is different, so I always assess the situation first and choose the most appropriate approach for the property, the customer and the circumstances.
📍 Waterside Pest Solutions
Professional pest control throughout East Lothian, Edinburgh, the Lothians, Scottish Borders and surrounding areas.
If you’re hearing scratching, running or gnawing from your loft or roof space, don’t ignore it. The sooner the problem is identified, the easier it can be to prevent further damage.
📩 Get in touch for advice or to arrange an inspection.
Information regarding grey squirrel legislation is based on current NatureScot guidance and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
