Squirrel Control in Derby
Legally compliant, humane squirrel removal from lofts and roof spaces, with a full survey before any trapping starts.
Grey squirrels are entertaining in the park and destructive in a loft. Once one finds a way into a roof space, the noise, damage and mess tend to escalate quickly, and by law, they can't be treated the same way as rats or mice. This page covers why that legal distinction matters, how to tell squirrel activity apart from other rodents, what actually works, and what a professional visit involves.
If you just need someone out today, call the number above, we'll talk through what you're hearing or seeing and confirm a fixed price before anything is booked.
Why Squirrels Are a Problem
The grey squirrel is a non-native invasive species in the UK, first brought over from North America in the 1870s as an ornamental addition to country estates, with introductions continuing into the 1930s before the damage they cause was properly recognised. Its legal status is genuinely different from any other rodent we treat: under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it's illegal to release a trapped grey squirrel back into the wild, or to allow one to escape. Anyone who traps one is legally obliged to dispatch it humanely rather than relocate it, which is exactly why squirrel work needs someone who understands both the welfare and legal side of the job properly.
There's an ecological reason squirrels are controlled too, not just a property one. Grey squirrels have pushed the UK's native red squirrel to near extinction across most of the country in under a century, partly through direct competition and partly by carrying a virus that's harmless to greys but fatal to reds. Squirrels can also bring fleas or mites into a loft space with them, which can then spread to other parts of the property once the squirrels themselves have gone.
What Damage Can Squirrels Do?
Squirrels chew constantly, and in a loft that means electrical wiring, a genuine fire risk since stripped insulation exposes live wiring to the surrounding timber, along with timber joists, roof felt and pipework. They'll also contaminate cold water tanks and attic space with urine and droppings, and strip fibreglass loft insulation to build nests, undoing what should have been a straightforward energy saving measure.
The cost adds up fast once squirrels are established. One major UK insurer, LV=, reported a 51% rise in squirrel damage claims in a recent year, with some individual claims running into the tens of thousands of pounds, well beyond the cost of early treatment.
How to Tell It's Squirrels, Not Rats
Squirrels only need a gap roughly the size of their own head to get into a roof space, which is smaller than most people expect for an animal that size. Once inside, the signs are fairly distinctive if you know what to look for. Squirrel footprints show four toes on the front paw and five on the back, each around two inches long, considerably bigger than a rat's. They're also far noisier and more persistent than rats, capable of scratching, running and gnawing sounds loud enough to disturb sleep, and a squirrel that's found a way in once will often keep trying to get back in even after being removed, unlike a rat, which tends to enter more by accident.
Timing is a genuine giveaway too. Grey squirrels are most active in the hours before sunrise, particularly through winter, with peak activity typically four to five hours before daybreak. If the noise in your loft is consistently early morning rather than throughout the night, that's a strong sign it's squirrels rather than rats or mice.
Signs You Might Have Squirrels
- Loud scratching or running noises in the loft, especially in the hours before dawn, particularly through winter
- Chewed timber or joists visible from below
- Stripped or displaced loft insulation
- Entry holes at roof edges or soffits, often not much bigger than a squirrel's head
- Grey squirrels seen entering the roofline, or footprints with four toes on the front paw and five on the back
- Fleas or mites in the loft, often carried in on the squirrels themselves
How Do You Get Rid of Squirrels?
Rodenticide bait used for rats and mice isn't licensed or effective on squirrels, so baiting isn't an option. The correct approach is humane trapping, and because trapped grey squirrels can't legally be released, anyone doing this themselves needs to understand both the trapping process and their legal obligation to dispatch the animal humanely.
It's technically legal for a homeowner to trap squirrels themselves, but getting it wrong is both a welfare and legal risk, and traps need to be checked regularly rather than left unattended. For most people, it's a job better handled by someone who does it as a matter of routine.
How We Effectively Remove Squirrels
We start with a loft survey to confirm entry points and the extent of any damage before any trapping begins. Humane trapping is then used to remove the squirrels, carried out in line with UK welfare and legal standards, typically over two to three visits since traps need checking rather than a single bait drop.
Once activity is under control, we advise on and can arrange proofing of the loft, sealing gaps under roof tiles and reinforcing weak points so squirrels can't get back in, a genuine risk given how persistently they'll try to return to a loft they've already used. Notes on any damage found are provided too, which is often useful for insurance or repair quotes given how common squirrel-related claims have become.
We cover the whole of Derby, roughly the DE1 to DE24 postcode area, plus a wide area of Derbyshire and South Derbyshire beyond it. Dealing with rats or mice instead? Our rat control and mouse control pages cover those, both treated very differently to squirrels given the legal distinction.
Other services
Dealing with something else? We cover these too.
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Or call 01332 496 0123 directly.
Common questions
Is it legal for me to trap squirrels myself?
Technically yes, but strict rules apply around release, and getting it wrong is both a welfare and legal risk. It's a job better left to someone who does it regularly.
How long does the whole job take?
A loft survey plus trapping typically needs two to three visits over a week or two, longer than rats or mice, since traps need checking rather than a single bait drop.
Will you repair the loft damage?
We'll advise on what needs fixing or proofing, but repairs like insulation replacement are usually a separate trade.
Why do I only hear them early in the morning?
Grey squirrels are most active in the hours before sunrise, particularly in winter, typically four to five hours before daybreak. That's exactly when loft noise is most noticeable, even though the squirrels themselves may be far less active for the rest of the day.
How do I know it's definitely squirrels and not rats?
Squirrel footprints are distinctive, four toes on the front paw and five on the back, each around two inches, much larger than a rat's. Squirrels are also considerably noisier and more persistent, once one finds a way into a loft it will keep trying to get back in even after being removed, unlike rats, which tend to enter by accident.
What areas of Derby do you cover?
The whole city, roughly the DE1 to DE24 postcode area, plus a wide area of Derbyshire and South Derbyshire beyond it.