Grey squirrels are easy to recognise outdoors but harder to pin down when you only hear them overhead. This guide covers the clues that tell you it is a squirrel.
Squirrels are active by day, which is the simplest way of telling them from rats. If you hear scampering, scratching or thumping in the roof soon after sunrise, or in the late afternoon, a squirrel is more likely than a rat, which tends to be heard at night. The sounds can be heavy, with bounding and dragging as they carry nesting material.
The grey squirrel is a stocky rodent with grey fur, often a brownish tinge on the back, a white or pale underside and a long bushy tail. It is larger than a rat, with a more rounded body. Red squirrels are smaller and rusty in colour, and are protected, so it is worth being sure what you have before any action is taken.
From the garden, look for gnawed fascias and soffits, bare patches around the edges of the roof, and gaps where tiles have shifted. Squirrels run along telephone wires, branches and fences to reach the building. A tree touching the roof, or a pipe or climbing plant running up the wall, gives them a route.
Rats leave greasy smears along runs and gnaw marks on smaller timber, and are heard at night. Birds in the eaves make lighter fluttering and chirping noises, especially in spring. Squirrels combine daytime activity, heavier movement and larger chewed holes. Where you cannot tell, a survey gives a definite answer.
Squirrels are most visible in autumn, when they bury and retrieve food, and in late winter and spring, when they look for nesting sites. Young are born in late winter or spring and sometimes again in summer, so a roof that was quiet in January can be busy by April. Noise that grows or moves around the roof over a few weeks may be a litter developing.
Keep a short note of when the noise starts, how long it lasts and where in the house you hear it. That detail helps pinpoint the entry route and the number of animals involved, and it makes the survey quicker and more accurate.
A torch from a safe position at the loft hatch can show a drey or droppings, but do not go further across the joists than you can see clearly. Ceilings will not carry your weight, and a startled animal in a confined space can bite.
If you think squirrels are in your roof, avoid blocking any hole you find before you know whether anything is inside, as animals can be trapped and may injure themselves or die. Call 0113 347 0014 or message us on WhatsApp for a free quote, and we will carry out a survey of your property.
Yes, but the timing helps. Squirrels are mainly active in daylight, rats at night. Squirrels are also heavier, leave a bulky drey and chew larger holes. A survey can confirm which animal is present.
They are dark, firm and rounded or slightly oblong, bigger than mouse droppings and often found near nesting material or gnawed timber. Wear gloves and a mask if you must clear them, and wash your hands afterwards.
It is very unlikely in most towns, as red squirrels live in specific woodland areas and rarely nest in houses. Greys are the usual culprits. Red squirrels are protected, so a professional should confirm the species.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. There are no call-out charges and surveys are free for homes and businesses.
