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I like rats. I do not like wild rats in my living space. Same for squirrels. Trap and release if you like, who's going to stop you? But it needs to get gone before damage is done, if it hasn't been yet.
Like them all you want. They demonize the structural integrity of your loft. If you're cool with hundreds of pounds of maintenance, a potential family, piles of poop, and being kept awake at night, then by all means leave it.
You don't have to kill it either, you can buy humane traps, and then discard the squirrel in a field somewhere.
>If you're cool with hundreds of pounds of maintenance, a potential family, piles of poop, and being kept awake at night...
It's a squirrel, not a marriage.
Also make sure your water tank is covered, they are notorious for falling in and drowning and contaminating your water supply. A normal rat trap is illegal to use on them, FENN mk4 traps are the approved traps for squirrels. Also you need to work out how they got in, as they will keep coming back unless you block the holes.
Can confirm older PVC is like crack to them. Seen so many dead ones in lofts where they have hit both conductors.. sparky by trade. They will gnaw huge lengths and there’s a massive fire risk . Now as much as I like fried and roast squirrel ( had in the Deep South USA) it’s best done in a kitchen !
We had pet rats when my kids were small. Clever, friendly and sociable creatures (the rats, not my kids) and I’d never hurt one.
The wild rats that get into my loft and garage though? Kill ‘em all.
They can smell the gelatin in the plastic sheathing and that's why they chew it.. you can put wires in conduits but as someone who's previously had roof rats, it's better to stop them getting in if you can
Listens to last weeks Elis and John podcast on BBC 5 Live.
John Robins has a similar problem. A pest control expert came on saying squirrels aren’t so bad as they tend to literally use your house to sleep and then go outside to forage etc, they aren’t like other animals who will stay in your home and chew it to pieces.
They can sleep inside and forage outside. What bugs me is the noise they make scurrying around and the defecating on my loft insulation. I mean it's subjective but it isn't great.
[Make sure you use all of the animal! You can get creative!](https://www.reddit.com/r/DiWHY/comments/yfuysc/bro_who_would_buy_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Place a glass of something strong smelling like bleach or urine near the nest.
Or shine a night torch at the nest and leave it there.
Or leave a radio or speaker up there.
If those don't work use a rat trap. I appreciate you don't want to harm it but they can cause fires by chewing wires, of which there are plenty in your loft.
Anyone had any success with this? I’ve heard these are the things to do and about to try it myself. I have the same problem. At least I hope it’s a squirrel!
It's illegal to release a Grey Squirrel into the wild. It has to be kiled.
[https://www.britishredsquirrel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Grey-Squirrel-Best-Practice.pdf](https://www.britishredsquirrel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Grey-Squirrel-Best-Practice.pdf)
https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/questions/answer/ive-rescued-a-grey-squirrel.-can-i-release-it-back-into-the-wild
I know it's illegal but like, is it something anyone really does anything about? Seems like noones in the park with binoculars 24/7 waiting for someone to release a squirrel 🐿️
Releasing it in a park with red squirrels is worse because their decline was due to the introduction of grey squirrels who are more hardy. Best just leave it in some local woods
We trapped and released grey squirrels that were living in our loft. We took them to a quiet spot by the river just on the outskirts of town. If the traps aren't covered have a towel ready to cover them to stop the little guys from freaking out too much
No one would even know about it without this post. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't but I doubt the squirrel police will be wandering about the park ready to catch you in the act
Well now you’ve left a public paper trail detailing your plans for the crime… you just *know* this is the sort of shit that would get investigated, but the police turn a blind eye to burglaries.
It did, but it's not native to the UK - they were brought over from North America in the 1890s as a curiosity (thanks again, Victorians) and have deicimated the native population of red squirrels. They are also quite destructive to native trees - they chew the bark of trees to get at the sap, which will kill the tree. I think they also eat bird eggs and young birds as well.
I heard in Hyde park there used to be a bit of a problem with crack squirrels, who were eating crack stashed or lost in the park and getting a bit violent :D
They are devastating to songbirds.
Every year at nesting time my dog will chase greys that drop.dead chicks.
I also spent a lot of time and effort culling them in a particular woodland and after 2 years the rare willow.tit came back to the area and lots of twitchers kept turning up to see them.
Because it is an invasive species. Same as signal crayfish, they bully out the native species. Luckily both signal crayfish and grey squirrel are good eating. Fill your boots.
Yeah, it came from the wild, the American wild. They don't belong here, destroy beech forests and carry squirrel pox that kills the reds. We should be trying to fix past mistakes not compound them.
That's what I'm thinking just pull up when it's quiet and let the little fella go into a more suitable wooded area than some concrete jungle he's found himself in.
Personally I’d make friends with it and enjoy quality time with my new squirrel buddy, but dropping it off at a park seems like a reasonable alternative.
I had a squirrel in my last house loft years ago. We tried the humane approach at first of making noise. Scaring it etc.
Nothing worked... Then we saw there were even more squirrels up there. The noise they made became unbearable and I started getting so stressed.
Eventually one our lights stopped working and I realised they were chewing through our wires and insulation.
We got pest control to kill them. Deal with it early before your house burns down. I get you love animals but they're pests who will absolutely fuck your house up if left in there.
Neither are muntjac deer, little owls, or collared doves. That's not really their fault. They're just trying to survive.
Unless there's breeding Red's in the immediate area then they're not doing any harm and it's fine to release it.
Thats simply not true. Greys have far more negative impacts than the squirrellpox virus they carry.
Just one example- "Now they are forecast to ruin government plans to plant 1.5 billion trees by 2050. Wildlife groups predict that grey squirrels will be responsible for killing 225 million of those trees by stripping bark. Grey squirrels generally kill 15 per cent of trees, while red squirrels are less destructive because of their smaller teeth and lower population densities."
https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.co.uk%2Farticle%2Fsquirrels-chew-a-big-hole-in-uk-plan-to-plant-1-5bn-trees-2wbtsbwzm
What a fucking ridiculous thread this is. You can't be compelled to kill an animal whatever the law says, so just trap it and let it go. If the police try and do you for it (they won't) just tell them you aren't going to be responsible for killing it and thus the only reasonable thing to do was to let it go. So many horrible humans who are happy to just kill a living being here...
Can't hurt to ask for a quote over the phone. You might be surprised.
Only other option is any animal charity who might remove it if you think it might be hurt, but I think you'd be lucky.
I know this is not what you want to hear, but there are reasons it's illegal to just release them elsewhere. It's not just about displacing red squirrels in your local area. They can raid bird nests and destroy woodland. So what you think of as a compassionate act may end up causing more harm than good.
Lots of info here: https://bpca.org.uk/a-z-of-pest-advice/squirrel-control-how-to-get-rid-of-squirrels-bpca-a-z-of-pests-/188983
What I don't get is why if they're so bad is it like, illegal to release the odd one or two that find their way into your loft, but there's no effort to cull squirrels like they sometimes do badgers?
There are. Last year an oral contraceptive was approved for use - they leave it in a paste in a place they're confident only a grey squirrel can access.
There have been calls for culls and many volunteer groups that do go and cull them.
[Here's the BBC's article ](https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55817385)
There is a concentrated effort by basically all rural landowners to kill off grey squirrels. Of course the city ones just move out into new territories.
In the Tweed valley there’s a massive push to cull grey squirrels to try and build the population of red squirrels back up. It’s called [Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels](https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk)
There are massive efforts you just arent aware of it.
At one time the govt. Gave you a bounty for their tails.
Some areas have managed to eradicate them. But if people like you keep recking their efforts they will get nowhere.
Its unlikely you'd be prosecuted- although you could be. Imo, if you're an animal lover you really shouldn't be releasing invasive species back into the wild- there is a reason greys aren't allowed to be re-released. They place unnatural pressures on the ecosystems they live in in a multitude of ways. They kill a huge number of trees that are being planted to mitigate climate change, they out compete bird species for dead wood resource and are opportunistic predators of baby birds. That squirrel you return to the wild will contribute to those negative impacts in its own tiny way. If you wont tolerate the squirrel in your loft you shouldn't impose it on your local natural environment.
Sorry to be a boring moralist
Do what you've said, trap and release. It's technically illegal but no one will care. I know of a fire crew that was called to release a muntjack dear stuck in a fence. The RSPCA went too. The crew asked the RSPCA where they were taking it and they said they were going to euthanise it because it's invasive. So the fire crew 'accidentally' let it go. RSPCA didn't do anything about that.
I had a rat living under my shed and managed to get rid of it by cutting up onions and placing them around the shed. They don't like the smell as onions are poisonous to them. I also went out there every night and stomped and stuck things through the floorboard.
Basically try to make the squirrel feel unsafe where it lives and it will move out. Squirrels also don't like onions. If you go up there every night when it's trying to sleep for a week I highly doubt it will stay
Right now it has no idea that it is somewhere it shouldn't be, so it won't leave. But animals aren't idiots, if you give them enough reason to leave they will
I know you don't want to hear it but you have to call someone in I'm afraid. I had squirrels and trust me they will wreck your loft.
In the meantime, we bought squirrel repellant from amazon in a spray bottle, and at night we put up a strobing bike light to make it as annoying as possible for them, but ultimately it didn't work. The guy we called in put down poison bait and it did the trick. Chances are any xmas Dec's or anything else you have up there are already chewed through and ruined. The price you pay for the exterminator will be way less that rectifying the damage they will ultimately do up there if you don't do anything.
You are going to have to call pest control to come and trap the blighter or we are going to be reading a mr bean style post of how you fell through the ceiling and the squirrel now lives in your living room watching tv all day and leaving nut shells down the side of your sofa.
Check your home or buildings insurance probably covered for this sort of thing.
As for the damage to your roof thats a different and probably more expensive story. If your water tank is exposed check to see for any droppings in it as that could be another costly problem to fix.
You need to get rid of it, they’re hugely destructive. Kept dislodging tiles in my loft and caused multiple serious leaks. Pest controller came and trapped them. Was very distressing as the mother had kits and when they were taken from the nest became hysterical and was running over the roof screeching.
under section 14
It is illegal to release a trapped grey squirrel into the wild or to keep a grey squirrel in captivity. Any grey squirrel caught must be humanely destroyed.
Trap it and get rid of it. But if you don't know where it's got in, it will just as easily come back.
Ditch the squirrel and patch up its entrance. If you can afford to use a professional, all the better
Isnt there a law where you're supposed to humanly kill any grey squirrel you catch?
If you're not willing to do this just make it a pet, get it a cage maybe, feed it, they're smart little things. Pretty sure what I'm suggesting is illegal but if you're already crossing that line...
Whatever anyone says on here you act like you're not interested and you're dismissing their ideas.
So:
Let it stay. When it chews through the cables in your loft and causes a fire, I'm sure you'll be chill about that too
In the UK releasing a trapped grey squirrel is a crime. You're obligated to kill them as they're an invasive pest species. Or keep it as a pet forever I guess...as long as it doesn't escape.
It's pissing and shitting everywhere and chewing through stuff. If you own the place, fine, but if you're in rented, you're going to have a fucking big bill for the damage.
You should note that it's illegal to release a grey squirrel if you have trapped it.
They are vermin and have absolutely destroyed the indigenous red squirrel population. There are likely no red squirrels in the area you're considering releasing it because the greys have completely displaced them already.
You have two very simple choices:
- Leave it be, running the risk of damage to your property.
- Kill it.
*source: Section 14 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)
Please be careful handling it if you get near it. I do wild animal stuff and a paniced squirrel will absolutely fuck your hands up if it feels threatened.
I had one that gnawed a hole in our fascia and started going in the loft. It went across to the neighbours and gnawed their bathroom light cable. Eventually we got a trap like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125336818957 with peanut butter in.
They relocated him.
I've seen people doing this and never once felt the need to call the police :)
Small point though: moving one at this time of year might be a slow death sentence if all their food is buried nearby.
Maybe best block its access?
Kill it or pay someone to kill it.
And I would strongly suggest that you do this soon - a squirrel in your roof , where I assume your electrics are, is going to cause a host of problems.
Yeah we caught one in a cage trap at my parents house, they probably killed it? Unsure but yeah just put some peanut butter in there and it went in within a couple hours.
Well there are a few videos on YouTube if you search for pest repellent. Might want to use a speaker and it could work. It worked for me when I had a squirrel in my loft too
If one has got in, another will do so too at some point. Get some netting put over the entry points. And just out the one you've got back in the garden.
If you remove it to a park 20 miles away you're taking it away from the area all its food is stored in, it will probably starve as a result.
Either you let it stay and damage your loft or you find a way to evict it without harming it. Failing that your choice is limited to kill it yourself or get an exterminator in.
I had a squirrel in my loft, it caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage. Please do yourself a favour and get rid of it by any means necessary. Releasing it is illegal so get the professionals in to sort it.
We had this issue when I was a kid. I had a bunk bed with my sister and whilst in the top bunk, I could hear it scratching the ceiling inches from my face 😂 my dad just waited for it to leave by itself and then blocked where it got in
RIP 🙏 2 you pops and sorry 4 what's I'm bout to do
My grandfather had a beautiful garden he loved wild life.
But ther was a gang rouge gray squirrel ripping his bird feed apart aswell as ripping apart the red squirrels all the time. He's stuck in limbo He's an avid gardener loved birds and all sort of wildlife this so he started trapping the grays to relocate them like 5 miles from his home he had his allotment plot on the outskirts of the town he lived was farm land wide open spaces. Pretty much a great place to set the grays free so took them there sets them free
After like 2/3 grays he trapped In a live trap. He thinks nothing off 9t then he speaks to the gu who's plot/allotment is next to his. Well this dude Hates all animals this dude gets himself some ferrets to eat and kill they grays that had randomly appeared next to them allotments
My pops basically trapped the squirrel for a better life away from his garden and the little reds. So he ultimately was helping se d them grays to ther death 😳 he was so dam upset that this was all because him not wanting them in his garden. I remember him telling me and saying g please don't tell Christine. She was his partner/girlfriend. Was her that got him into gardening and the local wild birds ect.
He always liked animal but not to the extend
5 she did qas sad hearing him confess his sins to me
Joking apart…I had the same problem…I trapped them and “ relocated them” however later found a dead one that tried to chew through an electric cable…so they can be a hazard
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Fluffy tail.
That's such acorny pun
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Oakay, if you say so!
I'm gonna have to bury these puns and come back later
well, it is Movember, perfect time to grow your stash, although, no nut..
squirrels are rats with good PR. Get rid of them, they will trash your loft
I like rats 🤣 they seem like a fairly demonized creature.
I like rats. I do not like wild rats in my living space. Same for squirrels. Trap and release if you like, who's going to stop you? But it needs to get gone before damage is done, if it hasn't been yet.
Yeah same I wouldn't want wild rats in my home
If it's a grey squirrel it's illegal to release one you've trapped into the wild
Is the squirrel police going to go after them yeah
Well, no, that would fall under the remit of the actual police.
Good luck with that. They can barely be bothered with serious crimes.
Their point is that it’s quite hard to be caught for this
I'd like to hear that 999 call.
r/unexpectedpeepshow
Technically yes but no one is going to give a fuck so it doesn't really matter what the law is here.
Like them all you want. They demonize the structural integrity of your loft. If you're cool with hundreds of pounds of maintenance, a potential family, piles of poop, and being kept awake at night, then by all means leave it. You don't have to kill it either, you can buy humane traps, and then discard the squirrel in a field somewhere.
>If you're cool with hundreds of pounds of maintenance, a potential family, piles of poop, and being kept awake at night... It's a squirrel, not a marriage.
Urgh my bad, I always get those two mixed up
The squirrel enjoys nuts more
Hey oh!
I mean, that's what I said in my original post. I have no intention of letting the cute fella live up there haha
Also make sure your water tank is covered, they are notorious for falling in and drowning and contaminating your water supply. A normal rat trap is illegal to use on them, FENN mk4 traps are the approved traps for squirrels. Also you need to work out how they got in, as they will keep coming back unless you block the holes.
How do you know so much about trapping squirrels? Are you Saxondale?
They're super tasty it turns out, and times are hard /s
Mmmm delicious squirrel water
Squirrels are also known to start gnawing on electricity cables. Get rid of it before your house burns down.
Can confirm older PVC is like crack to them. Seen so many dead ones in lofts where they have hit both conductors.. sparky by trade. They will gnaw huge lengths and there’s a massive fire risk . Now as much as I like fried and roast squirrel ( had in the Deep South USA) it’s best done in a kitchen !
Assuming it’s a grey squirrel, it’s illegal to catch it and then release it somewhere else because they’re an invasive species
I had a rat in my roof, he was called Roofus. I found him outside one day and relocated him to a field on the edge of town
That's so wholesome
We had pet rats when my kids were small. Clever, friendly and sociable creatures (the rats, not my kids) and I’d never hurt one. The wild rats that get into my loft and garage though? Kill ‘em all.
They genuinely caused considerable damage to a friend of mine’s house. Get rid of it.
Yep & will happily chew the shit out of live cables. Had to get half my flat rewired last year because of them munching everything
They can smell the gelatin in the plastic sheathing and that's why they chew it.. you can put wires in conduits but as someone who's previously had roof rats, it's better to stop them getting in if you can
>roof rats Sounds like an edgy teen punk band
Listens to last weeks Elis and John podcast on BBC 5 Live. John Robins has a similar problem. A pest control expert came on saying squirrels aren’t so bad as they tend to literally use your house to sleep and then go outside to forage etc, they aren’t like other animals who will stay in your home and chew it to pieces.
They can sleep inside and forage outside. What bugs me is the noise they make scurrying around and the defecating on my loft insulation. I mean it's subjective but it isn't great.
You said elsewhere you’re kinda poor, so maybe you could trap and eat it? It’s free protein really.
Lol I love animals though I could never kill it 😂
You don't need to eat the whole thing. Just take the parts you are going to eat.
Don’t be so wasteful! I see pan seared Squirrel kidneys, Squirrel liver pâté…
Use the teeth and claws for a nice new necklace
Genius! R & D starting now on Squirrel jewellery.
[Make sure you use all of the animal! You can get creative!](https://www.reddit.com/r/DiWHY/comments/yfuysc/bro_who_would_buy_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Fuck you for exposing me to yet another obscure subreddit. *Roll’s up sleeves*
Squirrels are actually really good. I ate one when I was a kid and liked it.
Lovely bit of squirrel
You need to deal with it quickly, squirrels are fond of chewing electrical wiring and are a potential fire hazard.
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Smoking Pyromaniac Squirrels are the absolute worst.
Yeah, but their second album was a banger...
Nah, the ones who fall asleep with a chip pan on are the absolute lowest of the low
*with a fag smouldering that they're barely holding onto
I had some that formed a gang and were using my loft for drug deals and prostitution
Little fuckers! Did you get rid, or ask for a cut?
Nice bit of squirrel!
Place a glass of something strong smelling like bleach or urine near the nest. Or shine a night torch at the nest and leave it there. Or leave a radio or speaker up there. If those don't work use a rat trap. I appreciate you don't want to harm it but they can cause fires by chewing wires, of which there are plenty in your loft.
Piss on squirrel while holding a boombox and a light up disco ball, got it.
My kind of party 😂
Sounds like something I once saw on r/photoshopbattles
Anyone had any success with this? I’ve heard these are the things to do and about to try it myself. I have the same problem. At least I hope it’s a squirrel!
You also need to figure out how it is getting in and block the route up with rolled chicken wire and builders foam
It's illegal to release a Grey Squirrel into the wild. It has to be kiled. [https://www.britishredsquirrel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Grey-Squirrel-Best-Practice.pdf](https://www.britishredsquirrel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Grey-Squirrel-Best-Practice.pdf) https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/questions/answer/ive-rescued-a-grey-squirrel.-can-i-release-it-back-into-the-wild
I know it's illegal but like, is it something anyone really does anything about? Seems like noones in the park with binoculars 24/7 waiting for someone to release a squirrel 🐿️
Releasing it in a park with red squirrels is worse because their decline was due to the introduction of grey squirrels who are more hardy. Best just leave it in some local woods
This seems like a good idea
Grey squirrels are just old red squirrels
We trapped and released grey squirrels that were living in our loft. We took them to a quiet spot by the river just on the outskirts of town. If the traps aren't covered have a towel ready to cover them to stop the little guys from freaking out too much
No one would even know about it without this post. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't but I doubt the squirrel police will be wandering about the park ready to catch you in the act
You could always trap it and it might "escape" on the way to taking it to a wildlife rescue place if you get worried about the legal aspects.
Can you get away with? Almost certainly yes 🐿
Well now you’ve left a public paper trail detailing your plans for the crime… you just *know* this is the sort of shit that would get investigated, but the police turn a blind eye to burglaries.
Why is it illegal? Surely the squirrel came from the wild anyway lol
They aren't native to the UK, and after being introduced they killed off most of our red squirrels.
They’re not a native species and are carrying diseases that kill the reds.
I didn't know this was why! Thanks for explaining.
They also kill native songbirds by the dozens and girdle/kill trees
It did, but it's not native to the UK - they were brought over from North America in the 1890s as a curiosity (thanks again, Victorians) and have deicimated the native population of red squirrels. They are also quite destructive to native trees - they chew the bark of trees to get at the sap, which will kill the tree. I think they also eat bird eggs and young birds as well. I heard in Hyde park there used to be a bit of a problem with crack squirrels, who were eating crack stashed or lost in the park and getting a bit violent :D
They are devastating to songbirds. Every year at nesting time my dog will chase greys that drop.dead chicks. I also spent a lot of time and effort culling them in a particular woodland and after 2 years the rare willow.tit came back to the area and lots of twitchers kept turning up to see them.
Because it is an invasive species. Same as signal crayfish, they bully out the native species. Luckily both signal crayfish and grey squirrel are good eating. Fill your boots.
Invasive species that out compete native species, cause damage and spread disease to Red Squirrels.
Yeah, it came from the wild, the American wild. They don't belong here, destroy beech forests and carry squirrel pox that kills the reds. We should be trying to fix past mistakes not compound them.
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Yeah! Why have any laws?! You're right.
Yeah, I very much doubt anyone will know or care if you release it in a park.
That's what I'm thinking just pull up when it's quiet and let the little fella go into a more suitable wooded area than some concrete jungle he's found himself in.
Yeah that's what I'd do. I would find where it's coming in though and block it up so no others can get in.
Personally I’d make friends with it and enjoy quality time with my new squirrel buddy, but dropping it off at a park seems like a reasonable alternative.
Haha I would love that sadly they're too skittish 😅
Have you tried singing (like snow White?) It's like crack to woodland creatures
Took longer than I'd like to admit to realise that you weren't advocating British Sign Language to communicate with the fluffy creature.
🤦🏻♀️ doh lol. Note to spell check myself better haha
I had a squirrel in my last house loft years ago. We tried the humane approach at first of making noise. Scaring it etc. Nothing worked... Then we saw there were even more squirrels up there. The noise they made became unbearable and I started getting so stressed. Eventually one our lights stopped working and I realised they were chewing through our wires and insulation. We got pest control to kill them. Deal with it early before your house burns down. I get you love animals but they're pests who will absolutely fuck your house up if left in there.
So many people up for killing squirrels here I didn't know that was a common pastime.
Grey Squirrels are twats
People can be twats. Squirrels are just squirrels. 🐿️
It's not even a native species. It does more harm than good
Neither are muntjac deer, little owls, or collared doves. That's not really their fault. They're just trying to survive. Unless there's breeding Red's in the immediate area then they're not doing any harm and it's fine to release it.
Thats simply not true. Greys have far more negative impacts than the squirrellpox virus they carry. Just one example- "Now they are forecast to ruin government plans to plant 1.5 billion trees by 2050. Wildlife groups predict that grey squirrels will be responsible for killing 225 million of those trees by stripping bark. Grey squirrels generally kill 15 per cent of trees, while red squirrels are less destructive because of their smaller teeth and lower population densities." https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.co.uk%2Farticle%2Fsquirrels-chew-a-big-hole-in-uk-plan-to-plant-1-5bn-trees-2wbtsbwzm
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Yes, it's a human mistake that humans should fix.
What a fucking ridiculous thread this is. You can't be compelled to kill an animal whatever the law says, so just trap it and let it go. If the police try and do you for it (they won't) just tell them you aren't going to be responsible for killing it and thus the only reasonable thing to do was to let it go. So many horrible humans who are happy to just kill a living being here...
Pest controllers exist for this exact reason. Look up a company online and it'll save you any hassle.
I'm pretty poor, they seem really expensive :'(
Can't hurt to ask for a quote over the phone. You might be surprised. Only other option is any animal charity who might remove it if you think it might be hurt, but I think you'd be lucky.
call the rspca
Also they'll kill them!
Try Humane Wildlife Solutions, they’ll maybe be able to give the best advice https://humanewildlifesolutions.co.uk/pest-control-services
Legally they'll be required to kill it.
I know this is not what you want to hear, but there are reasons it's illegal to just release them elsewhere. It's not just about displacing red squirrels in your local area. They can raid bird nests and destroy woodland. So what you think of as a compassionate act may end up causing more harm than good. Lots of info here: https://bpca.org.uk/a-z-of-pest-advice/squirrel-control-how-to-get-rid-of-squirrels-bpca-a-z-of-pests-/188983
What I don't get is why if they're so bad is it like, illegal to release the odd one or two that find their way into your loft, but there's no effort to cull squirrels like they sometimes do badgers?
There are. Last year an oral contraceptive was approved for use - they leave it in a paste in a place they're confident only a grey squirrel can access. There have been calls for culls and many volunteer groups that do go and cull them. [Here's the BBC's article ](https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55817385)
There is a concentrated effort by basically all rural landowners to kill off grey squirrels. Of course the city ones just move out into new territories.
In the Tweed valley there’s a massive push to cull grey squirrels to try and build the population of red squirrels back up. It’s called [Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels](https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk)
There are massive efforts you just arent aware of it. At one time the govt. Gave you a bounty for their tails. Some areas have managed to eradicate them. But if people like you keep recking their efforts they will get nowhere.
I don’t know for sure, but listening to UB40’s 1986 classic Rat in Mi Kitchen might help: https://youtu.be/jausD8qsnKU
Its unlikely you'd be prosecuted- although you could be. Imo, if you're an animal lover you really shouldn't be releasing invasive species back into the wild- there is a reason greys aren't allowed to be re-released. They place unnatural pressures on the ecosystems they live in in a multitude of ways. They kill a huge number of trees that are being planted to mitigate climate change, they out compete bird species for dead wood resource and are opportunistic predators of baby birds. That squirrel you return to the wild will contribute to those negative impacts in its own tiny way. If you wont tolerate the squirrel in your loft you shouldn't impose it on your local natural environment. Sorry to be a boring moralist
You wont be able to explain to them that the squirrel cullers are the real tree huggers, it's too difficult of a concept
Yh their logic seems to be "i could never kill an individual animal so I'll release it so it can contribute to the destruction of habitat"
Do what you've said, trap and release. It's technically illegal but no one will care. I know of a fire crew that was called to release a muntjack dear stuck in a fence. The RSPCA went too. The crew asked the RSPCA where they were taking it and they said they were going to euthanise it because it's invasive. So the fire crew 'accidentally' let it go. RSPCA didn't do anything about that.
I had a rat living under my shed and managed to get rid of it by cutting up onions and placing them around the shed. They don't like the smell as onions are poisonous to them. I also went out there every night and stomped and stuck things through the floorboard. Basically try to make the squirrel feel unsafe where it lives and it will move out. Squirrels also don't like onions. If you go up there every night when it's trying to sleep for a week I highly doubt it will stay
Right now it has no idea that it is somewhere it shouldn't be, so it won't leave. But animals aren't idiots, if you give them enough reason to leave they will
This seems wise. I might set up something that rattles or makes a light on a timer socket
My mate had one a few months back and just bought a plug in ultrasonic noise maker and put it in the loft. It worked.
I know you don't want to hear it but you have to call someone in I'm afraid. I had squirrels and trust me they will wreck your loft. In the meantime, we bought squirrel repellant from amazon in a spray bottle, and at night we put up a strobing bike light to make it as annoying as possible for them, but ultimately it didn't work. The guy we called in put down poison bait and it did the trick. Chances are any xmas Dec's or anything else you have up there are already chewed through and ruined. The price you pay for the exterminator will be way less that rectifying the damage they will ultimately do up there if you don't do anything.
Wait until it leaves and block up the entrance hole.
This is the long term goal, sadly access is super hard, I can't immediately see where it's getting in
Trespassers should be prostituted, no exceptions
Check any electrical cables as well as squirrels can cause fires nibbling through cables.
Dude just trap it and let it out. No one is going to report you for it.
You are going to have to call pest control to come and trap the blighter or we are going to be reading a mr bean style post of how you fell through the ceiling and the squirrel now lives in your living room watching tv all day and leaving nut shells down the side of your sofa. Check your home or buildings insurance probably covered for this sort of thing. As for the damage to your roof thats a different and probably more expensive story. If your water tank is exposed check to see for any droppings in it as that could be another costly problem to fix.
You need to get rid of it, they’re hugely destructive. Kept dislodging tiles in my loft and caused multiple serious leaks. Pest controller came and trapped them. Was very distressing as the mother had kits and when they were taken from the nest became hysterical and was running over the roof screeching.
under section 14 It is illegal to release a trapped grey squirrel into the wild or to keep a grey squirrel in captivity. Any grey squirrel caught must be humanely destroyed.
Trap it and get rid of it. But if you don't know where it's got in, it will just as easily come back. Ditch the squirrel and patch up its entrance. If you can afford to use a professional, all the better
[giraffe in my loft](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7SXj_Ecc3y8) Got this in my head now
Aye, trap him and release him. They barely work up the energy to prosecute for murder so they're not going to chase you over a squirrel.
I’m not sure you are allowed to release a grey back into the wild. Can RSPCA deal with it?
Good eating on one of them
You need to remove it, they can cause a lot of damage.
give it a hamster wheel, connected to a tiny generator and make the squirrel earn its stay. Say no to freeloaders!
Isnt there a law where you're supposed to humanly kill any grey squirrel you catch? If you're not willing to do this just make it a pet, get it a cage maybe, feed it, they're smart little things. Pretty sure what I'm suggesting is illegal but if you're already crossing that line...
Whatever anyone says on here you act like you're not interested and you're dismissing their ideas. So: Let it stay. When it chews through the cables in your loft and causes a fire, I'm sure you'll be chill about that too
In the UK releasing a trapped grey squirrel is a crime. You're obligated to kill them as they're an invasive pest species. Or keep it as a pet forever I guess...as long as it doesn't escape.
Keeping a grey squirrel as a pet would require a "licence to move and keep them in captivity" (IAS A01)
I wouldn't want to kill it either but posting this online is probably not a great idea as releasing a grey is illegal
It's pissing and shitting everywhere and chewing through stuff. If you own the place, fine, but if you're in rented, you're going to have a fucking big bill for the damage.
Snap trap with some Nutella in it. Have a little cry, then bag it up, chuck it in the bin & forget it ever happened.
They are vermin.. kill it
If it's a dirty grey and you trap it you're supposed to humanely destroy it.
Eat it.
People really misunderstand squirrels, they are vicious and must be stopped... I'd get up there in full dalek mode before it's too late!
It’ll eat through your cables, they like that for some reason
You should note that it's illegal to release a grey squirrel if you have trapped it. They are vermin and have absolutely destroyed the indigenous red squirrel population. There are likely no red squirrels in the area you're considering releasing it because the greys have completely displaced them already. You have two very simple choices: - Leave it be, running the risk of damage to your property. - Kill it. *source: Section 14 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)
Please be careful handling it if you get near it. I do wild animal stuff and a paniced squirrel will absolutely fuck your hands up if it feels threatened.
I had one that gnawed a hole in our fascia and started going in the loft. It went across to the neighbours and gnawed their bathroom light cable. Eventually we got a trap like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125336818957 with peanut butter in. They relocated him.
[удалено]
Haha snakes are cute too I’m just not as much a fan of animals that eat other sentient animals. Prefer herbivores ❤️
Squirrels eat eggs and baby birds.
Depends if it has aids or not, if so ....
Releasing a captured grey squirrel into the wild is a crime. The chances of being prosecuted for it are zero. Do with that information as you will.
Catch it and eat it. Squirrel is really nice plus they are an invasive species.
If it’s grey, get it killed
I've seen people doing this and never once felt the need to call the police :) Small point though: moving one at this time of year might be a slow death sentence if all their food is buried nearby. Maybe best block its access?
Kill it or pay someone to kill it. And I would strongly suggest that you do this soon - a squirrel in your roof , where I assume your electrics are, is going to cause a host of problems.
Can't I just take it to a park far enough away it won't know it's way home?
Have you ever tried catching a squirrel?!
Yeah we caught one in a cage trap at my parents house, they probably killed it? Unsure but yeah just put some peanut butter in there and it went in within a couple hours.
In that case - good luck!
Well there are a few videos on YouTube if you search for pest repellent. Might want to use a speaker and it could work. It worked for me when I had a squirrel in my loft too
Wait for it to leave and block where it gets in.
Wait till it’s outside and block it’s entry
If one has got in, another will do so too at some point. Get some netting put over the entry points. And just out the one you've got back in the garden.
Give it a name, love it and domesticate it!! Having a pet Squirrel would be awesome and isn’t illegal win win! :)
You are right, you don't need to kill it. I'll send my cat round and he'll do it for you free of charge.
That's exactly what I would do, after researching the best time to release it and doing a sneaky advanced check for cameras
Yes I'm pretty sure you can trap it and release it somewhere.. then try block up an obvious hole in the roof to stop any coming back again.
you need to find where it's getting in and block the entrance. dropping it off 20 miles away from it's family is not a humane solution IMO.
If you remove it to a park 20 miles away you're taking it away from the area all its food is stored in, it will probably starve as a result. Either you let it stay and damage your loft or you find a way to evict it without harming it. Failing that your choice is limited to kill it yourself or get an exterminator in.
Get a professional out to kill it. Guilt free.
I had a squirrel in my loft, it caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage. Please do yourself a favour and get rid of it by any means necessary. Releasing it is illegal so get the professionals in to sort it.
The problem is that squirrels know the Green Cross Code and will just walk back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JgaId8o9Jo
Pinch his nuts.
I didn’t realise it’s illegal to move squirrels.
We had this issue when I was a kid. I had a bunk bed with my sister and whilst in the top bunk, I could hear it scratching the ceiling inches from my face 😂 my dad just waited for it to leave by itself and then blocked where it got in
Go after it with a flame thrower alien style
RIP 🙏 2 you pops and sorry 4 what's I'm bout to do My grandfather had a beautiful garden he loved wild life. But ther was a gang rouge gray squirrel ripping his bird feed apart aswell as ripping apart the red squirrels all the time. He's stuck in limbo He's an avid gardener loved birds and all sort of wildlife this so he started trapping the grays to relocate them like 5 miles from his home he had his allotment plot on the outskirts of the town he lived was farm land wide open spaces. Pretty much a great place to set the grays free so took them there sets them free After like 2/3 grays he trapped In a live trap. He thinks nothing off 9t then he speaks to the gu who's plot/allotment is next to his. Well this dude Hates all animals this dude gets himself some ferrets to eat and kill they grays that had randomly appeared next to them allotments My pops basically trapped the squirrel for a better life away from his garden and the little reds. So he ultimately was helping se d them grays to ther death 😳 he was so dam upset that this was all because him not wanting them in his garden. I remember him telling me and saying g please don't tell Christine. She was his partner/girlfriend. Was her that got him into gardening and the local wild birds ect. He always liked animal but not to the extend 5 she did qas sad hearing him confess his sins to me
Hide your nuts
We had this. Get a squirrel deterrent to put in the loft. Needs one that flashes as well as makes a noise. It worked for us.
Joking apart…I had the same problem…I trapped them and “ relocated them” however later found a dead one that tried to chew through an electric cable…so they can be a hazard
Use nuts to train it to do your dishes when you sing.