Camps Bay has the beach, the palms and the Twelve Apostles towering behind it, and plenty of homes that are let out to visitors for part of the year. From our side, it is a suburb of big glass houses on steep plots, busy restaurants on Victoria Road and a mountain that sends rodents and insects downhill.
Rodents around Camps Bay
Roof rats come down from the pine trees and mountain slopes into roofs and garages, while brown rats work the restaurant refuse areas on Victoria Road. Stormwater channels carry them between properties in winter.
Houses step up the slope in terraces, with basements, garages and pool rooms cut into the hillside. These lower levels stay cool and damp and are where rats, fishmoths and cockroaches settle first. Guest houses and villas with frequent changeovers need fast, discreet treatments, and the restaurant strip along the beachfront has its own commercial kitchens and refuse areas to manage.
The Twelve Apostles and the Glen at Kloof Nek border the suburb, so fynbos, pine plantations and Table Mountain National Park are right on the doorstep. The South-Easter blows hard through summer, but the suburb can be still and hot in the late afternoon. Winter brings heavy rain off the mountain, and runoff through the stormwater channels pushes rodents out of their burrows.
What gives them away
- Squirrels seen jumping from a tree onto the roof and disappearing under the tiles.
- Dug-up pot plants and bulbs, and nuts buried in garden beds.
- Chewed electrical cables or damaged ceiling boards.
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
From the technician
Landlords often get the call from tenants about noises in the ceiling. Proofing the roof is a one-time investment that saves repeated call-outs.
How the treatment works
We do not use poison for squirrels. Our approach is exclusion: we find every entry point and fit one-way exclusion devices so the squirrels can get out but not back in. Where it makes sense, live cage traps are used to remove squirrels from the roof. Once the roof is empty, we close the gaps with steel mesh and repair chewed areas so they cannot get back in. We also advise on trimming branches that give squirrels easy access to the roof.
- Roof inspection
We check the roof space and outside roof line to find nests and every entry point.
- Exclusion or trapping
One-way exclusion devices or live traps are fitted so the squirrels leave the roof.
- Confirm it is empty
We check that no squirrels or babies are left inside before anything is sealed.
- Proofing
Entry points are sealed with steel mesh and repairs, so they cannot chew back in.
- Report
You get a report with details of the work done and any trees to trim.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Trim tree branches so they are at least two metres away from the roof.
- Fit squirrel guards on bird feeders, or move them away from the house.
- Pick up acorns and fallen fruit regularly if you have big trees close to the house.
- Do not feed squirrels in the garden, however cute they are.
- Check fascia boards and roof edges each year for chewed spots and repair them quickly.
How much will it cost?
The cost depends on how many entry points there are, how high the roof is and how much repair and proofing is needed. A single gap is quick to deal with, but an older roof with many chewed areas takes longer. Trapping and follow-up visits are included in the free quote.
You can trim the trees and fix obvious gaps yourself, but sealing a roof with squirrels still inside is a mistake that leads to trapped animals and more damage. Getting them out humanely and proofing the whole roof line properly is a job worth getting professional help for.
Frequently asked questions
Can you treat a Camps Bay holiday villa between guest bookings?
Yes, we can plan the visit for a changeover day and use odourless products where possible. Ask about after-hours or weekend visits if your turnaround is tight.
Do you come out to Camps Bay for squirrel control?
Yes. Camps Bay is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Clifton, Bantry Bay, Atlantic Seaboard, Llandudno. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Do rats in Camps Bay come down from the mountain?
Some do, especially roof rats living in the pines near the Glen and on the Twelve Apostles slopes. Others live around restaurant refuse areas, so we look at both before placing bait and sealing gaps.
Are grey squirrels protected in Cape Town?
Grey squirrels are not an indigenous species. We still remove them humanely and do not use poison.
Do squirrels come back after removal?
They will try, which is why proper proofing with steel mesh is a key part of the job.
Will you hurt the squirrels?
No. We use one-way exclusion devices and live traps, not poison.
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