Green Point packs a stadium, a big urban park, the Metropolitan golf course and dense streets of flats, guesthouses and Victorian semis into one small slice of the Atlantic Seaboard. Lots of people, lots of restaurants and lots of open lawn means rats, cockroaches and Egyptian geese all feel at home.
Rodents in Green Point: what we see
Rats work the lanes behind Main Road restaurants and nest in basements and bin rooms of apartment blocks. Roof rats climb along cables and creepers into the roofs of the Victorian terraces.
Along Main Road and the side streets climbing toward Signal Hill you get Victorian and Edwardian terraces with timber floors and pressed-metal ceilings, plus newer apartment blocks with basements and shared bin rooms. Guesthouses and short-stay apartments turn over guests constantly. Restaurants along Main Road and Somerset Road share back lanes and service ducts with the flats above, and that is where German cockroaches and rats move between businesses and homes.
Rats in bin rooms, back lanes and roof spaces lead the list, with German cockroaches close behind in restaurants and older flats. Egyptian geese foul lawns and pool areas near the park and golf course. Bed bugs are a real issue in short-stay rentals and guesthouses.
Signs to look for
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
- Chewed electrical cables or damaged ceiling boards.
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
- Dug-up pot plants and bulbs, and nuts buried in garden beds.
- Squirrels seen jumping from a tree onto the roof and disappearing under the tiles.
Worth knowing
Many people think squirrels are harmless, but they chew through cables and can cause real damage in a roof.
The worst mistake is sealing the hole while the squirrels are still inside. They will chew a new way out, often through the ceiling.
Our process, step by step
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.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our squirrel control service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Trim tree branches so they are at least two metres away from the roof.
- Do not feed squirrels in the garden, however cute they are.
- 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.
- Check fascia boards and roof edges each year for chewed spots and repair them quickly.
What affects the price
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.
Squirrel Control questions from Green Point
Can you treat a Green Point guesthouse for bed bugs between bookings?
Yes, after-hours and weekend visits are available on request. We inspect, treat affected rooms and give you a post-treatment report.
How do I keep Egyptian geese off my Green Point lawn and pool?
Bird deterrents, netting over pools when not in use and removing easy grazing areas all help. We can look at your property and suggest what will work best.
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 you come out to Green Point for squirrel control?
Yes. Green Point is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Mouille Point, Three Anchor Bay, Sea Point, De Waterkant. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
How do I know it is squirrels and not rats?
Squirrels are active during the day, especially early morning, while rats are mostly active at night.
Can squirrels damage my roof?
Yes. They chew fascia boards, roof edges and cables, and they nest in insulation.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254