Monte Vista is a settled family suburb with established gardens, and most of our work here is the slow, steady stuff: rats that have moved into a roof, ant trails in the kitchen, fishmoths in a back bedroom. Houses are close enough that one neighbour's problem often becomes the next one's.
Rodents in Monte Vista: what we see
Rats here travel along garden walls and fruit trees, then into roofs where fascia boards have pulled away. Fallen fruit and bird seed under feeders keep them fed.
Most homes are freestanding brick houses from the sixties and seventies with tiled or corrugated roofs, wooden eaves and mature gardens. Plenty have had additions over the years, and the joins between old and new rooflines leave gaps that rodents find. Wendy houses, garages and outside rooms are common and often hold stored boxes, which fishmoths and mice enjoy. A few newer townhouse complexes add shared walls to the mix.
Roof rats and house mice in ceilings are the most common call, particularly from May onwards. Argentine ants and pugnacious ants are close behind in summer. Fishmoths, German cockroaches and the occasional wasp nest under the eaves make up most of the rest.
From the technician
Grey squirrels were brought to Cape Town in the late 1800s and have spread across the Southern Suburbs since then.
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.
Tell-tale signs
- Squirrels seen jumping from a tree onto the roof and disappearing under the tiles.
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
- Chewed electrical cables or damaged ceiling boards.
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
Squirrels in the roof chew cables, which is a fire risk, and they damage insulation and ceiling boards. Their urine and droppings can stain ceilings and cause smells. They also chew through irrigation pipes, damage fruit trees and dig up gardens. A squirrel that dies in the roof leaves an unpleasant smell for weeks.
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.
- 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.
Prevention that actually works
- Check fascia boards and roof edges each year for chewed spots and repair them quickly.
- Do not feed squirrels in the garden, however cute they are.
- Trim tree branches so they are at least two metres away from the roof.
- Pick up acorns and fallen fruit regularly if you have big trees close to the house.
- Fit squirrel guards on bird feeders, or move them away from the house.
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.
Squirrels in Cape Town breed mainly in late winter and spring, and again in summer, and that is when they look for sheltered nesting places such as roofs. Autumn is also busy, as they gather acorns and nuts from the oak trees.
Squirrel Control questions from Monte Vista
Do squirrels come back after removal?
They will try, which is why proper proofing with steel mesh is a key part of the job.
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.
Why do I hear rats in my Monte Vista ceiling mostly in winter?
Because the rain and cold drive them indoors, and a dry insulated ceiling is the best shelter around. Sealing the entry points before May makes a big difference.
Can you sort out ants in Monte Vista without spraying the whole house?
Usually, yes. We prefer targeted gel baits on the trails and nests, which the ants carry back, and keep any spraying to the outside perimeter.
Do you come out to Monte Vista for squirrel control?
Yes. Monte Vista is part of our regular Northern Suburbs route, along with Goodwood, Plattekloof, Parow, Panorama. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
What if there are babies in the roof?
We check for young before sealing, because sealing them in causes suffering, smells and more damage.
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