Nyanga is one of Cape Town's oldest townships and a major transport hub, with the busy junction and taxi ranks along Klipfontein Road. High density, busy trading areas and stormwater issues all affect pest pressure here.
Rodents around Nyanga
Rats live in stormwater channels and around refuse points and move into homes through gaps at floor level. Community-wide efforts, like keeping refuse sealed, make treatments last longer.
Homes range from older formal brick houses to backyard structures, hostels and informal dwellings built close together. Shared walls and tightly packed structures let rodents and cockroaches move easily between homes. Spaza shops, street traders and small food businesses operate from homes and containers. Gaps in walls and roofs, and floors at ground level, give pests easy access.
What gives them away
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
- Squirrels seen jumping from a tree onto the roof and disappearing under the tiles.
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
- Dug-up pot plants and bulbs, and nuts buried in garden beds.
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.
Worth knowing
When a technician inspects for squirrels, the first thing he looks at is the trees around the house, because the branches show where the squirrels are jumping onto the roof.
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 we handle squirrel control in Nyanga
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
- Check fascia boards and roof edges each year for chewed spots and repair them quickly.
- Use metal mesh, not plastic, over roof vents and gaps.
- Do not feed squirrels in the garden, however cute they are.
- 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.
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
Will you hurt the squirrels?
No. We use one-way exclusion devices and live traps, not poison.
Do you come out to Nyanga for squirrel control?
Yes. Nyanga is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Gugulethu, Philippi, Manenberg, Hanover Park. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Can you treat a spaza shop in Nyanga for rats?
Yes. We set up bait stations and traps safely around stock and advise on sealing gaps, using the least-toxic effective method.
Can squirrels damage my roof?
Yes. They chew fascia boards, roof edges and cables, and they nest in insulation.
Why are there more mosquitoes in Nyanga after winter rain?
Rain pools on the flat, sandy ground and in blocked drains, giving mosquitoes a place to breed. Clearing standing water near homes cuts their numbers.
What if there are babies in the roof?
We check for young before sealing, because sealing them in causes suffering, smells and more damage.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254