Salt River is old industrial Cape Town: terraced cottages, converted factories, the rail yards and Voortrekker Road traffic. It's a working neighbourhood with lots of food businesses, and that combination means rodents and cockroaches are always on the agenda.
Salt River: what drives rodents here
Brown rats live along the Salt River canal and the rail lines, and they move into terraced houses through drains and shared roof spaces. Treating a row of houses together works far better than one at a time.
Rows of narrow Victorian terraced houses share walls and roofs, so a rat or cockroach problem in one house quickly reaches the next. Old factories and warehouses have been turned into studios, offices and flats, and many still have old drains and gaps around pipes. Shops, bakeries and takeaways on Voortrekker and Victoria roads need ongoing commercial control.
Rats are the biggest pressure, followed closely by German cockroaches in kitchens and food businesses. Flies and pigeons are steady problems around commercial buildings. Bed bugs turn up in rented rooms and backpacker accommodation.
Tell-tale signs
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
- Chewed electrical cables or damaged ceiling boards.
- 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.
From the technician
Because we do not use poison for squirrels, there is no risk to children, pets or owls from the treatment.
The worst mistake is sealing the hole while the squirrels are still inside. They will chew a new way out, often through the ceiling.
What happens when we come out
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.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Check fascia boards and roof edges each year for chewed spots and repair them quickly.
- Pick up acorns and fallen fruit regularly if you have big trees close to the house.
- Use metal mesh, not plastic, over roof vents and gaps.
- 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.
Pricing, honestly
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.
Questions we get asked in Salt River
Do the rats in Salt River come from the canal?
Many do. The Salt River canal and the rail reserve give rats water and cover, and they move into homes and shops through drains and gaps around pipes.
Do you come out to Salt River for squirrel control?
Yes. Salt River is part of our regular Southern Suburbs route, along with Woodstock, Observatory, Maitland, Upper Woodstock. 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.
Can you service my Salt River restaurant without closing during trading hours?
Yes, we can come after hours or on weekends on request so trading isn't interrupted. We'll also leave a written report for your records.
Will you hurt the squirrels?
No. We use one-way exclusion devices and live traps, not 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.
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