Table View is big, busy and windy, with the famous postcard view of Table Mountain across the bay. Between the beachfront, the Rietvlei wetland and the shopping strips along Blaauwberg Road, we see a bit of everything here.
Table View: what drives rodents here
Rats travel along stormwater channels and the wetland edges, then move into complexes and restaurant back areas. House mice get into garages and wendy houses in winter.
Much of the suburb is face-brick family homes from the seventies onward, with plenty of newer townhouse complexes and apartment blocks filling in the gaps. Busy centres and restaurants along Blaauwberg Road and Koeberg Road bring commercial pest work. Many homes have flat-roofed extensions and wendy houses that create easy shelter for rodents.
Rietvlei and the Diep River wetland sit along the southern edge, so mosquitoes and midges can be heavy on calm evenings. The South-Easter blasts across the flats in summer, carrying sand and grit into garages and sliding door tracks. The soil is sandy coastal ground, which suits ants and burrowing insects.
Ants and German cockroaches are probably our most common calls, with mosquitoes close behind for homes near Rietvlei. Rats and mice keep restaurants and complexes busy, and pigeons foul the shopping centres and flat roofs.
Worth knowing
The worst mistake is sealing the hole while the squirrels are still inside. They will chew a new way out, often through the ceiling.
Because we do not use poison for squirrels, there is no risk to children, pets or owls from the treatment.
What gives them away
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
- 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.
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
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.
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.
- 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
- Use metal mesh, not plastic, over roof vents and gaps.
- Trim tree branches so they are at least two metres away from the roof.
- 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.
- Fit squirrel guards on bird feeders, or move them away from the house.
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 Table View
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 Table View for squirrel control?
Yes. Table View is part of our regular Blaauwberg & West Coast route, along with Bloubergstrand, Parklands, Milnerton, West Beach. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Why do I get ants in my Table View house every summer?
The sandy soil here is perfect for ant nests, often right under paving or along your foundations. Targeted baiting near the nest gives longer relief than spraying the trails.
Do squirrels come back after removal?
They will try, which is why proper proofing with steel mesh is a key part of the job.
Are the mosquitoes in Table View worse near Rietvlei?
Yes, homes along the wetland edge get the most. We can treat breeding spots on your property and advise on screens, but the vlei itself is a protected wetland and stays as it is.
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