Grey Squirrel Leaping

There I was in a loft pondering the nesting material that a squirrel had arranged in a flower pot lying on its side close to the soffit. The bedding material was also under some carpet and lino which I had moved to one side. I was crouched down, kneeling, my knees spread between two rafters, my feet wrapped around the rafters too. My aim, not to fall between them and send the living room ceiling crashing down. My other aim was to reset some covered fenn traps that had been triggered unsuccessfully.

As I stretched forward there was a sudden explosion to my right side, behind me, a large female grey squirrel lept out of nowhere and like a bolt of lightening sprang past me and dashed towards the soffit and freedom. On an earlier visit my survey had discovered chewed rafters, chewed plastic guttering and an entry point close to the water overflow pipe. As I went about my business she had lain quietly hiding beneath the loft insulation. After getting over my shock I reset the two traps and left the loft. At least she hadn't bitten me on her speedy exit. She had almost run over me in her rush to get out, such was her speedy exit.

A few days later a call from the owner informed me that the noises had ceased meant I had caught my speedy pest. Another successful rodent job completed. One less squirrel chewing wires and keeping the family awake!