A daytime animal overhead
Grey squirrels are active in daylight and sleep at night. In a loft, that tends to mean a burst of noise soon after dawn as they wake and head out to feed, a quieter spell in the middle of the day, and more movement in the late afternoon as they come back in. Silence after dark is typical. Rats and mice are the reverse, and are heard mostly at night.
Scurrying and running
The most common sound is quick, light-footed running across the ceiling, often in short dashes that stop suddenly and start again. It is louder and more deliberate than a mouse, and it often follows the same line each day, from the entry point at the eaves to wherever the nest is. Plot where it starts and stops over a few days and you may have a good idea of where the gap is before you ever go outside to look for it; how squirrels get into a roof explains what you are likely to find.
Thumps and bangs
A squirrel weighs far more than a mouse, and it jumps rather than creeps. Dropping from a rafter onto boards or insulation makes a distinct thud. Two squirrels chasing each other can sound surprisingly heavy, especially on a boarded loft floor. The thuds often come in quick runs and then stop, rather than as a steady, even beat.
A rolling sound
People often describe something like a marble or a nut being rolled across the ceiling. Squirrels move and carry food and other small objects about, and on a hard surface that can produce exactly this noise. It tends to be heard over boarded areas or near the hatch, where there is no insulation to soften it.
Scratching and gnawing
A steady scraping or rasping in one place is usually gnawing, on timber, a cable, a pipe or the edge of the entry hole. Frantic scratching close to the eaves can be a squirrel working at a gap from the inside. Sustained chewing in one spot is worth taking seriously; see the damage squirrels cause in a loft.
Chattering and squeaks
Grey squirrels make chattering and scolding calls, and young squirrels in a nest can give thin, high-pitched squeaks. If you hear those, there may be a litter up there, which is useful to mention when you call.
When in the year it gets louder
Loft activity usually peaks twice. Late winter into early spring is breeding time, when females look for somewhere dry to build a nest, or drey. The second rise comes in late summer and autumn, with a later litter and squirrels getting ready for the cold. Homes in Preston that notice seasonal pests will recognise that pattern. Why the same loft is chosen again is explained in why squirrels keep returning.
Sounds that point to something else
- Scratching and scuttling mostly at night: more likely rats or mice, so read squirrels or rats in the loft
- Very light pattering in walls and ceilings after dark: see can mice get into a loft
- A faint papery rustle on warm days in late summer: possibly a wasp nest
- Flapping or cooing near the chimney or eaves: usually birds
Keep a note of what you hear
Jot down the times, which part of the ceiling the noise comes from, and whether it changes through the day. A short recording on your phone can help too. If the noise has been going on for a while, it is worth checking whether anything has been chewed, starting with whether squirrels can damage wiring. Then book squirrel control if it sounds like squirrels. Squirrel control in Brent is a £280 trapping service.
