About this guide
Grey squirrel trapping in the UK is governed by the Spring Traps Approval Order 2018, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This guide covers the two main trap categories — cage traps and approved spring traps — their specific legal requirements, tunnel housing specifications, daily checking obligations, and which methods are not permitted for grey squirrel control.
Trapping is the primary method of grey squirrel control in UK pest management. Unlike rodenticide-based programmes for rats and mice, there are no currently licensed rodenticides for grey squirrel control in England — all control depends on mechanical methods: live-capture cage traps and kill spring traps. Understanding the legal requirements that govern each trap type matters both for pest control professionals operating within those requirements and for property owners who want to understand what their pest controller should be doing.
Cage Traps: Live Capture
Cage traps for grey squirrels are live-capture devices — the squirrel enters to reach bait, a treadle plate or trip mechanism triggers the door, and the animal is held alive until the trap is checked. Cage traps are not regulated by the Spring Traps Approval Order — there is no approved list of cage trap models, and any cage trap design may be used provided it is fit for purpose and the operator complies with the obligations that flow from capturing a live animal.
Those obligations are: the trap must be checked at least once every 24 hours, all caught grey squirrels must be humanely dispatched on site, and no caught grey squirrel may be released. The 24-hour checking requirement is both a professional standard and an Animal Welfare Act 2006 obligation — a cage-trapped squirrel left without food, water, shelter, or timely dispatch is a welfare offence regardless of the intent of the operator.
Cage traps are typically 45 to 60 centimetres long and 15 to 20 centimetres in cross-section — sized to capture grey squirrels without capturing rabbits (larger) or grey squirrels at a scale that causes injury. Standard grey squirrel cage traps may be set inside loft spaces along joist runs, externally at the base of access trees, and on fence lines and garden walls where squirrels habitually travel.
Never cover a cage trap with anything that prevents you seeing whether an animal has been caught from outside the cage. Opaque covers that hide trap contents require you to open the trap to check it — this risks injury from an unchecked caught animal and creates a welfare problem if a non-target species has been captured. Semi-transparent or open-sided covers that provide shade while allowing visual checking are appropriate.
Spring Traps: Kill Traps and the Approval Order
Spring kill traps approved for grey squirrel control in England under the Spring Traps Approval Order 2018 (as amended) include the DOC 200, DOC 250, and Kania 2000. These traps deliver a powerful strike to the neck or head of the target animal, causing immediate loss of consciousness and rapid death. They are designed to reduce the suffering associated with live-capture trapping and subsequent dispatch.
The DOC 250 is a body-grip trap designed for mustelids (stoat, weasel, mink) but approved for grey squirrels in appropriate tunnel housing. It is set in the trap channel with the jaws positioned at right angles to the path through the tunnel. The Kania 2000 is specifically designed for grey squirrel and chipmunk control — it is set at the entrance of a wooden box with a bait chamber at the back and triggers when the squirrel enters. Both require covered wooden tunnel housing to prevent non-target access.
The Spring Traps Approval Order 2018 replaced and consolidated all previous Spring Traps Approval Orders, providing a single authoritative list of approved traps for England. Scotland and Wales have parallel Orders with the same approved trap types for squirrel control.
— Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO), Spring Traps Approval Order 2018
Tunnel Housing Requirements
All approved spring traps for grey squirrel control must be set inside a covered wooden tunnel housing. The tunnel must fully enclose the trap mechanism, with entrance holes sized to admit squirrels but exclude non-target species including cats, dogs, rabbits, and birds. Entrance hole dimensions for grey squirrel tunnel housing are typically 65 to 75 millimetres diameter or 65 x 65 millimetres square — large enough for a grey squirrel to enter confidently, too small for most non-target animals.
The tunnel housing provides two critical functions: it prevents non-target animals from being captured or injured by exposed trap mechanisms, and it creates the enclosed channel environment that triggers confident entry behaviour in squirrels. Pre-baiting — placing bait in the unset tunnel for three to five days before setting the trap — takes advantage of this enclosed familiarity to increase capture rates when the trap is eventually activated.
What Is Not Legal for Grey Squirrel Control
Several trap types and methods are not legal for grey squirrel control in the UK. Leg-hold traps (gin traps) have been illegal in the UK since the Pests Act 1954. Snares are not appropriate for squirrel control and are regulated by separate legislation. Glue traps are banned for use against any vertebrate animal in England following legislation that came into effect on 9 April 2024. No currently licensed rodenticide may be used against grey squirrels in England — warfarin-based hopper authorisations for squirrel control have been withdrawn and no replacement rodenticide is registered.
Using a non-approved spring trap, setting an approved spring trap outside a suitable tunnel housing, or failing to check traps within 24 hours are all offences under the Spring Traps Approval Order 2018 and/or the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Professional pest controllers in Sheffield and South Yorkshire operate approved trap types as a matter of course and can confirm which specific traps are being used on your property and why they have been selected for that application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What traps are approved for grey squirrel control in the UK?
Approved spring kill traps for grey squirrel control in England under the Spring Traps Approval Order 2018 include the DOC 200, DOC 250, and Kania 2000. All must be set inside a covered wooden tunnel housing. Cage traps (live-capture box traps) may also be used — there is no approved list for cage traps, but all caught squirrels must be dispatched within 24 hours and release is illegal.
Can I use a squirrel trap without a tunnel housing?
Not for approved spring traps. The Spring Traps Approval Order 2018 requires all approved spring traps to be set inside a covered wooden tunnel housing when used for grey squirrel control. This prevents non-target animals — including cats, dogs, and birds — from accessing the trap mechanism. Cage traps may be used without tunnel housing but must still be checked daily and all caught squirrels dispatched on site.
How often must squirrel traps be checked?
At least once every 24 hours. This is both a professional standard and an Animal Welfare Act 2006 obligation. A cage-trapped squirrel left without food, water, or timely dispatch is a welfare offence. Most professional pest controllers check traps early in the morning during peak squirrel activity, refreshing bait and dispatching any overnight catches as part of the daily round.
What is the Kania 2000 and is it legal to use for squirrels?
The Kania 2000 is a spring-powered kill trap specifically designed for grey squirrel and chipmunk control. It is approved under the Spring Traps Approval Order 2018 for grey squirrel control in England, Scotland, and Wales when set inside a covered wooden tunnel housing. It triggers when the squirrel enters the trap bait chamber and delivers an immediate kill strike. It is widely used by professional pest controllers for squirrel management programmes.
Are glue traps legal for squirrel control?
No. Glue traps for use against vertebrate animals — including squirrels — are banned in England following legislation that came into effect on 9 April 2024 (Wales: 17 October 2023; Scotland: 1 August 2024). Using a glue trap to catch a squirrel is a criminal offence in all three nations. Approved methods for grey squirrel control are cage traps, approved spring traps in tunnel housings, and shooting.
Can I buy and set squirrel traps myself?
Cage traps and some spring traps are available to the public, but using them for grey squirrel control carries legal obligations including daily checking and the mandatory dispatch of all caught animals. Setting an approved spring trap outside a required tunnel housing, or failing to dispatch a caught squirrel within 24 hours, are offences. Without training in humane dispatch methods, DIY trapping is legally problematic.
Professional pest controllers are trained in both trap deployment and dispatch.
Is poison available for grey squirrel control in the UK?
No. There is currently no rodenticide licensed for use against grey squirrels in England. Warfarin-based hopper authorisations, which were formerly used in woodland settings, have been withdrawn and no replacement rodenticide is registered. All current grey squirrel control relies on mechanical methods — cage trapping, approved spring trapping, and shooting — not rodenticides.