Professional Glis Glis Control in
Buckinghamshire and Berkshire

Glis glis are the largest the largest species of rodents also known as the edible or fat dormouse. 

Their body is approximately  17 cm in length with a 12cm tail. They weigh from 120 to 150 grams and can double in weight prior to hibernation. Glis glis are often mistaken for squirrels, as it has a generally squirrel-like body, with small ears, short legs,large feet and a bushy tail. Its fur is grey to greyish-brown in colour over its body and the underparts and the inner surface of legs are pale in colour.

The glis glis are a non native species introduced into the UK in 1902 by the Rothschild family near Tring, Hertfordshire. Some of the glis glis escaped and reproduced, establishing themselves an invasive species.

Glis glis today can be predominantly found in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Hertfordshire.

Despite glis glis being regarded as a pest in the United Kingdom, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits certain methods of trapping and dispatching glis glis (edible dormice). Removing edible dormice from a property may only be carried out by a qualified pest controller licensed by Natural England.

Therefore the glis glis are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in regards to their pest control methods.

There are very strict laws about how glis glis must be caught and dispatched, everyone involved must work under strict Government license terms. Do not be tempted to control glis glis without recourse to a licence or use a company not working under such licence terms. Otherwise you may commit a criminal offence.

Contact Tony from Assured Pest Control to remove Glis glis from your property, as he holds a current Class licence CL02 to trap edible (fat) dormice, (Glis glis), to preserve public health and safety. 

Glis glis have been reported to live upto to 12 years in the wild.

Glis glis are good tree climbers and may use overhanging tree branches to jump onto your roof and access to the loft or attic spaces via any small gaps between the tiles or soffit.

The following signs are indicative of a glis glis infestation in your home:

• Scurrying, scratching, high pitched squeaks and snuffling noises coming from the roof, ceiling, loft or attic spaces.
• Irregular shape droppings up to 1 cm long scattered across the the floor, loft or attic spaces.
• Apparent chewing and gnawing damage to electrical cables (a particular danger, as it can cause fires), insulation and water pipes (causing the risk of flooding) in the roof loft.
• Damage to fruit trees in the garden.

Glis glis can cause a lot of damage to property, by chewing loft insulation, electrical cables, water pipes and many insurance policies will not cover damages caused by rodents, so it is imperative to deal with them as quickly as possible.

Glis glis have adapted well to the presence of humans and now frequently hibernate in insulated attics and even dark shelves in cupboards, particularly if soft materials are on the shelf to make a nest. They are regarded as a pest due to the fire risk from gnawed electrical cables and fouling from their faeces. Instances of house fire have been attributed to electrical fires caused by wires chewed by Glis glis and a three-day internet outage across Tring in August 2023 was attributed to the activity of Glis glis chewing through the broadband cable.

Glis Glis carry many parasites and viruses that are potentially harmful to humans. 

Contact Tony from Assured Pest Control to get rid of Glis glis from your property, as he holds a current Class licence CL02 to trap edible (fat) dormice, (Glis glis), to preserve public health and safety and prevent serious damage to crops.

Please note: Despite our best pest control efforts, the glis glis may retreat into inaccessible void spaces and hibernate, making them difficult to trap and remove, regardless of pest proofing.