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The Glis Glis is a small but very destructive rodent. Lord Rothschild introduced it to his estate in Tring, Hertfordshire at the turn of the last century. From a small number that escaped, there are now an estimated 10,000 living in our attics, having spread as far as Burnham to the South, Luton to the East and Aylesbury to the West. Elsewhere in the country nobody has heard of them. Glis Glis is also known as the edible or fat dormouse as Ancient Romans considered it a delicacy.
Glis Glis resemble small squirrels. They are grey in colour, with bushy tails and large eyes. An adult male will reach about 8-10 inches in length. They are only active from about June to late October. For the remaining seven months of the year they hibernate.
Although sightings are reported during daylight, Glis Glis are largely nocturnal and most customers report scratching noises coming from their attic or wall cavities. They will become very intrusive, often venturing into kitchens and other rooms. They are very agile climbers and will get into kitchen cupboards where they leave their droppings. Glis Glis eat fruit, seeds and nuts and are renowned for stripping bark from young trees. As with all rodents, they gnaw continuously - this is because their teeth grow throughout adulthood. They cause significant damage and pose a fire-hazard by gnawing electric cables.
What do you do if you suspect you have Glis Glis?
The Glis Glis is protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act. This means that only pest control companies such as Pest Bee Gone, who are authorised under licence, can trap them. We notify the government’s Wildlife Licensing Unit of all Glis Glis we capture in order that they can maintain accurate records of how far they have spread. |
