If you’re here reading this article, it’s likely you’ve got a scared little bat circling around your home. Don’t worry – bats are mostly harmless and don’t suck blood!
Plus, they’re probably just as afraid of you as you are of them. With a bit of patience, you can soon get your furry, winged pal out of your house and back where they belong.
It is always a good idea to call a professional team of wildlife specialists who will be able to humanely remove the bats and can help you take the necessary steps to prevent them from returning.
Now that you’ve collected yourself, your heart’s settled down and all the spectators are, shall we say, ‘in the clear’, let’s look at how we can work together to help this little nocturnal critter get back to its loving home beneath the stars.
Which leads to, ‘What should you do if you discover a bat flying in your home?’
Things To Do When Bats Get Into Your House
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Don’t Panic!
When you find a bat flying inside your home, first things first, STAY CALM! Bats are generally gentle animals and do not attack humans, contrary to popular myths.
Most likely, this bat is simply lost and needs help finding their way out; by opening all the windows and doors, you can assist them in finding its way out.
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Clear The Room where Bat Is In
If the room has not already been emptied, make sure to get everyone out before doing anything else. Safety first.
The bat will zoom to the highest point in the ceiling, fluttering around in circles as it looks for an escape route.
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Turn Off Lights And Ceiling Fans To Help The Bat
Next, let’s make sure the ceiling fans are off and the lights are switched off. It’s important to take this step as those fans can be hazardous and may hurt the bat, making it tougher for them to get away.
If you turn off the lights it will help the bats find their way out! Bats are nocturnal and they can see very well in the dark, so it’ll be easier for them to find their way out.
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Close The Bat Into One Room
To keep everyone safe, it would be best if you keep the bat confined to one room and close doors. That way, the bat will have the opportunity to escape easily, and you can rest easier knowing everyone is safe.
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Give Bats an Exit by Opening Windows and Taking Out Screens
Once you have shut a bat into a room, make sure to open up any windows and take away any screens. This way, the bat can make an escape on its own, so no help from you is needed.
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Do not Smack The Bat Out Of The Air
So many myths are associated with bats, with people believing they’re spooky creatures set to bite people, drink their blood, get tangled in their hair, or just scare them – but that’s just not the case.
Bats are actually quite gentle and harmless creatures who only wish to go about their day and live their lives in peace.
Most bats are tiny compared to humans and aren’t looking to pick a fight with something much bigger than them. If you startle or frighten them, they may resort to biting to defend themselves from the perceived threat.
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Have a Professional Help the Bat to Find a Way Out of Your Home
It’s probably not the wisest decision for those without experience to try and remove a bat on their own. Your best option is to give a professional animal removal service, pest control company or county animal rescue a call.
Be Careful As Bats Can Be Hazardous
Bats can carry rabies, which can be deadly to humans. So, if you find a bat flying in your house, instead of panicking, the safest thing to do is to remain calm and call a wildlife removal expert right away. so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you or anyone in your household is bit by a rabid bat, immediately contact your local health department. Never try to catch the bat with bare hands. Always use gloves!
Around half of one percent of bats carry rabies. And if you ever do come into contact with saliva from a bat, make sure to visit a doctor as soon as possible – just to be on the safe side.
Scientists have recently taken a genetic look into the source of the new coronavirus, and it seems like horseshoe bats may be the likely cause. It’s not that bats are particularly responsible for the spread of this virus – they’re just one carrier among many. But they are still an important part of our environment that should be preserved.
But if you have decided to capture the bat YOURSELF, here are steps you should follow for your convenience.
Steps To Capture A Bat In Your House Yourself
- Remain calm and try to keep the noise to a minimum.
- Make sure your children and pets are safely out of the room.
- See if anyone has been bitten by the bat.
- Unlock the windows to provide an exit route for the bat.
- Securely shut the doors of the room to prevent the wild animal from circulating within your living space.
- It is advisable to wear gloves and layers of clothing to safeguard against bat bites.
- Utilize a towel or flannel pillowcase to grasp the flying bat and place it in a plastic container. (Seek out an elevated surface to put the container on.)
- Release the bat outdoors and contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center for assistance.
What To Do If You Find A Bat Inside Your House In The Winter?
During winter, bats hibernate but don’t be surprised if you spot bats flying during the chillier months.
Sometimes if they get too hot or too cold, they might stir a bit, but mostly they will take advantage of the chilly weather and sleep right through it,
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If It’s Warm Out, Release the Bat outside
If it’s not too chilly out, why not lend a hand to the little bat? Open up some windows around you and put on the lights to help it get home!
This will encourage the bat to seek out other suitable and warm environment to hibernate in that is not your house.
If you can, do not lose sight of where it flies off to. If it happens to go into your attic, it might be a good idea to give a pest control company a ring – it’s possible there could be some other critters (more bats) living in your house too.
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Avoid exposing the bat to freezing temperatures.
Under no circumstances should the bat be released into temperatures lower than freezing, as the circumstances would be fatal for the animal. Moreover, it is inappropriate to keep the creature in captivity for more than twenty-four hours.
If the weather is going to remain below freezing for an extended period of time, and you find a bat in your residence, it is recommended that you contact a professional bat rescue and rehabilitation centre.
What To Do If The Bat In Your House Is Injured?
If you find a sick or injured bat, the best thing to do is place it in a small box or Tupperware container with a lid on top. This will help keep it safe and warm.
Once you’ve done that, calling a local wildlife rehabilitation centre is the best way to ensure the bat gets the care it needs. The friendly staff at the centre will be more than happy to take it off your hands and give it the help it needs.
How To Prevent Bats From Entering Your Household?
If you have an inviting attic space in your house, there’s a chance that you may end up hosting a small colony of bats – between 20 and 40 of them. Bats love lounging in nice, cosy, dark, and safe spots like holes in trees and caves. So, don’t be surprised if you find them making themselves at home in your attic – it’s the perfect spot for them.
To keep those little winged friends from entering your home, the easiest way to do so is by ensuring all entrance points are sealed off. Make sure to cover any attic vents, fans, etc. with screens, as well as fit your chimney with a chimney screen. That way, you can be sure no accidental visitors will come flyin’ in.
Conduct a careful inspection of the exterior of your home. It is important to take note of any openings that would be large enough for a small finger to fit through, as this could potentially serve as a bat entry point.
Verify that all window screens are properly installed and intact. Additionally, assess doorways, garage entries, and areas inside sheds and storage buildings to ensure they are not used as resting places for bats.
Set up a bat house
The amazing thing about bat houses is that not only do they provide an ideal roosting spot for bats, but they also help keep real blood-sucking nuisances like mosquitoes away. Plus, it provides a place for bats to live that’s away from your home. So, why not give bats a cosy house to stay in and put your mind at ease?
Conclusion
Bats don’t mean to cause any trouble – they just want to fly around at night, grab a few insects to eat, and be home with their families. They’ve got no interest in scaring you, attacking you, or making your life any harder.
Bats often get a bad reputation, but the truth is that they can actually be quite beneficial for the environment.
If you ever happen to encounter one by accident, the best thing you can do is to remain calm and reach out to a professional in your area who can give you advice tailored to your particular situation.
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