Is there is a bat in the house trying to share your living space? Your immediate need is to get rid of the bat (or bats) in your house. 

However, you are likely wondering a few things:  How much danger is my family in?  How do I even get a bat out of the house?  Can I remove bats myself? 

If you are reading this because a bat is in your house now, the best thing to do is call us so we can discuss your unique situation. We’ll provide you with advice and information based on what’s going on at your home.  Please call us at 845-546-3868.  Otherwise, feel free to read on.

Is the bat in the house…dangerous?

You and your family’s safety is very important to us—but even more so to you.  For good reason then, you may wonder, Are bats dangerous?  Just like with any wild animal, bats need to be treated with caution.  Why’s that? They’re amazing creatures that have an unbelievably positive impact on the environment. They do not deserve fear to the level that warrants extermination or other extreme measures. In fact, we don’t want their populations to dwindle.  At the same time, they do not belong in your living space. 

Wild bats pose health concerns for humans. Bats are confirmed carriers of rabies (otherwise known as rabies vector species).  While confirmed cases of rabies transmission from bat to human are extremely rare, there is still a possibility of this happening. What are we telling you?  Rabies in bats is very real, however, the media tends to hype this situation and spread misconceptions which fan the flames of panic.  So, stay calm, but we strongly encourage you to exercise the same rational caution that you would show with any other wild animal in our area (except for bears—they’ve definitely earned a healthier fear from all of us).     

We help your bats leave the house safely.

Get the Bat in the House to Leave

Now let’s discuss getting a bat out of the house.  Again our recommendation is for you to call us so we can give you accurate helpful information based on your actual circumstances. 

You can go about removing a bat yourself, but you must assume all the risks involved. The real danger is getting bitten or scratched, which can happen accidentally.  To mitigate this risk, cover your skin with clothing. Wear a garment with tough material that cannot be easily penetrated.  Also wear thick gloves, preferably of leather.  So now that you’re dressed for it, how do you catch a bat in your house? 

• Close off the room to other areas of the house. 
• If you can see the bat, then close doors to other areas in the room like closets and cabinets to prevent the bat from hiding.
• Open up any windows and doors that lead outside. 
• Do not chase the bat around; wait for it to land. 
• While it is perched, cover it carefully with a container that is large enough to encase its whole body.  Also grab a thin yet sturdy piece of cardboard or plastic larger than the opening of the container. 
• While the container is still covering the bat, gently work the thin material between the container and the surface where the bat is perched. 
• Be very careful because sliding the lid material between the container and the surface will disconnect the bat’s feet from where it is perching. 
• After the lid material is covering the entire opening of the container, lift the container from the surface but keep the lid sealing the container. 
• Take the container outside and place on an elevated location such as a limb or a second story balcony. 
• Carefully remove the lid and place the container on its side so the bat can crawl out on its own. 

Want professional help to remove your bat in the house?

There are many other details of this process to be considered that involve your health and the health of the bat.  Therefore, we encourage you to give us a call so we can give you other information to ensure the successful safe removal of your uninvited guest. 

If you decide to hire a bat removal specialist, you’ll still need to isolate the bat to one area of the house and safely try to keep your eye on its location until the bat control specialist arrives.  Bats can hide and once they do, it’s very difficult—even for a professional—to locate them.

After the bat leaves—onto bat proofing

But let’s talk about that bat that was just removed from your house.  It came from one of those non-living spaces.  It is highly likely to return to its original domicile, your house. How do you get rid of bats? Consider the long term solution of bat proofing your house.  For more information about this, please see our services page or read the article How to get rid of bats? Hire a Bat Control Specialist.

Whether you decide to remove the bat yourself or call a professional, your house needs bat proofing.  There could be other bats in your non-living spaces (e.g. walls, attics).  By the way, bats prefer to stay in these areas.  It is only because they sometimes get lost or because of some environmental change that they enter your well-traveled living spaces.