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How do I get Rid of Bats?

By Jacob Queen
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 7,568
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If you have a severe bat infestation, most experts agree that the best thing to do is hire a professional bat removing company. These people will figure out where the bats are roosting and how they get in and out, and then they’ll take measures to let the bats leave without allowing them to return. This whole process usually takes a few weeks at most, and once it’s finished, you shouldn’t have any more problems with bats. If you’re trying to deal with a single bat, you can often handle this by simply opening your windows and leaving the bat alone for a while. Sometimes you might want to try catching a bat with protective gloves and a net, but this can be dangerous and it would probably be safer to call animal control if possible.

One of the main reasons people try to get rid of bats is because they can carry rabies and a few other diseases. They can sometimes pass these things on to people through bites. Bat attacks aren’t all that common, and it’s generally pretty rare for bats to have rabies, but it is still usually considered worthy of concern. It's often a good reason to try to get rid of bats if you have an infestation.

Many areas have laws that prohibit killing as a way to get rid of bats. They are often an important part of many ecosystems because of their tendency to eat insects. There might be a few ways to kill bats, but even beyond the ethical and legal questions, most experts agree that it isn’t really a practical way of dealing with them.

Getting a professional exclusion expert to get rid of bats is usually recommended because of the safety issues involved in bat handling and the expertise required to find their hiding places. Sometimes it can take a lot of skill to find out exactly how bats are entering and exiting a building, and you might have trouble doing it on your own. It’s also true that if bats need to be removed manually, it can be quite dangerous.

The main method of dealing with bats is called exclusion. It basically involves using flaps or other one-way devices to seal off the entrances to your house. Bats need to go outdoors to find enough insects to eat, so most of them will be leaving your home every night to feed. The exclusion devices let bats exit, but make it impossible for them to return. By the natural process of elimination, this will result in a bat-free home within a couple of weeks, and possibly much sooner.

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Discussion Comments
By Sporkasia — On Mar 20, 2014

I once called an extermination company to come out and remove bats from our attic. I was told that the bats were protected and that the company couldn't remove them for several weeks, not until after breeding season.

Fortunately, we were not freaked out by the bats, and none of them ever entered the first two levels of the house. Once the breeding period ended, a couple of men came out and helped persuade the bats to go elsewhere.

By Animandel — On Mar 19, 2014

@Laotionne - Because of the possibility of bats having rabies, the department of animal control will usually send someone out to capture a bat at any time of the day or night. Like the article said, bats more often than not aren't infected with rabies, but the possibility is enough to make animal control take them seriously.

By Laotionne — On Mar 19, 2014

One night I woke to the sound of fluttering wings, and my cat was excitedly climbing the curtains. I was surprised and terrified when I finally figured out there was a bat in the house. I had no idea what to do. I wasn't about to try to get him out myself and I wasn't going to sleep in the house with him flying around.

I called extermination companies, but none were open that time of the night. I ended up locking myself and the cat in the bathroom and waiting until morning.

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