BAT EXCLUSION

GUIDELINES FOR DEALING WITH BATS

Bats are a crucial part of our ecosystem and because they play a significant role in controlling the insect population, including many agricultural pests, it is vital we interact with and remove them safely. Bats are small mammals and can enter tiny spaces as small as 3/8-inch cracks in siding, vents and chimneys if not sealed properly. Go Pro Wildlife Removal Company offers safe and secure bat removal services, which is not harmful to the bats.  

Large Colony of Bats Can Live in Attics

From May through July, some species of bats such as Mexican Free-Tailed Bats and Big Brown Bats can form a large colony in an attic or other space in your home. These colonies often have a maternal colony in which the female bats leave the babies, or pups, in the area. The bat pups are unable to fly, which can be an issue if an exclusion (placement of the one-way door to evict the bats out of the space) is completed at this time. The adult bats will fly out at night and feed, and if a bat exclusion is done at this time, the adults will not be able to get back into the space, and the pups will then starve and die. It can then cause another issue to the homeowner in the form of a very unpleasant smell.  

  

During the winter months, bats may also go into dormancy (slowing of all body functions during short periods) or hibernation (slowing of all body functions during more extended periods) from January through March. Bat exclusion during this time is complicated, and the exclusion process will take more extended periods or will need to wait until the temperatures reach around 50 degrees. Due to the different seasons of bat behavior, we must consider proper timing for the humane exclusion of the bats. We work with our customers to give the best solution for your nuisance bat issues.  

 

Bat hanging from a tree

Common Diseases Spread By Bats

Bats carry a number of pathogens that can infect and cause illness in humans. Bat rabies are the most common type of rabies, and if contracted, there is no cure and is usually fatal. More than 200 diseases have been associated with bats. They can also spread Histoplasmosis and White Nose Syndrome.  

What to Do If You Find a Bat in Your House

Many times, customers do not know they have bat issues until a bat makes its way into their home and is found flying around the house. Or perhaps they are enjoying a lovely early evening on the porch and see many bats flying out of an area of the home.  

Stay Calm

If a single bat is found inside your home, the first step is to stay calm! Try to locate the bat and isolate it in a room by closing the door to the space where it is located (away from people and pets). If it is in the main room or you don’t know how to remove or exclude it, give us a call to remove the bat. Please DO NOT try to capture the bat with bare hands!

Call Go Pro

If you think the bat has bitten you or another person or pet, and the bat is captured, we will take the bat to the health department (or other agency) for testing. If you try to catch the bat yourself, please wear thick gloves, place it in a secure container and give us a call immediately for assistance.

Assess Injuries

If the bat was found in a room with a young child or persons unable to know if they were bitten by the bat (sleeping or incapacitated persons), take them to the doctor immediately or go to the Emergency Room. A bite from a bat sometimes cannot be felt due to their small mouth and teeth, and you want to make sure you protect yourself and others from rabies.

OUR BAT INSPECTION AND REMOVAL PROCESS

During the inspection process, we look for any openings that are small (or large) enough for a bat to enter, and then seal those gaps. Once the main entry point is located, we will install a one-way bat cone to allow any bats currently in the space to safely fly out at night. These bat cones do not allow the bat to re-enter the area, thus providing a humane exclusion. After about 1-3 days, we will return and do another inspection to make sure all the bats have exited the space. We will then remove the bat cone and adequately seal the entry point. Please note we will not remove bats with non-lighted young. The young in these maternal colonies will be old enough to leave the space around the first of August.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Stay calm, keep children and pets out of the room, and close the door to isolate the bat. Do not attempt to handle bats with bare hands. A bat bite is sometimes too small to feel, so if a sleeping person or child was in the room with the bat, take them to a doctor or emergency room immediately.

Bats can enter through openings as small as 3/8 of an inch, including cracks in siding, gaps around vents, deteriorating chimney mortar and unsealed soffits are the most common entry points. A single bat flying inside is often a sign of a larger colony nearby, since bats are colonial and an entry point used by one is likely being used by others from the same roost in the attic or wall void. Go Pro Wildlife Removal’s inspection process identifies all entry points, including smaller areas a standard home inspector would not look for.

Sealing an entry point while bats are still inside traps them, and trapped bats can die inside the structure, leading to odor problems and an inhumane outcome. Go Pro’s process installs a one-way bat cone over the main entry point, which allows bats to fly out at night but prevents re-entry. After one to three days, once all bats have exited, the cone is removed and the entry point is permanently sealed. Timing also matters as exclusion cannot be performed during maternity season (May through July) when pups cannot yet fly, or during hibernation (January through March) when bats are dormant.

Yes, bat rabies is the most common form of rabies in the United States, and if contracted it is fatal without immediate post-exposure treatment. Beyond rabies, bats are associated with more than 200 diseases, and their droppings, guano, can harbor histoplasmosis spores, which become airborne when disturbed and cause serious respiratory illness. Go Pro Wildlife Removal is NWCOA Certified Structural Bat Management Professionals, trained to handle bat removal safely and in compliance with all state and federal regulations.