Getting rid of bats in your home can be a dangerous and difficult task. Since these animals can potentially spread diseases, it is important to resort to the use of proper pest control products or call for the services of professional exterminators.
Though exterminators are the ideal solution for bat removal, homeowners who are out of budget may have a problem with this option. If you are one of these homeowners, there are various ways to have the bats removed on your own.
Identify an Infestation
The fact that you see the bats entry and exit points and droppings and urine in your home are signs that there is already an infestation happening. Make sure that your home will not turn into a bat house by acting immediately. Take action and remove the bats once you get the chance to do so.
Removing Bats from Any Parts of Your Home
The attic and the basement are among the common parts of your home where bats live. Due to the insulation and the fact that they will not be disturbed in the area, it is most likely to find these animals roosting in your attic. So, what can you do to keep your attic free from bats? Check out the following:
Manual Removal
If you find out that there are one or two bats that accidentally entered your attic, you can opt to manually remove the bats. This is the most effective and simplest option to do.
Since the attic is small and tight, you should gear up properly. You will never know how the bats would react once they see you, so deal with this fully prepared. Do the same when you are trying to remove bats in the basement.
For the gear, wear a pair of thick gloves, thick long-sleeved shirt, and thick long pants to prevent getting scratched. You will need a broom or anything long that can knock them on the floor. Have a fishing net ready to cover the bat once they fall. This is the most humane process you can do to have the bats removed from your home.
In case, none of the bats came in contact with your family, you can release them into the wild. However, if anyone in the family was touched or bitten, call for animal control for the bats to be tested for rabies and for your love one to get proper treatment.
Remove a Bat Colony
Your options in dealing with a colony of bats are limited. State laws and regulations are protecting bats from the use of particular control methods. Thus, the need to follow these requirements as stated by these laws. Among the most important requirements that you should keep in mind is not to use chemicals for removing bats.
Exclusion is the ideal way of removing bats from your roof or attic. You can use exclusion devices to do this. However, you must keep in mind that if there is already a colony, it is most likely that there are already young bats inside, especially during the maternity season. This process may separate the offspring with their mothers and they will eventually die.
Before you start with this process, it is advisable that you figure out the bat species you are dealing with. This will help you know the proper way to exclude the species’ colony. A sample removal process you can do is the following:
- Go around your house at sunset and wait for the bats to exit. This will help you determine their exit and entry points.
- Seal and caulk all small gaps and holes around the openings.
- Attach a wire mesh over the active openings and leave a small opening at the bottom. See to it that the mesh is small enough so that they won’t go through it. The small opening at the bottom will let the bats inside your home to go out but will make it impossible for them to return.
Keep the mesh on the opening for a week or so and then remove it once the bats left your home completely. Once you remove it, make sure that you seal the opening completely with a stronghold sealant. This can also be a part of your home improvement, in case you are trying to keep a well-insulated home for the cold season.
You can also do the same method for your attic, chimney, or ceiling. Just make sure that you take extra precautions to avoid any incidents while installing the wire mesh. Also, clean up all bat droppings, urine, and even fur to prevent any health hazards.
Though this is an effective solution, it shouldn’t always be your primary method. Keep in mind that there are devices that may not work at all times, so the help of an expert is still necessary. It is also helpful that you are aware of some steps to preventing a bat problem.
Dealing with Bats Outside of Your Home
There are cases when bats that were once inside your home can find a roosting site outside. There is a great chance that they will either settle outside your home or try to move again inside your home. So to eliminate them, here are a few tips you can do:
Use Mothballs
Mothballs hung or placed near the nesting sites of bat repels these animals because of its smell. Create a sack by placing at least a cup of the mothballs in the cheesecloth and tie it up. Hang it where the nesting area is. Repeat this process as often as you can to prevent them from returning in the area.
Mylar Balloons
To drive away these bats, you can also hang Mylar balloons near their roost or long strips of foil. You will notice that bat flies away from these and avoid the area.
Dog and Cat Repellents
Aerosol repellents for dogs and cats will also help in discouraging bats from creating a nest in any spot outside your home. Make sure that you spray the area when the bats are not in their nests.
Spray them with Water
One way to annoy these animals and prevent them from coming back is by spraying them with water. Grab the garden hose and just spray water on these bats. This will force them to leave without hurting them. Since they may still come back after, do this as often as needed to drive them away for good.
To prevent bats from entering your home, it is ideal that you keep all doors and windows closed at all times. You should make it a habit to close every possible entry point, especially when you know that there are bats starting to roost near your home.
