How would a bat get into your house?

ats, like most animals, follow the path of least resistance. They flourish in areas abundant in food, shelter, and the absence of predators. If you live in an area that is uniquely habitable for any particular species of bat, don’t be surprised if they try and move in.

Bats usually roost in dark, quiet, enclosed spaces where they are least likely to be disturbed by predators or inclement weather. Their natural habitats are caves and other such secluded areas and this is why your barn, shed or attic can be so attractive to a bat in search of safety. Some species are less picky and will roost in trees and dense foliage.

Bats can fit into openings as small as 1/2″ making almost every man-made structure a virtual smorgasbord of potential hiding places. Some of the places that bats have been found in man-made structures include but are not limited to:

* Attics

* Storage sheds

* Barns

* Unused and open structures (Dog houses, stables, etc)

* Chimneys

* Louvers

* Soffits

* Siding

* Eaves

* Roof tiles and shingles

* Behind shutters

Bats are relatively timid creatures that normally go out of their way to avoid contact with humans. This is why you should be extremely careful if you encounter one up close and personal. Less than 1/2 of a percent of bats carry rabies, but those that do are more likely to become sick or disoriented increasing their likelihood of coming into contact with someone. Of the few rabies cases reported each year in the U.S., over half of them are caused by bat bites, so be very cautious when in close proximity and do not handle the bat with bare hands.

If a bat wanders into your home through an open door or window, the best way to usher it out is to seal it off from the rest of the house by closing the doors to adjacent rooms and opening all of the windows in the room in which it resides. Just give it a few hours and it will usually leave all by itself. If it decides to stick around or you simply don’t have the patience to wait for it to leave, you can capture the bat and release it outside.

If you’ve got bats living on your property and you want them out, the first thing you need to do is determine where they are roosting. Grab a chair and sit outside a few evenings with an eye to the sky. Are they in the trees? Around your house? Your neighbors houses? Make a list of every place they may be roosting based on your observation.

The next step is to go out during the day and examine closely all of the structures you’ve identified as possible roosting areas. Make a list of every opening larger than 1/2″ in diameter and keep an eye out for telltale signs of bat habitation. You may notice dark, pellet-like droppings on walls and around areas where they roost as well as dark smudges and stains in places which they come into direct contact.

Once their potential hiding places have been determined, it’s time to start ushering them out. Unfortunately, if your bats prefer trees there’s not much you can do to get rid of them other than removing the trees themselves. As for the list of openings you made in the last step, DO NOT go immediately out and seal them all up as you will trap many bats inside of the roost and end up with dead, rotting bats in hard to reach spaces which will cause even more problems with odors and pests. Be wary of the time of year you do this too - Maternity season for bats in the United States and Canada ranges from late April to late August and the roost may still contain babies that are unable to leave on their own. Roosts are almost never empty so you need to attach devices to these areas that allow the bats to exit, but not re-enter. Devices that accomplish this are called “Excluders” and can be purchased or made yourself. Making them yourself is easily accomplished by purchasing a length of tight-meshed netting, screen, or cloth and placing it over the opening, attaching it at the top so it forms a ‘flap’ over the entrence. This will allow the bat to push its way out, but will not allow it to get back in. Instructions for building exclusion devices for every possible type of nook and cranny can be found a Bat Conservation International.

Once you have all of the entrances fitted with an exclusion device, wait 7-10 days for all of the bats to leave before permanently sealing the openings. Use steel wool, cement, caulk, hardware cloth or plating. Do not use expanding foam – it is toxic and may kill any bats that return and come into contact with it when trying to re-enter.

If you don’t yet have a problem with bats and you’re more interested in preemptive bat-proofing, the best first step is to contact your local animal control or wildlife conservation agency for assistance or instructions specific to your geographical area. The most important step will usually be the elimination of any potential entry points. Scour the exterior of you home and nearby structures for openings 1/2″ or larger, and then

Don't do "omens", they're nonsense at best, and evil at worst. I don't suppose bats in your house are a terribly good idea, but I'd be more worried if it was a polar bear! Do away with superstition, it's not doing you any good. Instead, get yourself a Bible and start with the Gospels. Then do an Alpha course, ask questions, get a free meal, and take it from there. But leave the bats alone - if one does come in, leave a door open so it can get out again; if it's really bothering you that much, the nearest zoo or bat sanctuary or something should be able to help.

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Living in the country as I do, many a bat has flown into my home and onto the porch as I've sat out in the evenings. They're wonderful little animals which bring no bad luck and who won't harm you at all. Simply make sure there's an open window or door for him to fly out of, then turn on every light except for the lights in the room which has his escape route. He'll go into the dark room and then find his way out. He's not going to harm you, and he probably isn't rabid. If he should happen to land on a wall, you can remove him carefully with gloved hands. I know you're a kind person so I can't imagine you killing him. I do have to say that bats in the US are experiencing a die-off, and as we need the little critters to control the mosquito population, it's best that little bat be allowed to live. I have to share the following bat stories. My apologies if it gets lengthy. A few years ago, perhaps 5 or 6, I had just gone to bed when I head a strange noise coming from the bathroom. I listened for a few moments to what sounded like squeaking and clicking (thinking all the while, "What the hell IS that?") and then I determined that it was a bat. I went into the bathroom, and there sat my three cats on a circle around a small bat which had landed on the bathroom floor. The poor thing was unable to straighten up or walk on the slippery tile, so it squeaked, flapped, and clicked as it struggled. My first thought was that the cats had injured it, and I would have to kill the bat. When I had entered the bathroom all the cats looked up at me. Fox seemed to say, "Whatever this is, I didn't do it." Sam appeared to be in awe, her eyes wide and wondering. Both just sat, observing. Monica, the little runt with a warrior spirit, repeatedly approached the bat and touched it lightly. At this, she would jump back and the other cats would give a little jerk. This was a most curious experience for them. Determining that the bat wasn't injured -- and that he was simply unable to maneuver his little body on the bathroom floor -- I used a small bath towel to gently scoop him up and carry him onto the porch. When the towel was opened he flew away, unharmed. :) On another night, my middle son was deeply engrossed in a game on X-BOX Live. I popped into his room to ask if he would like something to eat when I was met with my son glued to the television, mashing buttons like a madman as a bat flew in circles around his head. He was totally unaware. (((((Erin)))))

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RE:

How would a bat get into your house?

I was in my living room and a bat flew by me!! I caught it, but now I wonder if my house is infested, or it is a random bat.

You probably have a light on outside and the bat was attracted to the bugs flying around the light and accidentally flew inside your house. Bats don't hurt people, just insects. I hope you let it go outside because it could have been one of the Endangered ones.

Most likely a random occurrence..they can get in through very tiny cracks or spaces. I hope you released it unharmed as bats are extremely important to the ecosystem as pest control and pollinators of many of the foods we eat.

Anywhere you have an opening. Bats are very agile and good at avoiding colliding into surfaces but an open window or door wouldn't help them in echolocation.

could have been the chiminy too

threw the attic