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We need some advice on bat removal. If we are lucky enough to land this place, we will be the, uh um.....proud owners of about 40 bats in the attic. First let me say I love bats....and plan on putting up bat houses next year. Are all bats in Maine migratory? If so...can we count on them all leaving, and then close up all entry/exits once they have left? I'm just concerned some don't leave at all, and might hunker down in the attic over winter. We need to do some roof repair, and we don't want to trap any of these little guys. We have seen some contraptions that allow for bats to leave, but not return. Seems kind of sad though...going out to feed and not being able to return home. That's got to be confusing. I'm looking for a HUMANE bat removal idea. Thanks.
Thank you, this is helpful. We did have one guy quote us about $1600....seemed a little steep. Anyone know if these electronic things really work? We've got dogs....was wondering if the frequency affects them also.
Bats should be handled by a pro as there is a risk of rabies among other diseases.
Bat Problems (http://www.batconservation.org/content/Batproblems.html - broken link)
The guy who charges you for removal can probably take them to another county and sell them for mosquito removal! We've been thinking of putting up the bat houses, too, after this year's mosquito season.
Funny this should just come up. We also have a few bats (I count about 5 exiting out a section of siding right at the roofline of my dormer right at sunset). I did a search for "bat exclusion". Yesterday, we just ordered a very nice two chamber bat house (from Bat Conservation International, Bat Conservation International, Inc.) that we will put up near the opening where we see them come out. I really don't want to do a bat exclusion (eviction) right now, as I don't want to block in any pups in case they're still in there. But I believe that end of August is okay. I don't believe that we have more that 4 or 5, as we've watched for a few nights, and only see a couple come out, circle around a bit, and take off. But I could be wrong, I may have more than I think. But no evidence to that yet. Just a couple droppings of guano on the roof near the entrance point.
My plan is (as suggested by web sites) to put up the bat house near the opening for a few days (some sites said for a season if possible) where they come/go, to let them get used to seeing the house, and then do the bat exclusion (the type that the OP stated, where they leave, but can't come back in). I may wait till the beginning of next spring, before the bats have pups. I do hope that they take to the bat house. The web sites also have good suggestions for location of bat houses, size, size of chambers, features, etc. to help with vacancy.
I didn't realize that bat exclusion (through a company) was so expensive. Yikes, 1600 bucks?
There's a lot of wonderful information out there on bats. They must be doing something right, I live in the woods, and so far, have never been bothered by mosquitios. I think each bat can eat 600 - 1000 mosquito size insects in an hour. I'm really excited that I have them, and will do everything I can to keep them, but prefer not to have them in my living quarters.
Bat Conservation International is one heck of an organization! I hung with some of their crew when I lived in Austin and got to visit one of the caves they managed, outside of San Antonio TX one evening to see the bats leave for their nightly hunting. OMG was that awesome! there were tens of thousands (females and young, the guy ones lived under a bridge in Austin, I was told, only half in jest. They get sent away once they are not "needed" by the females.)
The opening of the cave was in the side of a hill and we were allowed to stand on top of the hill as the bats poured out by the hundreds at a time, turned and flew often times directly over our heads at altitudes that made me think if I was only a little taller I could reach up and touch them. THEY would have had other ideas, of course!
I have not seen any bats where we live, but plan to put up a bat house or two on the garage in hopes the they will come and join the swallows on big patrol.
if you know where they enter to the attic, wait until they gone out, close the entrance before they get back in. I have bats live under the second tire roof, when i paint that area then move out for 1 week, now they moved back in again, they don't like be disturb or may be they don't like smell of paint (the VOC kind).
Star, that's true. The bridge in Austin is quite a tourist attraction during the months the bats are coming and going. We never got there to see it, but I've heard it was quite a spectacular sight.
As far as bats in Maine, we haven't seen any, but we hear they are in the area.
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We've been thinking of putting up the bat houses, too, after this year's mosquito season.
