A Bat In The House

[kilee]

We came home last night and found (well I found) a bat flying around the living room. ICK and EWWWW!! I was so grateful it at least happened when dh was home (he works out of town). I will shamlessly admit I hid in the bathroom w/ the door shut while dh and ds went on a bat hunt to find it. Thankfully they did find it and well... all I'll say is it's now gone. Anyhow, I have had dh spending all morning trying to see how it got in--- I know they can fit through the tiniest of cracks/holes/openings.

Even though I knew it was gone still had an awful time sleeping and feeling at ease last night afterwards.

 

[LMC]

EWWWW! Did they wear gloves? I hope they didn't touch it bare handed; rabies!!! Do you have a fireplace it could have come down? We got back from vacation and had a covey of bats in our garage (at least it was "outside"). DH left the garage door up so I guess the bats thought it was a great cave. They were living between the flourescent fixture and ceiling. It was hilarious watching him get them out! I should have video taped it.

 

[Geoff_M]

You have very little to fear from bats. Just don't touch them and you'll be fine. I've done a far amount of cavin in my life and have even slept a few feet away from hibernating bats with zero problems. They have an excellent radar system and givens them incredible flying abilities. They can turn on a dime met air and they aren't going to collide with you when they fly around. I agree that you don't want them in your living space, but remember that that bats eat a "ton" of bugs each night and you want them around where you live!

Also remember that a lot of bat species are protected and/or endangered.

 

[Feralpeg]

Bats like to nest in attics. If it turns out that the bat came from the attic, make sure you have someone check the area for droppings. Be sure they wear protective gear so that don't inhale anything.

I had a friend that bought an old home as a fixer upper. Several months after moving in, she became very ill. She developed encephalitis. There were bats in the attic. Tiny particles from the droppings circulated through the house. My friend almost died.

 

[dementia412]

Well be glad your cat didn't bring you half a mouse. That happened to me this morning, and I about sicked up seeing piece 'o rodent. My dh was gone, so I had to clean it up... thanks alot I am so honred to have been the recipient of her kill. Can you smell the sarcasim?!

 

[kilee]

We do have an attic, dh checked it thoroughly today (we don't store even 1 single thing up there). He could find no evidence of bats, just some wasp nests. My parents had a random bat a few years ago, and the animal control officer told them if it's the only time they've seen one in the house it was most likely random. So I'm going w/ that story and I'm sticking w/ it.

They never touched the bat. They can be outside my home all they want-- but since I pay the mortgage I'm gonna have to insist they remain outside.... .

 

[bballmom56]

We get at least one bat a year in our house. The way we get them to leave is to turn on the outside lights and turn off the inside lights then open the door. They will go toward the light. Not sure how that works, but it has worked every time.

 

[MushyMushy]

Several years ago we lived in this house that had a whole bat community living around it. OMG, I still have nightmares to this day. They started getting in the house somehow, and our landlady wouldn't do anything about it -- wouldn't call an exterminator or fix up wherever it was they were getting in. It was a nightmare. The first couple, we just let go, but after that we talked about killing them and she had a FIT. We called our landlady the bat lady. She would sit on her back porch and watch them fly around our house and talk about how beautiful they were. Yeah, well, they weren't flying around HER head when she was lying in her bed at night. Even now when I hear or see a bat, I duck!

Just about a week or so ago I was touring an old penitentiary with my friends and a bat came swooping through the cafeteria where we were. I shrieked like a little sissy girl.

 

[4greatboys]

Be sure to be very careful with them. We had a local boy here die after coming in contact with a rabid bat. He didnt tell anyone about it til he started having symptoms and by then it was to late, he was very sick and he ended up dying.