Help!! Bats in my chimney!!!!

[AliceinMaryland]

Ok I've been hearing them in my chimney for a long time. Probably a year or more but they've never bothered me other than just hearing them. 2 months ago I was sitting at my computer and caught something out of the corner of my eye, up high in the air(we have cathedral ceilings)........there was a freakin bat flying around in my kitchen!!!! I screamed and with the swiftness and agility of a deer I scooped my kids up and I don't even remember making it down the hall into my bedroom LOL! My dad came in and got the bat out of the house. I happened to have the HD cam in the room with me and we got 30 seconds of it on video that I will never show to anyone except my immediate family LOL. I'm used to being teased about bugs and yucky stuff my whole life and at one point during the video I think my dad is teasing me and going to put the bat near me and my voice drops about 5 octives lower and I say "get it out of my house". My voice is like a young teenage girl usually which is why it's so funny.

Anyway, I'm sitting here checking my email(the desk is 3 ft from the chimney) and now I'm hearing what sounds to be like bats plural or babies. And I heard something else I don't even know how to describe it. Who do I call to get them out of my chimney???? After that sound I just heard, I want them out!!!

 

[nala87]

Your best bet is to wait a few weeks when the bats will migrate to their winter hibernacula otherwise you will never get them all out. You can then call an exterminator to look at your chimney and help you block it off. You can also try a bat box In your yard to lure the bats there. You are most likely dealing with big brown bats, so you can look up ideas on-line. You may not have to worry much longer since bats are being killed off by white nose syndrome.
in the winter, all species may be endangered soon.

 

[AliceinMaryland]

OMG I wish someone else could hear this cause it's crazy!!! I haven't sat out here in the quiet without the tv on and this late at night in a long time. I never knew there was so much activity in there.

So you think they will go off somewhere when it gets cooler huh? I will look into this and yes I believe the one we had before was brown.

 

[nala87]

You could either have big brown or little brown bats, both are common in homes. They should be leaving in a few weeks. According to fish and wildlife bats begin to migrate o aug. 15. So you shouldn't have to wait much longer. The bats have to migrate in order to mate.

 

[Jennasis]

At least they aren't in your belfrey.

 

[dawson5]

we just got rid of ours. It was a few day process. Luckily we have a very nice brother in law because my husband is afraid of heights.

We bought the chimney screen and waited for dusk for them to fly out. Put it in place. Each night (dusk) for a few days you go and let the stragglers out. Then secure the chimney screen in place.

If you don't screen the chimney, they will be back next year. I put up with the bats last year, thinking when they left hubby would put the screen in place--he never did. It got to the point where I could not sit in the family room to watch tv at any time of day. They do make a ruckus.

 

[luvmy3]

Call someone to come and get them out and clean up their guano, especially if you have kids in the house. Their droppings can cause disease including blindness, so if they are getting into your house you should not just wait until they leave to get rid of them.

ETA We had them near our chimney where it met the house outside. When we got them out there were soooooo many in there, not just a couple and their babies we are talking like 50. Call someone ASAP.

 

[castleview]

Tennis racket.

 

[kimblebee]

At least they aren't in your belfrey.

Darn, you stole my joke LOL

 

[Cleocat]

The screening tip will work. We had them in my house and my neighbors house. After calling a exterminator and getting a 'tip' from the kid that came out we were told this. Get some netting, find out where they are entering your house. Attach the netting over their entrance, only attach it above the hole NOT all the way arround. Bats fall out their 'holes' when they hit the netting the drop and fly away. They fly directly into the holes hence the netting it will keep them from entering the hole. After using this method we were able to get rid of our bat problems. But you will need to repair any holes they used after you rid yourselves of them. Hope this helps you still may need to contact someone to clean the area though.

 

[castleview]

If they are in your chimney, why not start a fire?

 

[RadioNate]

Unfortunately, I've dealt with this. It happened to my mom's house one summer when I was home from college.

Right now there is really nothing you can do. Most states do not allow mass extermination of bats (though I'm not sure about MD) especially if there are babies present. The good news, as stated, they will be leaving soon.

In your shoes, I'd be out there tonight at dusk counting them. See where they are coming from & how many are in there. Keep doing it every night you can until you see more leave, that means the babies are flying and ready to fend for themselves. They will leave shortly after that happens.

Once they leave for the winter you need to seal up all their access points. If you have a brick or stone chimney you might want to consider having some professional tuck pointing done. They will try to come back to your chimney next year, it is their home. You want to wait till they are all gone to seal up the space. When my mom did hers, there was at least one bat stuck and it took forever to die. It was so loud! Luckily, hers didn't stink as it rotted but that is something that can happen.

Since they will be looking to roost at your house again next year, I'd consider a bat house away from your house. If they have a place to go, they shouldn't be looking to get back into your house.

Good luck!

 

[AliceinMaryland]

If they are in your chimney, why not start a fire?

That sounded like a great idea........until I had visions of the bats going down into the fire place and into my living room. Bats on fire flying around my living room sounds like a great time LOL

That's right about the guano. I forgot it is so toxic. So who cleans it? A chimney sweep?

 

[Jennasis]

That sounded like a great idea........until I had visions of the bats going down into the fire place and into my living room. Bats on fire flying around my living room sounds like a great time LOL

That's right about the guano. I forgot it is so toxic. So who cleans it? A chimney sweep?

The first time ever I truly laughed out loud at a DIS post. Awesome.

 

[AliceinMaryland]

Jennasis-I was ROFLMAO too!! I just know it would be my luck that the bats would fall down the chimney while the fire was getting going instead of going up and out. I read the post to my husband and the mental picture had him busting out laughing too.

 

[pixiewings71]

Call an exterminator...Billy takes care of bats but he's a little far away. LOL I would call an exterminator tho, they can either do it for you or point you in the right direction. Good luck....and I agree, no fires, that could be disastrous....LOL

 

[Disneefun]

Don't be so quick to dismiss showing that tape to anyone... It sounds like an "America's Funniest Videos" winner.

$10,000 could help pay to clean out the bats!