Top 10 things to know about bat removal

There are many things to know, however, these are the top ten most important things to know when you discover you have a bat problem.

1. Do not go into your attic at night if you have bats up there.

   • Bats can be flying around and it is highly possible that you could get bitten by placing yourself in that environment. Attics are often not a place where you can outmaneuver a flying mammal – especially one with such good vision and hearing. While bats have no interest in flying into your hair, they could accidentally run into you causing a bite or a scratch.
   • Rabies shots are expensive and no fun at all.

2. Walk around the outside of the house and try to determine where the entry point is.

   • A professional will do a better job however, you will have an understanding of the situation.
   • Look for dirty spots near the apex of the roofline, gaps between the brick and the wood trim are also excellent and common points of entry.
   • If you see a bat on the exterior of your home do not attempt to remove it by hand.

3. The time of year is important

   • The time of year is extremely important when it comes to bat control and bat removal. Bats cannot be legally removed in most states during the birthing period due to the bats low birth rate and the decline of species because of White-nose syndrome caused by a cold weather fungus.
   • A professional will know when this time of year is in your area based on state law, his own observations, and the species involved. Some bats are solitary and you may not even have a maternal colony. This time of year is often referred to as the “blackout-period”.

4. Not all bat colonies are maternal

   • It is possible to have a colony of just males, especially if you’re dealing with Mexican-Free-Tailed bats. These bats, segregate at certain times of the year, often after they mate.
   • Maternal colonies are often established colonies, this means they have been there awhile so while you may want them gone immediately let your professional service provider do his job legally and ethically.

5. Guano from bats is not a radioactive material

   • Guano is mined and sold as organic fertilizer, it is not radioactive material at all. It rarely has an odor unless urine from the bats gets mixed in.
   • The smell associated with bat guano is really just the smell of the urine.
   • Insurance companies often will pay to have your attic insulation removed and replaced if it damaged by bat guano and urine, but sometimes they rule the guano as waste or pollution. If your policy excludes pollution you might not have a case, but it is always best to have a copy of your policy and to have an attorney look it over.

6. Bats have no interest in flying into your hair.

   • Bats can see quite well and are able to nab dinner the size of a mosquito out of the air. Your head is an easy obstacle to avoid! They are quite adept at flying.

7. Juvenile bats are very small.

   • Often people find a bat inside the home and assume it is a “baby” bat – we call them “pups”.
   • Adult bats are often about 1-1/2 – 2 inches long with a much wider wingspan, pups are about the size of a quarter when born. This is highly dependant on the species, but again a professional in your area will know the type of bat and how to proceed.

8. Hire someone with training and certification.

   • While there is merit to having experience, there are also a lot of people who claim to be bat experts who have less than a year’s experience and just looked online how to remove bats.
   • Years ago there simply wasn’t any training available. Now you can actually get certified training in bat removal standards. NWCOA is probably the best source of this training. Ask your service provider if they are bat standards certified through NWCOA.

9. Ask about a warranty

   • If your bat removal professional cannot offer more than a year of a guarantee I wouldn’t even waste my time hiring them unless they can give a reasonable explanation as to why. A bat removal warranty should explain, the repairs that are warranted if any, and maybe what happens if you do find a bat in the house next year.
   • A warranty should be in writing.

10. Unless convinced, get a second opinion

    1. Unless your convinced that your professional is fair and going to a great job, get a second quote.
    2. You might find that two quotes are not apples to apples. Quotes can vary greatly, so understand what the service provider is really offering.
    3. Get your quotes in writing, ask for references and if your uneasy with anything keep looking.

I am certain that you will have a good experience with any of the service providers we have listed but I still recommend a second opinion. I think it helps you make a more informed decision. I encourage my customers to do it. I think they appreciate the fact that they know beyond all doubt I am the best person for the job!

You can read more about other species on our website as well and we encourage you to share what you have learned here today. It is important people know more about this industry.