Bats may be the best star characters in scary movies, but off-screen and in your home, not so much. You might suspect you have a bat problem in your home, but how can you be sure?
Be on the lookout for telltale signs or call a wildlife removal professional like Advanced Wildlife Removal for an inspection and a definitive report of the size of the infestation.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF BATS IN THE HOUSE?
Since bats are nocturnal, there’s a chance they may have been in your home for a long time before you realized it. Luckily, there are some distinct signs of the infestation.
Twilight activity
You’ll not be seeing bats during the daytime. But if you’re up at dawn or dusk, you might spot them. At these times, they are likely leaving or returning to a roost in your attic.
Accumulated guano
Bat droppings, or guano, are often found near entry points. You might also see the droppings on window sills, porches, attics, and decks. These droppings are small, seed-like, and dark, accumulating in piles, which can indicate an infestation.
Distinctive chirping
Bats use echolocation or sonar to move around but emit high-pitched chirps/squeaks to communicate, particularly at night.
Stains on exit and entry points
Bats excrete grease or oil on their skin’s surface. When they are squeezing through the entry and exit points, they’ll leave greasy stains behind.
The smell of ammonia
A strong foul odor resembling ammonia from your attic can be due to bat urine and guano buildup, which poses health risks and requires professional cleaning.
Scratching on the walls
Young bats often fall into wall crevices when they’re learning to move around. When they fall behind walls, they get disoriented. And since they cannot fly, they scratch as they climb out. So, if you hear scratching sounds from your walls or ceiling at night, it could be bats moving or trapped inside.
Carcass discovery
Finding dead bats in your living space suggests a bat community might be roosting in your attic. It’s important not to handle these carcasses to avoid disease transmission.
Pets finding bats
If your pets bring bats home often, it strongly indicates that a colony is close, possibly within your home.
CAN A BAT BE IN YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT YOU KNOWING?
Yes, it can. Besides being nocturnal, bats are great at hiding and can squeeze through tiny spaces the size of a dime. If there’s a bat in your attic, you might not know of its presence until you find evidence like guano and ammonia-like smell.
WHERE DO BATS HIDE WHEN THEY GET IN YOUR HOUSE?
When bats enter a home, they seek out secluded, dark, and quiet areas to roost during the day. Their instinct is to find a perch where they can hang upside down, which is their typical resting position. These hiding spots could be the attic, behind drapes, curtains and furniture, closets, wall voids, cellars, basements, and under overhangs.
IS IT SAFE TO SLEEP IN A HOUSE WITH BATS?
If you wake up to find a bat alive or dead in your home in the morning, there’s a chance you could’ve been bitten in your sleep. The risk also applies to anyone sleeping in the house, including pets and infants.
Aside from this, sleeping in a bat-infested house isn’t recommended due to various health and safety concerns. Bats can transmit rabies through scratches and bites. Although the risk of being bitten in your sleep is low, don’t take chances, especially if you find it in your bedroom.
Bat droppings are also a health hazard since they can harbor the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, which can cause histoplasmosis when the spores are inhaled. This respiratory disease can be serious, particularly for individuals with compromised immune systems.
DO I NEED A RABIES SHOT IF THERE WAS A BAT IN MY HOUSE?
The concern with bats is that their teeth are so small and sharp that a bite may not leave a noticeable mark, and you might not even feel it. Whether you need a rabies shot after finding a bat in your house depends on the findings of your healthcare provider.
PROFESSIONAL BAT REMOVAL – ADVANCED WILDLIFE REMOVAL
While bats play a crucial role in our ecosystem, their presence in our homes can pose significant health risks and structural damage. It’s essential to address any bat infestations promptly and professionally.
Advanced Wildlife Removal is your go-to professional for safe and effective bat removal services. We have the knowledge and tools for a safe removal process and provide long-term solutions to prevent their return.
Don’t let bats rob you of your peace of mind. Contact us today for a thorough inspection and swift resolution to your bat problems.