How do I get rid of a bat in my basement?
5 min read
Asked by: Kathy Allen
Once you have the bat inside the towel or a container, bring it outside, some distance from the house. Make sure that any doors or windows in the basement are now closed. Remove the towel or newspaper and turn the container on its side. The bat should be able to get out and fly away.
What does it mean when you find a bat in your basement?
The thing is, if you have bats in your basement, it’s indicative of a bat infestation. Bats prefer higher elevation and tend to enter a structure from the top, such as through the roof or the chimney. By the time they’re occupying the basement, it typically means that they’ve populated the attic and the walls first.
How do you flush a bat out of hiding?
The easiest way to release a bat back into the wild is to trap it in a box or container. Start by waiting for the bat to land (likely a place it can hang). Quickly place a plastic container or cardboard box over the bat. Then, slide a piece of cardboard or thick paper under the box and release the bat outside.
How do I get rid of bats fast?
15 Tips on How to Get Rid of Bats Fast [Humanely]
- Fill up holes and seal cracks. In the wild, bats like to hang out in caves during the day. …
- Use a natural bat repeller. …
- Install a bat net. …
- Install a decoy bat house. …
- Remove food sources from your garden. …
- Implement a bat cone bat deterrent. …
- Install bright lights. …
- Use mothballs.
What can you put out to get rid of bats?
Bats don’t like the smell of mothballs, white phenol, cinnamon, or eucalyptus. Install bright lights to help deter them. Bats also don’t like objects that reflect light, so you can hang strips of aluminum foil, mirrors, mylar balloons, or even old CDs.
Where would a bat hide in my basement?
And unfinished basements or furnace rooms are the most common place where bats get out of the walls and into your living space. If your basement ceiling is unfinished you can see gaps beside pipes wires and ducts that bats use to get out of the wall and into your basement.
Will a bat leave on its own?
The bat will tend to fly in a U-shaped path, flying higher near the walls and lower in the center of the room, so keep near a wall. Close interior doors and give the bat a way to get outside. If the bat doesn’t exit on their own, it is best to wait until they land to try to catch them.
Is it safe to sleep with a bat in your house?
It can also present a serious risk to your health because bats can be infected with rabies. While only a very small percentage of bats actually carry rabies, the consequences of actual rabies exposure can be catastrophic because an untreated rabies infection is almost always fatal.
What to do if there is a bat in your house?
If you can, isolate the bat in one room, she said. Open windows and doors leading to the outside. Keep outdoor lights on because insects will be drawn to them, which, in turn, will lure the bat outside. If it does not leave on its own, try using a box, a container or net to capture it.
How long can a bat live trapped in a house?
If there is no food or water, a bat trapped in a house will die within 24 hours. Even after it is dead, you should not touch or go near the bat. Some animals seem scarier than they are, but bats are every bit as dangerous as they seem. Bats carry numerous diseases which are deadly to humans.
Does one bat in the house mean more?
If you find one bat in your house, there is a good chance that you have more. Bats tend to be very quiet, so you might not be aware that they are nesting in your house until they have been there for a while.
What attracts bats to your house?
As with any other wild animal or household pest, they choose to cohabitate with humans for three reasons: Harborage, food, and water. If they have chosen your attic or outbuilding as a roosting spot it is likely because they have discovered that your home or property is a fertile food source.
Will mothballs keep bats away?
Since bats are federally protected, using chemicals of any kind to try and remove the bats is illegal. Not only are mothballs completely ineffective to get rid of bats in your house, but they can also be dangerous. Additionally, mothballs are meant to be kept in airtight containers because of the toxic vapor they emit.
Do bats hate the smell of moth balls?
Mothballs. Mothballs are toxic and strong-smelling. They will effectively repel bats and other pests, but are not always safe for household pets and children.
Is there a bat repellent?
Unfortunately there is no such thing as a “bat repellent”. There are many gimmick devices out there claiming to be repellents, but they flat out do not work. High frequency devices that plug into your wall will not work either.
