How do you safely catch a bat?

Asked by: Shane Pelletier

How do you lure a bat out?

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. When releasing the bat, try to let it go near a tree so it can climb (most bats can’t take flight from the ground).

Can you trap a bat?

Bats will most likely land somewhere they can hang—behind curtains or upholstered furniture, on hanging clothes or in house plants. Carefully place a plastic tub or similar container over them. Gently work a piece of cardboard or stiff paper under the container, trapping the bat inside.

How do you catch a bat in a towel?

Trap the bat with a bath towel if it takes off from the curtain and lands on a chair seat, sofa cushion or the floor. Throw the bath towel over the bat and gently scrunch up the towel to trap the bat. Pick up the bat within the towel and take it outside.

What happens if you touch a bat with bare hands?

Bats groom themselves by licking their fur. Rabies is found in the saliva of the animal. If you touch a rabid bat who just groomed them-self, the rabies can transfer into your system through micro cuts found in the skin on your hands.

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.

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.

How do you chase a bat out of your house?

Turn off outside lights that are near the open door or window. If an air conditioning unit is running near to the chosen door or window, turn that off, too. Bats use echolocation and not sight to navigate. Close off other rooms by shutting doors or using a sheet and push pins to block the opening.

Will a bat leave on its own?

Instead of chasing it, turn off ceiling fans and lights, and open exterior doors and windows so the bat can leave on its own, Hutchins said. If possible, close off routes to adjacent rooms in the house. If that approach does not work, you might have to capture and release the bat.

What do you do if you find a bat?

A BAT FOUND FOUND INDOORS

1. Wait until the animal is motionless. …
2. Contain the bat. …
3. Release the bat outdoors at nightfall. …
4. Watch it leave. …
5. Call a local wildlife rehabilitator for assistance. …
6. Make sure the bat is safe from predators. …
7. Do not use your hands to help the bat.

What to do if you find a bat in the daytime?

What do I do if I spot a bat during the day time? Do not touch the bat and try to stay away from it if possible. It is important to call a professional to remove it and do not try to swing at it or get rid of it yourself. Removal of bats and other wildlife animals is to be done by professional experts only.

How do you scare bats away?

Shining a bright light on the spot 24 hours a day for a week. Using nontoxic aerosol dog or cat repellents available at hardware and garden stores. Apply the spray during the daytime and only when bats are not present. Hanging Mylar balloons or strips of aluminum foil from the porch ceiling.

What smell will keep bats away?

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.

How do you annoy a bat?

15 Tips on How to Get Rid of Bats Fast [Humanely]

1. Fill up holes and seal cracks. In the wild, bats like to hang out in caves during the day. …
2. Use a natural bat repeller. …
3. Install a bat net. …
4. Install a decoy bat house. …
5. Remove food sources from your garden. …
6. Implement a bat cone bat deterrent. …
7. Install bright lights. …
8. Use mothballs.

How do you lure a bat out of hiding?

Rather than rushing after it, shut off the lights and ceiling fans. Make sure you leave the doors and one or more windows open, and the bat will get a good chance to fly out on its own. If the bat is in the attic or chimney, you will need to seal the gaps because the bat needs just a small space to crawl inside.