Bats

[HunterdonPaul]

Oh boy. I recently replied to a "mice" post in which I urged for some cats. They take care of mice really well. Well I can't believe it but it seems we have bats. I have not actually seen them but I know there aren't any mice around the attic. We have been hearing some scratching towards morning time. Only then. Last night my 4 year old was scared of whatever she was hearing. Mom got up - I was fast asleep. I thought I heard them a couple of times. So here is my questions -

[1] How do I actually know there are bats in the attic (I'm thinking that is the problem)?

[2] What in the world do you do to get rid of them?

Happy Halloween for me (eek!),
Paul

 

[DarinRay]

Well I guess what you would want to do is either go up in the attic or just watch outside your home at dusk or dawn and see if you have any coming or going.

Then if you find that you do have bats all you do is ignore them and they will go away eventually. They are a big bonus to have around if you can stand the sight of them or family don't mind them. I actually just put up a bat house for them and am thinking about bigger and better next year.

 

[MossRoad]

If they are bats, you don't want them in your house. They are great outside, where they eat lots of bugs every night. However, they also carry diseases that can be transferred to humans via their saliva or feces. If you confirm that you have bats, you need to find out how they are getting in, wait until they go out for the evening, then plug the entrance. Also, I've heard about people catching them with the same type of netting that you hang up to catch birds. Then use HEAVY leather gloves to take them outside and let them go. Or, If you are not the humane, touchy feely type, a tennis racket makes quick work of them.

 

[RanchMan]

<font color=blue>a tennis racket makes quick work of them. </font color=blue>

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Ha! and Ouch! /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

 

[MossRoad]

A friend of mine uses that method and the score is 30 love /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

 

[looch]

I have hundreds living in my barn. The last owners refinished the exterior with metal siding. Now the bats live in between the new siding and the old wood. There is no practical way for me to seal it off. It's a real problem - I'd like to start raising some animals but I can't store hay in my bat infested barn. The bat house doesn't work as long as they still have access to somewhere "better." I've come to the conclusion that there is no real way to ever rid yourself of them besides denying them access. I'm actually considering tearing down my barn (it's a little decrepit anyway) and starting fresh.

If one more person tells me they're beneficial and that I should be happy to have them, I will freak out.

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>A friend of mine uses that method and the score is 30 love </font color=blue>

My dad stunned one once with a broom. Then he scooped it up and drowned it in a fishbowl. My brother & I thought it was cool, my sisters were freaked out.

I'd try the let them escape & seal up the attic approach first. Then go bat hunting if you have to. Be sure to wear your tennis skirt/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

 

[DocHeb]

<font color=blue>However, they also carry diseases that can be transferred to humans via their saliva or feces. </font color=blue>

Just a minor, 100% fatal disease - rabies. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

My "scratching things" in the attic ended up being flying squirrels. Rat traps with peanut butter caught one. Once I knew what they were, I used a live trap and got two more, then sealed up the hole.

 

[Stonewall]

Bats like it quiet. I put a radio up in an attic once and after about a week they had found a better place to "hang out"

 

[ronjhall]

Chris
Squirrels can be another problem. Hope you are moving them buggers a long way from your place. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif Check out this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=rural&Number=43992&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1>THREAD</A>
Hope you have that new TC40D protected from them. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Oh yeah. Congrats on the new tractor. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif