Having a bat in your home can be your worst nightmare. Everything about bats is frightening from their appearance to the diseases that they could be carrying. Bats also have a bad reputation due to the way they are portrayed in the movies. There are also many myths regarding bats. A few include:
- Bats are blind: They don’t have great vision during the daylight, but they have a unique way to see. They use echolocation, which is how they navigate in the darkness.
- Bats are flying mice: They certainly are pests and a nuisance like mice, but they aren’t flying mice. There are several differences between the two. Bats are mammals, not rodents.
- All bats carry rabies: Yes, they do carry rabies; however, not every bat does. Less than half the bat population has rabies.
- Bats will suck your blood: Thanks to the movies, many people believe that all bats will try to suck your blood. This isn’t true. Of the 1,300 known bat species, only three are vampire bats. Also, you won’t find vampire bats in the United States. They live only in Latin America, and they don’t feed on humans. Vampire bats typically feed on cows and other large livestock.
Bats are pretty gentle creatures, and they tend to be shy; however, when they feel threatened, it can become aggressive.
If you have a bat in your home, you are going to want it gone as quickly as possible. Some homeowners will try to make bat removal a DIY project; however, there are several reasons why you should hire a trained professional to help remove the bats.
Assessment Of the Situation
One of the main reasons to hire a professional to handle your bat problem is that they have the knowledge and experience to assess the situation. Just because you may have seen only one bat at a time, there is no guarantee that there isn’t a colony of bats living in your home. A bat colony can consist of 10 to 20 bats or up to 100. A professional will investigate several areas around your home to determine if it is one rogue bat or one of many that are living in the house. If you are dealing with a bat colony, it will take a professional to rid your home of all the bats in your home.
Humane Removal of the Bats
Whether you are dealing with one bat or a colony, you must have the bats removed from your home safely and in the most humane way. Killing the bats is not an option. According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, there are 12 species of bats that are on the endangered species list. Many other species are on their way to becoming endangered. Because of this, it is essential that the they are removed from your home safely and taken to a place where they will be safe. This is where a professional comes in. Only a professional in bat removal will have the necessary tools to remove and transport the bat or bats safely. Also, when they feel threatened, they can become aggressive and attack. If this happens, you can contract rabies and any other disease that the bat is carrying. Hiring a professional is what is best for you and also for the bats.
Clean Up
Once the bat or bats have are gone, there is more to do. Once the problem has been eradicated, it is essential that the entire area gets cleaned up. Bats feed in insects, and they have a very fast metabolism. This means that shortly after the bat eats, it will leave droppings called guano. The longer the problem persisted, the more dropping will be in the home. If there was a colony of bats inside your home, the problem would be even worse.
The bat dropping and urine can be very harmful to your family as well as your home. If the droppings don’t get cleaned up, fungus can grow on the droppings that can cause severe lung issues in humans. Also, the dropping have a powerful odor, which will cause your home to smell.
The bat droppings and urine is very powerful and can cause the wood in your home to rot. It is so powerful that it can cause metal to erode. If you don’t have the area cleaned up thoroughly, the structure of your home can be compromised. Over time, the urine and droppings can make your home unsafe for living.
Another major issue that can occur if you don’t clean properly is the infestations of other creatures. The scent of bat droppings smells horrible to humans, but it attracts cockroaches and other insects. Failing to clean the bat droppings and urine properly can result in new infestations.
A professional in bat removal will know where to find the urine and the bat droppings, and they will also know the best way to remove it all before it can cause more issues within your home. For the health and safety of your family and your home, it is best to hire a professional.
Prevent Another Issue In the Future
Having a bat in the home can be a huge hassle. The last thing that you want is for another bat or bats to find a way back into your home. When you hire a professional in bat removal, they will not only get rid of the bats, but they will inspect to ensure you won’t have another problem in the future.
Professionals understand their behavior, and they will be able to determine how the bats got into your home. They will also be able to determine other entry points so that you can seal all entry points into the house.
If the professional believes that there are bat colonies in your neighborhood, they may suggest building bat houses to give the bats a place to live other than your home. Because most homeowners have little knowledge of bats and their behavior, preventing a future infestation should not be a DIY project. Bat removal specialists have the knowledge and experience to ensure that your home will remain bat-free in the future.
Final Thoughts
If you find a bat in your home, there is a good chance that there are others hiding somewhere. The safest and most effective way to remove the bats from your home is to hire a professional in bat removal. A pro won’t just get rid of the rodent, but they will also clean up the mess and make sure that they don’t return. Hiring a professional is best for the health of your family and also the structure of your home.
