Bat in the House? Here’s What to Do

Nervous. Scared. Unsure. These are probably just a few of the feelings you are dealing with if you find a bat in your house. They are normal reactions.

Discovering a bat can be frightening, but like most animals, it’s likely the bat is just as scared of you. After your initial response, it’s important to work on a plan to safely remove the bat as they can pose serious health risks to you and your family. You have to be smart in your removal as bats are protected in many states — including Massachusetts. Read on to learn what to do if you find a bat in your house to keep you — and the bat — safe.

Determine if You Have One Bat — Or Many?

It’s important to determine if you are dealing with one rogue bat who has accidentally wandered into your home — or if you have an actual infestation.

If you are dealing with a single bat, the situation is usually pretty easy to control. When one bat flies into your home, it’s usually a young bat who is confused and just learning to fly. Try to keep the bat in a single room by closing interior doors and be sure to keep your children and pets in a different area. Once you have the bat contained in a certain room or area, here are some ideas to help it get back outside:

• • Help it escape: Typically these pups will just circle a room or a floor looking for a way to escape. The best thing you can do is help it to escape: Open windows and exterior doors. In most cases, the bat will find its own way out.

• • Capture the bat: If the bat doesn’t leave on its own, you may need to wait until it lands and then capture it. Put on thick gloves (not cotton as bats can bite through cotton!) and get a plastic container. Wait until the bat has landed somewhere it can hang, such as behind a curtain, and place the plastic tub over them. Then work a piece of cardboard under the container, trapping it. Then release the bat outdoors. Here is a helpful tip from the Humane Society: Because most bats cannot take flight from the ground, tilt the container or allow the bat to climb a tree trunk or other vertical surface.

• • Call in the pros: If capturing the bat still doesn’t work, it’s time to call in a pest professional like Ford’s Hometown Services. Our team can quickly take care of the situation before the bat hurts itself or does damage to your home – or worse, bites someone. Another benefit to working with a professional pest company is that we can help you find out how they got in and ensure you’re not dealing with a bigger infestation.

Suppose you’re dealing with multiple bats, or suspect an infestation. In that case, it’s best to contact a professional pest control company right away so they can remove the bats in a safe manner and seal off any entry points.