Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( PICS & VIDEO - CORVUS HELP!!!!

• 06-28-2008 12:37 AM

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,441 Points 25

  Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( PICS & VIDEO - CORVUS HELP!!!! Reply Contact  A few weeks ago, I heard some scratching in the exhaust fan of my bedroom bathroom.  I thought it was probably a bird since it was morning and I quickly flicked the fan on and off a few times and heard something flutter away outside the window.  I assumed it was just trying to get in and I get alot of birds on my storm windows trying to get in.  Haven't seen or heard anything since.  Until tonight.  I have 2 recessed lights with plastic covers on them and there is a bat trapped in one of them.  I can't see a way that it could have gotten in from the interior bathroom as the fixture fits flush against the ceiling and has a plastic cover.  I can only imagine that it got in there from within the wall.  Shoot me now.  Please.  I closed up the bedroom.  (There's no door to the bathroom area) Taped a rubbermaid container to the ceiling beneath the light in case it manages to wriggle out and turned off all the lights.  I turned on the deck light which is below the bathroom window and the vent for the exhaust hoping to lure it out towards the light.  I'd like to open the bathroom window and try to free it somehow but that would involve standing on a chair and basically having my face and hands right up close to the light fixture and I'm too afraid of it biting me somehow.  Not in the mood for rabies shots this month, thanks. I just read that you can't block the entrance to get rid of them from April to August because there might be babies inside who can't fly?!?!?!  What the heck am I supposed to do until August????  Guess I have to call Animal Control or Fish and Wildlife or a Critter Ridder in the morning!  Anyone have experience with this????  Dammit, I had my roofer check all the vents, etc and replaced the two vents to the attic because I was afraid of bats.  I had one fly in a few years back and you can see them flit around the yard at dusk.  I love them for bug control, but not when they set up housekeeping in my walls!!!   Ewwwwwwww!  and HELP!!!!!!!    30 lbs. by Christmas, down 4.2 lbs., 25.8 to go!!!

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• 06-28-2008 12:52 AM

  In reply to BCMixs

  BEVOLASVEGAS Joined on 07-11-2006 Texas Posts 4,165 Points 640

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact Call animal control in the morning, & have them come pick up the bat that is in the light fixture.  See what AC says, but I would think that an exterminator may be in order as well. Amanda "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, throughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming --- ' WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!!! ' " - Author Unknown

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• 06-28-2008 1:07 AM

  In reply to BEVOLASVEGAS

  willowchow Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 6,321 Points 300	Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact OK, I can see how this would freak you out.  But, I think Amanda is right.  You have to make a call in the morning and also take care of how they got in.  Do you own the house?
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• 06-28-2008 3:48 AM

  In reply to willowchow

  corvus Joined on 08-02-2006 Australia (NSW) Posts 2,148 Points 80

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact  Aw, pity I'm an Australian zoologist rather than an American one. I know heaps about Australian bat species *flaunts Bat Conference t-shirt* but pretty much nothing about American species. If it makes you feel any better, we have rabies in our bats over here as well, although the government refuses to call it that. I know heaps of bat scientists that get bitten all the time and have never got sick. An infected bat usually acts sick, but then, who wants to depend on that? I've handled quite a few bats and never been bitten. They bare their teeth and act tough, but for the most part I handle them when they are actually in torpor. They go into torpor every morning and don't come out until night, and that doesn't matter where they live. When they're in torpor, they very rarely bite because they can't even fly. They move real slow. Anyway, the ones we have that are biters are tiny, so you can wear latex gloves and they generally won't get you. The bigger ones are more docile and don't bite much. Flying foxes are a whole different matter.... Anyway, just don't freak out. Bats are wonderful creatures, and surprisingly cute up close. They can crawl into very tiny crevices or gaps. They could have been there for months already without you even knowing. Any idea what kind of bat? Our hollow-roosting bats change roost sites every few days. Probably about half our bat species are threatened due to habitat loss and slumps in the insect populations. Don't know what it's like over there. Sorry, not much help. I just wouldn't worry too much. You know, even rabid bats aren't crazy about biting people. I've seen a few rabid foxes and they weren't terribly into biting people, either. I think the biting period pretty much is right at the very end when the animal is a day or two from dying. Before then they just act weird. Bats in the walls aren't acting very weird, just doing bat things. Nonetheless, don't handle them. Sure I don't need to tell you that.   Here's a couple of the bats we get. Are they anything like that or much bigger? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE46iqqB9SI&feature=related  Melissa's family: Penny - corgi, Kit - wild hare, Bonnie - rabbit, Kivi Tarro - Finnish Lapphund "She's always talking about her hare."

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• 06-28-2008 9:57 AM

  In reply to corvus

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,441 Points 25

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact  I want to say we have brown bats here in Virginia.  It's very small, like the body is mouse sized.  It seems to have managed to either get out or go back into the wall during the night because it's not in the light fixture anymore.  Thanks goodness, I really didn't want to have a dead one on my hands because I do think they're very beneficial creatures.  The one that got in a few years ago got caught by my cat but didn't bite it, whew!  I trapped it in a rubbermaid container and was able to release it after checking it (not touching it) to make sure my cat hadn't injured it.  Or at least as well as I could tell.  No punctures, etc. moved around and finally flew away. I have calls in to some handymen to get that vent replaced and there doesn't seem to be any of the evidence it said to look for at the entrance to roosting places (no brown smudges, etc.).  I'm going to pull out the exhaust fan (VERY CAREFULLY!) and the light fixtures today and look for evidence of roosting.  I hope this is just one that blundered in. (Oh please oh please oh please!!!)  And tonight at dusk I'll be sitting on the deck watching to see if any come out.  If there's no evidence that it's a roosting spot (don't know if that's the right word) I'll get the vent covered fixed.  If it appears there's babies, etc. I'll just cover up the interior access points until end of August (when it says they're done with baby raising) and close it off then. I own the house, so no landlord to cry to!  LOL  It's all my responsibility! I'm going to look into buying some houses and putting them in the trees in the backyard, any hints on height?  Is it something that has to be high up in the trees, I don't have a ladder and even if I did, I'm not keen on heights of any sort.  I'd like to keep them around for the bug control, just not in my house!    30 lbs. by Christmas, down 4.2 lbs., 25.8 to go!!!

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• 06-28-2008 11:04 AM

  In reply to BCMixs

  boneyjean Joined on 09-10-2007 FW, TX Posts 2,066 Points 30

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact I would be freaking out too.  If I were you, I would still call animal control and tell them what happened and if there is anything else that should be done.  They may tell you to let them come and check for roosting.  And keep those rubbermaid containers handy!  :) Last night while hubby and my cousin and the kids were swimming, a bat kept trying to get some water out of the pool.  No biggie except that it looked like it was dive bombing everyone in the pool and was flying REALLY close to people's heads.  They were all really freaked out.  I was watching from the patio and it was making me very nervous that it might even try to come our direction.  Everyone sort of crowded to one spot in the pool and once it got  some water it didn't come back at all.  I wish you luck and hope that it doesn't come back into the house! ~Sarah, Harley & Izzy~ boneyjean.blogspot.com

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• 06-28-2008 11:13 AM

  In reply to boneyjean

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,441 Points 25

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact AC in my county is pretty useless and never responds on weekends at all.  But I will give them a call on Monday just to double check.  I found a bat resource for Virginia so I'm going to contact them to make sure I'm doing all I need to.  I'll call Game and Wildlife on Monday also.  Hope I don't have to sleep on the couch again tonight, my back hurts!    30 lbs. by Christmas, down 4.2 lbs., 25.8 to go!!!

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• 06-28-2008 11:33 AM

  In reply to BCMixs

  spiritdogs Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 10,138 Points 735

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact BCMixs: AC in my county is pretty useless and never responds on weekends at all.  But I will give them a call on Monday just to double check.  I found a bat resource for Virginia so I'm going to contact them to make sure I'm doing all I need to.  I'll call Game and Wildlife on Monday also.  Hope I don't have to sleep on the couch again tonight, my back hurts!      Don't call animal control, call a wildlife rehabilitator first.  They may be able to get the bat(s) out and re-introduce them to a safer place without harming them.  If not, you can always call the ACO. Maybe these folks can hook you up. http://www.wildliferescueleague.org/    Regional Director for Massachusetts, International Positive Dog Training Association Director, SeniorCare Pawsitive Connections Program AKC CGC Evaluator #3669 Therapy Dogs, Inc. Tester/Observer Sioux, CGC, TDInc. Maska, CGC, TDInc. Sequoyah, CGC Fergie, Retired Lap Dog, Age 19 Dancer, CGC, TDInc. (1989-2006) #1 Heart Dog "If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them and what you do not know, you will fear. What one fears, one destroys." - Chief Dan George "The fidelity of a dog is a precious gift demanding no less binding moral responsibilities than the friendship of a human being. The bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be." ~ Konrad Lorenz

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• 06-28-2008 12:13 PM

  In reply to spiritdogs

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,441 Points 25

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact Thanks for the link.  I called them and they called right back.  They said the nesting areas are usually away from the feeding areas and it probably got in going after a bug.  She (the lady who called) said it's hard to know if there are babies in there without looking but if I block off the fan and light fixtures with rubbermaid containers and put a rag soaked in ammonia in the container, the smell with drive the mommas to move her babies out of there before I repair the vent and block their access.  I'll do that while I'm waiting to hear back from the handymen.  Guess it's another night on the couch.   Unfortunately, when I pulled off all the covers, there was a dead bat in the exhaust fan.  Looked like it had been there a while.     There's a gap in between the fan and the space in the ceiling and it looks like it's open to the whole ceiling area.  I can't see very much in there but there's no sign of bats, guano, nesting, etc.  I guess that's a good sign.  In the light fixture, there's an open area of about 1/2 inch that opens to the ceiling space, I'm guessing that's where it got in and luckily, it wasn't in the light fixture.  I really hope it got out and made it's way back outside. Off to buy a new vent exhaust cover, a new light fixture cover (broke it while removing it) and a bottle of ammonia.  What a pain!  30 lbs. by Christmas, down 4.2 lbs., 25.8 to go!!!

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• 06-28-2008 2:26 PM

  In reply to BCMixs

  Chuffy Joined on 12-17-2006 UK Posts 5,510 Points 10

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact I don't have any suggestions but I like bats.  I think they are possibly the ugliest yet cutest creatures on Earth.  In fact, I think they may be the ONLY species who have incorporate Ugly and Cute to such astounding effect.  I think they are utterly and truly fascinating   "Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life." (Pratchett, Jingo) "I used to look at [my dog] Smokey and think, 'If you were a little smarter you could tell me what you were thinking,' and he'd look at me like he was saying, 'If you were a little smarter, I wouldn't have to.'" - Fred Jungclaus

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• 06-28-2008 4:15 PM

  In reply to BCMixs

  nymaureen Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 319 Points 0

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact  We had a bat in the basement recently and then one in the garage. Hubby had to get the one in the basement. It was there a couple of days and I think the second night it was starting to get tired and a bit weak as it flew around for some time and then attactched itself to a beam. Fortunately I could see where it was and hubby got it with a towel and let it out. The one I had in the garage got itself out when I opened the doors. I thought we got all of the openings closed up, as we had problems with them before. I believe they were hibernating in our walls. Some hibernate and other types migrate. We finally found a spot where we thought they were probably getting in, as they were coming out from there in the evening. I think they were just nesting in a very easy to get to spot under some siding but then, in the winter, they went further in under the walls. We did wait until after the nesting period was done, before filling the holes up with foam. Don't forget to also wait until after all of the bats get out in the evening, as they will still probably be using the same spot during the daylight hours.   I'm not a puppy here. I've been around i-dog (aka dog.com) since, I believe it was, 2001.

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• 06-28-2008 11:39 PM

  In reply to BCMixs

  Pwca Joined on 09-09-2006 Dallas, Texas Posts 1,327 Points 310

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact It sounds like a Little Brown Bat from your description, and they're really harmless- just regular gardening gloves are enough to protect you from their teeth, and most of them won't even try and bite you. A friend of mine in TN rehabbed one last summer when there wasn't a rehabber locally who would help with bats - it was a baby that turned up in her garden.

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• 06-29-2008 4:31 AM

  In reply to Pwca

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,441 Points 25

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact  First thing that woke me up about an hour ago at 3 am was the crash of rubbermaid falling from the ceiling.  Do you know how hard it is to keep rubbermaid taped to the ceiling????  Once I got it reattached and I'm trying to go back to sleep I hear the scurrying.    At first I think it's in the room with me and got out from the rubbermaid and that's what made it fall.  I search high and low, listening.  Then I realize the sound is in the ceiling above me.  Greeeat.  I go up to my attic (walk up, a bedroom really) and there it is at the top of the stairs on the carpet.  (The pics are blurry because my hands were shaking -- still are!) So, I trap it and take it outside and put it on the deck railing (which I'd read to do because they have to drop down off something to fly).  It crawls to the edge and then drops to the ledge below. Well heck, I can't get the video to load.  Here's the link. I didn't actually see it fly away because it stayed there for a while and I wanted to make sure there weren't any more live ones in the attic or my bedroom.  So I go back to the attic and pull of the only 2 access panels I have, shine the flashlight around, don't see a thing, breathe a sigh of relief thinking, okay, these are just stray ones, making their way in through the busted vent and once I get that fixed all will be good. That's when I hear it...... In the still quiet of night and darkness, above my head, in the walls and in the attic..... LOTS of scurrying and squeaking........... FREAKING SHOOT ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!   I'm all for being environmentally responsible and keeping beneficial creatures alive and all, but I cannot deal with that kind of noise and stray bats INSIDE my house until August.  I won't sleep a wink and will have perpetual willies!  Not to mention the animals, I worry about them going after something and getting bitten.  I worry about waking up with one in my hair.     I should have listened to my daughter!!!!  About a month ago she came down late at night and said there was something in the walls, she could hear scratching.  I figured it was raccoons or squirrels running across the roof, which we get sometimes.  NOPE.  Bats.  I got bats in my belfry!!! Corvus, help!!!  What can I do???  Was the wildlife person right, will the mommas take the babies away if I put ammonia-soaked rags in the attic?  I went looking today and I don't know what gives but I could not find ammonia anywhere???  Is there a way to get them to relocate if there's babies or do I just have to wait it out?  Do I have ANY options???     Wahhhhhhh!!!!!     Sidebar:  You know.  Every single summer, I plan on doing some home renovation project.  I save up my money, get all my ducks in a row.  And every single summer, something comes along and screws it up!  Cars, kids, medical, something.  Now it's bat abatement.  Bye bye wood floors.      30 lbs. by Christmas, down 4.2 lbs., 25.8 to go!!!

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• 06-29-2008 9:45 AM

  In reply to BCMixs

  l.michelle Joined on 06-15-2007 Ontario, Canada Posts 1,143 Points 20

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact Ack!  WHen letting bats go that you catch, don't let them loose so close to your house, take them down the street or even on another street and let them go there, or else they will just go straight back into your house. If you need to light a fire under ACOs bums (if they won't come out to help you quick enough because they don't think it's an 'emergency') tell them that you think the bats are injured in some way, make something up! Oh, and if you call bat removal people, make sure you ask them to cover up and check throughout your attic and roof for any other possible entry points.  Make sure, also, that if they don't come with proper equipment and if they don't look 'right' don't get them to do it.  At the office 2 years ago we had squirrels in the attic, in order to save money, the office manager phoned this 'company' to come fix the problem, they had no machinery to remove the insulation, they did it all by hand (verrrrrrry bad thing to do) anyway, a month later there was noises again from the attic, and we tried to phone them back, they had a year guarantee, their phone was disconnected. When at the office we had a resident raccoon that would sit outside my window on the fire escape all day, I phoned the animal shelter and they said they couldn't do anything unless it was injured.  Fine.  The next day I phoned and I said it looked like there was blood on him and he was limping (he used to walk up and down the fire escape from the second floor to the third).  They were at the office in 10 minutes!  Yeah, they saw he wasn't bleeding, but because they were there now, they removed him, don't worry though, the first thing I asked them when I called was if they would hurt him and they said they don't, they release them elsewhere.

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• 06-29-2008 10:57 AM

  In reply to l.michelle

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,441 Points 25

  Re: Oh dear God, I've got a bat situation! :( Reply Contact l.michelle: Ack!  WHen letting bats go that you catch, don't let them loose so close to your house, take them down the street or even on another street and let them go there, or else they will just go straight back into your house.   You know... I thought about that later in my sleep-deprived staring at the ceiling! LOL!  Doh! I've checked out the websites of several bat abatement companies in Virginia and they all say they don't do abatement between April/May and August.     I'll call Game and Wildlife tomorrow.  I really don't want them hurt, just relocated. 30 lbs. by Christmas, down 4.2 lbs., 25.8 to go!!!

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