Bats in My Belfry - EEK

Let me preface this by saying that I have an irrational terror of bats, spiders, & centipedes. For those that say "bats are shy, they'll never go after you unless rabid", etc., remember that I said IRRATIONAL. I'm no girly-girl, but bats make me shriek.

I just had to deal with a bat flying around in my house. They freak me out. Seriously - they REALLY freak me out. Weird - it was at 10:15 am. I've never had one flying around mid-day before.

DH isn't here right now, so I had to do it myself. It flew past me, and then went downstairs (our house is pretty open, so it had a pretty free path from the loft to the 1st floor to the basement, so sometimes they swoop past and just keep going - hard to track them down. It kept landing on screens (the windows are closed), but with it on the screen I can't remove the screen to let it out the window, so we played that game for a while - me removing a screen and opening a window nearest to it, and it then swooping on elsewhere. I finally saw it fly into the bathroom and land on that screen. I do have to admit that I was tempted to close the bathroom door I save him for DH. Took some guts for me to close myself into the room with it, knowing it was on the only window in there, and I had to get that screen off & open the window. :eek: Which is worse - getting near it, or getting it flying around? He ended up landing on the floor, so I got the window open, not wanting to turn my back on it (I'm nearly paralyzed at this point). I had another screen in my hand, using it as a shield. By the way - the thing about them not being able to fly up from the floor is an absolute myth - this guy had nooooo problem.

Anyway, he did go out pretty quickly, unlike the one I had in there a couple of years ago. We've had a couple that just WOULD NOT go out the window. Picture my Dad, my DH and me, all armed with screens, in a bedroom with 3 large windows wide open (on 2 walls), and trying to guide this thing outside. Me shrieking every time it came at me. It must have taken 20 minutes. It would fly straight at a window, and then veer off every time.

Okay, I needed to share. Nobody here right now but the dog & cat, and the cat is in bed with the covers pulled over his head, as he is every day.

We just built 2 bat houses a week ago, hoping to give them someplace they would prefer over the house. We still need to hang one of them.

Anybody else had any fun experiences like this?

Bats are indeed freaky. The last bat encounter I had, I walked around sporting a blanket over my head because it kept swooping down at me. I ended up naming the little guy "swoopy". But the blanket really just blinded me and as I saw him dive bomb from above I ducked hard and ended up slamming my face, nose first squarely into my desk. I was lucky I didn't break my nose, but it was swollen. Eventually he flew out of the open door I gave him.

Swoopy 1 Reesh 0.

Almost exactly a year ago I had a bat in my house. No idea how it got in. I think I posted the story on here, but since I couldn't find where he was hiding, I just stayed at my parents until he died :p Sent him to the health department for testing, and got the results back the morning we were leaving for Italy. I don't care how harmless or beneficial they're supposed to be (goes for spiers, too), they don't belong in my house and if they enter that space, they'll pay with their lives!

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Originally Posted by NoNo

Almost exactly a year ago I had a bat in my house. No idea how it got in. I think I posted the story on here, but since I couldn't find where he was hiding, I just stayed at my parents until he died :p Sent him to the health department for testing, and got the results back the morning we were leaving for Italy. I don't care how harmless or beneficial they're supposed to be (goes for spiers, too), they don't belong in my house and if they enter that space, they'll pay with their lives!

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How did you know he'd died, or where to find him?? Of course, I think in terms of my log house, with its infinite crevices & hiding places. We had one a couple of weeks ago that DH lost track of - this was probably that one. I figure if they can get in, there is a chance they'll find their way out again. And in again.

Reesha - awesome story! I was reaching for a towel out of the cupboard for that very purpose when he swooped off the bathroom window again. I do wonder if they might end up under the towel, hanging from my face.

I am FlyingScot Queen of the bat catchers. We've had six so far. They scare the you know what out of me. They scare my brother even more. So much for manliness. I have perfected bat catching to near professional level. If any of you want to know how I do it just let me know.

ps. no bats die in the process.

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Originally Posted by FlyingScot

I am FlyingScot Queen of the bat catchers. We've had six so far. They scare the you know what out of me. They scare my brother even more. So much for manliness. I have perfected bat catching to near professional level. If any of you want to know how I do it just let me know.

ps. no bats die in the process.

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We have had 5-6 in our house in the last 3-4 years. Our biggest fear is that one of our 4 cats will mortally wound them. We have 7 foot ceilings in much or our house and our youngest cat appears to have a 5 foot vertical leap (he's like Michael Jordan). He's jumped and smacked one out of the air, before.

Our method is to corral the cats into one room, then open the front door. I hold up a blanket and try to drive the bat towards the open door. Sometimes the bat will land somewhere and DH has been able to grab the little bugger with gloves on and/or capture it in a mesh delicates bag and return him to the outdoors. We really need to build some bat houses, too. We have an old house that the little guys have an easy time finding entry to.

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Originally Posted by FlyingScot

I am FlyingScot Queen of the bat catchers. We've had six so far. They scare the you know what out of me. They scare my brother even more. So much for manliness. I have perfected bat catching to near professional level. If any of you want to know how I do it just let me know.

ps. no bats die in the process.

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Oh!
Do tell! Do tell!

I had a possum in my closet once, but I just called animal control to come get him.

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Originally Posted by Skierchickie

How did you know he'd died, or where to find him??

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When my landlord went to check things out, he found him on the kitchen floor. Apparently he'd been hiding in the plant on my fridge:rolleyes: Several days without food or water had done him in.

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Originally Posted by NoNo

When my landlord went to check things out, he found him on the kitchen floor. Apparently he'd been hiding in the plant on my fridge:rolleyes: Several days without food or water had done him in.

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Ahhh. I have heard that they need to eat a lot, and will die quickly if they can't get any insects.

I also have read that their bones are extremely fragile, and that if you pick one up it will probably die of the injuries. And here I am, afraid of them.

I really want to know the FlyingScot method! We generally get 2 or 3 every summer. Did I say summer? DH evicted one into an early-season snowstorm one time.

Bat's bones are light, but unless you're heavy handed, picking it up won't break it's bones. I've mist netted and ankle tagged bats back in my college days. I think they're actually kind of cute. Mice with wings. Fruit eating bats are called "Flying Foxes" because their faces look rather fox like.

I've also stuffed a couple of bats for display purposes, and again, didn't break any bones. I was surprised that the bats could echo-locate the top of the mist net, and avoid it. But a slight breeze would set the net to moving, then the bats would have trouble and get caught.

But if a bat is slow enough to be caught by hand, then it's probably sick, so you should be wearing leather gloves. Like most mammals, they carry diseases (we do too).

FWIW - the two worst mammalian species to be bitten by are:

• humans - most amount of bacteria in our mouths, leads to very nastily infected wounds

• cats - those sharp teeth leave puncture wounds, which don't bleed much and thus get infected.

Bats eat lots and lots of mosquitos, and other bugs. So they're a good thing. That said.... don't think I'd want one in my house either. ;)

We had a bat in our back hall once...I think it was sick or injured b/c it was on the floor and not flying around. I ended up just picking it up with a towel and putting it outside. I can imagine if it's flying around it's a little harder to get out!

Once when I was in college there was a bat sleeping on the door jamb of my club's offices. I tried to brush it off and the poor thing fell onto its head on the floor. :o:( I set it on the window ledge and it was gone an hour later ... hope it was okay and just flew away.

I love bats. I love anything that eats mosquitoes, but bats are just cool.

I love bats! I want to know how you guys are getting bats in your houses?
I've never had the (good) fortune, and it's a good thing, my cats would probably kill the poor little things.

For someone who is afraid of bats, dear Skierchickie you did a great job!

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Originally Posted by Biciclista

I want to know how you guys are getting bats in your houses?

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Personally, I live in a log house. Log houses = nooks & crannies. We can't find where they get in. The whole thing has been caulked, but that doesn't mean there isn't ANY access. Once there was one in the stove pipe, other times they've gotten in by way of the space under the trim over the windows (they have to leave a space to allow for settling). The gaps over the windows & doors have now all been filled with Great Stuff, since most of the settling is done. Anyway, there are a zillion ways for them to get into my house. They get into a nook, and then go the wrong way and come into the house instead of going outdoors.

Our house is about 90. The nooks and crannies have nooks and crannies. :p

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Originally Posted by Biciclista

I love bats! I want to know how you guys are getting bats in your houses?

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100 year old house. Holes everywhere. They only need about 1/2" opening to get in. They take up residence in attics and crawl spaces.Usually bats that get in the living area of a house are either sick or juveniles. I've been lucky that mine haven't been sick just young and stupid. Anyway, how to safely catch a bat:
-one large Tupperware canister or other container easily managed with one
hand.
-one dustpan big enough to cover the opening of the container
-you may need a step ladder as well

When bat is first noticed keep an eye on it at all times. Turn on lights. This will almost always result in said bat landing on something because that is their nature. Note where bat has landed. Have somebody bring your bat catching tools. If alone get them yourself but leave lights on. If bat is gone turn the lights off again and wait...he will return. Approach roosting bat quietly. You will be able to get right up to it and it won't move I promise. In a controlled but quick motion place canister over bat pressing it tightly against the surface to which he is clinging. Very quickly slide the dustpan between the surface and the canister. You might have to slide the canister onto the dustpan depending on the situation. Do Not give the bat time to escape. Keep dustpan held tightly to canister and remove from surface. Ignore icky screeching and scratching sounds coming from canister as well as the flop sweat that will be running into your eyes. Open door to outside. Go out. CLOSE door to outside. Look for relatively soft spot in yard. Throw bat catching device at soft spot and RUN LIKE HELL back inside!!!! Next morning retrieve bat catching device from yard and disinfect with bleach. Fill with chocolate chip cookies to reward yourself for being so brave. Works every time.

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Originally Posted by Biciclista

I love bats! I want to know how you guys are getting bats in your houses?
I've never had the (good) fortune, and it's a good thing, my cats would probably kill the poor little things.

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By the way, Biciclista, you do realize that bats relieve themselves while flying around, right? PM me your address, and maybe I'll send you a nice little packet of what I clean up! :eek: Blech! That's my main objection to having them in the house, aside from my general freaked-outedness.

I found more this morning, so I guess there is another one lurking somewhere. Sigh. I WISH my cat would go after them! He's a lazy little lump. Yep, a lazy little 17 pound lump.

Sort of related:

was sitting out on the porch earlier tonight, and before the mosquitoes drove me inside, a big dragonfly (3-4") was swooping all around me scooping up the mosquitoes. It was pretty amazing, I'd never experienced anything like that before. It was almost worth getting all bit up...

We had one in our cabin in the middle of the night. I got up to use the potty and it stared me down from the floor. It followed me to the bedroom, crawled under the door (I watched it come from beneath the door with a flashlight), and flew around our room.

I woke my husband up who, while in his underwear, caught the bat with a child's butterfly net and released it outside. Who says chivalry is dead??

He recently put 2 bat boxes up behind our house. I wonder if he's looking for another opportunity to charm me??

First of all, Flybye, that is the creepiest story I have ever heard! Having a bat follow you, and even crawl under the door to be near you - clearly a vampire stalker. That is, a vampire that is stalking you, and not a bat that is a stalker of you, who are a vampire. Just to clarify.

So a little while ago there was an EEE EEE EEE noise coming from the woodstove. The kitty was camped in front of it. That can only mean one thing. DH found a box, and I slowly cracked the door open, to find 2 of the little critters hanging right in the corner of the front face. One escaped into the stove, and the other crawled up and into a crevice of the stove. DH was able to reach in (with a tube sock over his hand - his method of choice for mouse retrieval) and grab the one and release it outside, but the other is on the loose. He'll come out sometime, but we couldn't flush him out. I was already pretty sure we have one loose, so now there are 2.

Waaaaaahhhh! Why is there no sobbing smilie? Sobbing and shrieking like a little girl? And maybe shuddering uncontrollably. The frownie face just doesn't cut it sometimes.

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Originally Posted by Skierchickie

First of all, Flybye, that is the creepiest story I have ever heard! Having a bat follow you, and even crawl under the door to be near you - clearly a vampire stalker. That is, a vampire that is stalking you, and not a bat that is a stalker of you, who are a vampire. Just to clarify.

So a little while ago there was an EEE EEE EEE noise coming from the woodstove. The kitty was camped in front of it. That can only mean one thing. DH found a box, and I slowly cracked the door open, to find 2 of the little critters hanging right in the corner of the front face. One escaped into the stove, and the other crawled up and into a crevice of the stove. DH was able to reach in (with a tube sock over his hand - his method of choice for mouse retrieval) and grab the one and release it outside, but the other is on the loose. He'll come out sometime, but we couldn't flush him out. I was already pretty sure we have one loose, so now there are 2.

Waaaaaahhhh! Why is there no sobbing smilie? Sobbing and shrieking like a little girl? And maybe shuddering uncontrollably. The frownie face just doesn't cut it sometimes.

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I would have lit the stove. I don't care that it's 90 outside.

So I left the top part of a window open last night, not realizing that it only had a half screen on the bottom. :o

I woke up at 4 a.m. to a scrabbling sound. Normally in my house that means a mouse, and that freaks me out, because IMO there are not many things more disgusting than a mouse running across my sleeping face.

I turned on the bedside lamp, which would normally cause a mouse to freeze, but the scrabbling continued. Then I realized where it was coming from ...

Poor bat couldn't find her way out even though the window was wide open. She was flying in circles around the bedroom, obviously getting tired, stopping to rest on the ceiling fan for a few seconds but not nearly long enough for me to think about herding her or throwing anything over her. I eventually just opened the screen in the adjoining bathroom and waited for the bat to fly in there, then closed the door, put a bedsheet across the crack at the bottom of the door, and went back to sleep.

Before I opened the doors wide this morning I made sure to check the lamps, shower curtain, edges of the medicine cabinet, everywhere I thought a bat could hide. Apparently she found her way out. :)

We bought a bird net at a pet store - got pretty good at swooping them up in the net, and taking them outside.
On a rafting trip a number of years ago, we didn't bother to set up the tent and slept under the stars. Morning 1 - woke up when a frog landed splat on my cheek. There were thousands of them, all about 1" in diameter and hopping everywhere. That was freaky and neat.
Night 2 - woke up to see giant butterflies hovering everywhere in the middle of the night. I quickly realized there were dozens of bats instead. That was freaky and neat.

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

How do you know it was a girl? ;)

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So many people just automatically call an animal "he."

I'm using the generic feminine. :)