Reduced to a screaming girl

[sfa]

I love bats--I like how they look all curled up when they are sleeping, and it makes me happy to see them flying around my backyard eating all the damn mosquitoes that plague me and make it nearly impossible to go outside all of late June and July. But I don't think I'd like one in my house. I've heard pool skimmers are good for catching them.

Good luck!

Sarah

[wackyjacky1]

In one apartment that I lived in years ago, bats would come in through the air conditioning system that was located on the roof. The landlord finally blocked off whatever access point was there. But it's mighty creepy to see a bat crawl through an air conditoning vent while you're at the dinner table! We were able to catch that one in a towel and release it outside. I also found one during the day while I was vacuuming (same apartment). It was hiding behind a picture that I had leaning against the wall (I hadn't hung it up yet). I moved the picture to vacuum behind it and saw what I thought was a leaf on the floor. Being nearsighted, I got real close to see for sure what it was -- BAT! It was sleeping because it was daytime. I put a bucket over it, slid some cardboard underneath, and carried the whole thing outside. The darkness from being under the bucket woke it up, so it flew away once I let it go. I did not enjoy either experience at all!

[Possegal]

My mother had one come into her apartment several times (well not sure it was the same one). Several times she called the local police who came and tried to get it out. One time successfully using an old paint can. That one had paint on its wing so we don't think it was always the same bat. Another time the cop wasn't successful and Mum said that everytime he opened a cabinet door or something, he'd scream if he thought he saw it. That alone was worth it to her, she got a good laugh. Another time I was home and my Uncle was visiting. Mum and I were screaming like idiots everytime we tried to venture out of her bedroom. My Uncle never came out of the room. Next morning we tell him the story, turns out he was awake and heard the screaming, but thought it was the neighbors.

I appreciate their importance, but I too do not want bats in my home. Neither did our cat.

[Cataboo]

Bat populations are threatened enough with white nose bat disease lately.

These websites have suggestions that might help:
http://www.howtodothings.com/home-ga...-of-your-house

http://www.batconservation.org/conte...sflyinginhouse


I had an apartment in an old 1850's house once - the landlord was a bit of a slumlord and wasn't very good at maintaining or fixing anything (sweet man, but overworked). The bathroom ceiling was missing the light cover and a couple of the ceiling panels. One day I was taking a shower, and a bird burst out of the ceiling and started flying panicky around the bathroom.

I'm naked & soaking wet and completely freaked by the bird, of course run out of the shower & the bathroom & close the door to trap the bird in there. I turned off all the lights in the place, covered all the windows (and myself!), opened the front door to the apartment, turned on the lights in the stairwell & hallway, opened all those windows & the front door...

And then opened the door to let the bird out of the bathroom - it thankfully followed the light out into the hallway...

At which point, I locked up and went back to taking a shower figuring the bird had several ways out and would manage.


the landlord laughed when he heard the story & told me all about how birds were a good omen and something great was going to happen to me...

Guess what happens a week later?

Another bird flies out of the bathroom ceiling....

I was not amused at my continuing good fortune.

[nolemom]

When I was expecting my first child, I went a little crazy with the advance preparations. I had the entire nursery set up months before the due date. A bat got into the house and went straight for the nursery. The bat seemed to be hypnotized by the ceiling fan and proceeded to go round and round. As my husband attempted to get him down with a broom, the bat began to spew bat poop all over the room. It splattered the crib, bassinet, all four walls, etc. I finally understood the term going bat#&IT on someone - I probably sounded like a crazy woman when I called the landlord.

[NoNo]

When I was expecting my first child, I went a little crazy with the advance preparations. I had the entire nursery set up months before the due date. A bat got into the house and went straight for the nursery. The bat seemed to be hypnotized by the ceiling fan and proceeded to go round and round. As my husband attempted to get him down with a broom, the bat began to spew bat poop all over the room. It splattered the crib, bassinet, all four walls, etc. I finally understood the term going bat#&IT on someone - I probably sounded like a crazy woman when I called the landlord.

I'm very curious as to where it's hanging out and whether there will be a pile of poo waiting for me when I come back. The thought of disease, rabies or otherwise, was definitely a concern, and one of the main reasons I was trying to corral my cat into a safe place.

Landlord called this morning singing the Batman theme He said he'll call his guy, but he has no idea how to get this thing to come out. He said maybe there's some kind of trap that can be set to catch it. I told him they can come tonight when it would be out if they wanted, I certainly wouldn't be there!

[GLC1968]

I've had a bat or two in most of the houses I've ever lived in! A tennis raquet is a really good tool for stunning them (better swing than you get with a broom).

Here's a freaky story that may make you feel better about a single bat.

When I lived in the Poconos, I was renting an old house. I moved there in Feb and the first weekend we had a major snow storm. I could feel cold air coming in and discovered that some of the attic windows were missing. My boyfriend went to investigate and found that some of them had blown in because none of them were installed correctly. He fixed all the windows and then mentioned in passing the mounds and mounds of bat crap up there. I didn't give it a second thought - it's an old house.

Fast forward a couple of months and I'm sitting outside with my dog at dusk. I was just relaxing on a little grassy hill while she explored when I happened to notice she was staring at the house. I follow her eyes to see what she is looking at and I see bat after bat after bat exiting the attic under the eaves. We must have made quite the picture, the two of us staring in awe with our jaws dropped! I stopped counting bats when I got to 67 and they kept coming for quite some time after that. There must have been hundreds living in my attic! I supposed it could have freaked me out, but I figured that I'd been there two months already and they didn't bother me so I figured they were pretty good roommates.

Of course, I moved out when the hot water heater exploded and the heating oil started leaching out of the tank into the ground. Talk about the money pit! I will never forget watching all those bats come pouring out of my home though...that's an image that stays with a person!

[Aggie_Ama]

Have your landlord check if there is an urban wildlife specialist he can call. They specialize in catching critters like your problem. I am terrified of bats with my animals because of the rabies and they are so fast! Is your cat up to date? Even if it isn't rabid bat guano is stinky so I would want it gone!