Help! There's a Bat in My House!
Why Do Bats Enter Houses?
There are two answers to this question. One is by mistake. Occasionally a bat will fall down a chimney or into an open skylight, or squeeze through another small opening to get into a house. Once inside, they are very confused and can't find their way out. We find this is the case only about 10% of the time.
90% of the time, if a bat is in your house it is because you have a bat colony living in your attic or crawl space. Most of the time it's the juvenile bats that get lost and drop down into bedrooms or basements.
Steps to Follow if You Have a Bat in Your Home
Isolate the Bat
Try to keep the bat in one room. Close the door to the room and squeeze a towl under the door very tightly. Once you lose track of a bat in a home it is very difficult to find it again.
Don't Touch the Bat
Bats have very sharp teeth and the chances of being bitten are very high. Bats are considered "high risk" animals for carrying rabies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, so you definitely do not want to be bitten. We strongly recommend that you call a professional.
You can contact us at the number below or look under "Pest" in the yellow pages to find a local bat removal specialist.
BatGuys Bat Removal Service
BatGuys handles hundreds of bat removal cases each year. When we respond to remove a bat from a house, we will also conduct an inspection to determine how the bat gained access to the house. We then provide our clients with an inspection report and a written quote that detail what needs to be done to solve the problem and a price for the job.
Please visit our main bat services page to learn more about what's involved in the process of getting rid of bats.
If you have any questions regarding bats or the bat exclusion process and would like to speak with a licensed bat specialist, or if you would like to set up an appointment for an inspection, please feel free to contact us using the information provided below.
Additional Information
- Learn about the history of bats and bat exclusion in New England.
- Our consumer information page may answer your questions about selecting a reputable wildlife removal company.
- Once we get the bats out of your house, you might want to provide them with their own bat house.
- Since BatGuys specializes in bat removal, many of our case studies involve bats.
Rabies Testing and Rabies Shots
It is very important that you do not take any advice on rabies from a wildlife control company (including us). Rabies is a very serious and complicated disease. The only people who are qualified to give advice on this topic are doctors and licensed Board of Health agents. Massachusetts and Rhode Island both have rabies protocols that should be followed if you have had a bat in your home. Call the phone numbers listed below for professional advice on this subject.
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health: 617-983-6800
- Rhode Island Department of Health: 401-222-2577
The Department of Public Health of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has put together an excellent collection of information on rabies.
