Bats in attic, Removal?

[BradT]

Hey all, I'm looking for info and any help. I have bats in my house attic, and has anyone had any luck in getting them out and keeping them out without having to call in a pro? how did you do it? I've researched it on the internet and they all pretty much say the same thing, to seal up all the hole but one and when they all fly out then plug the last hole. but how do you identify the Enterence/Exit holes? and how do you know when they're all out?

or, has anyone had a pro come in and were happy with their work? any leads on who to call? Personal experience with a pro? and what did it cost for the pro to get them all out and seal the house? thanks for the help.

[BobT]

You won't be able to do it this time of year by plugging entrances. That's because they are in hibernation and aren't moving about.

If you feel you've located every place they may be using as an entrance wait until at least an hour past sunset and then plug all the holes. They can get in some mighty small holes. Perhaps as small as a quarter or less.

Another way that is supposed to be effective if you live in the country is to build a bat house. From what I've read, bats don't really like to use attics because there's too much activity during the day and so if there's a bathouse they may relocate. They're not bad to have around as they can do a pretty good number on mosquitos and such.

Bob

[IFallsRon]

A radio set to WCCO has been known to make a difference. Don't know if it's the frequency or the broadcasting.

[Cicada]

The two things suggested to me was to wait until after dark and spray a little ammonia or antifreeze fluid in the attic. They are supposed to find their way home by the smell and if you change it with something offensive, they won't enter.

[croixflats]

Leave a few holes open put a screen over it make like a one way door so they can fly out but not in. I'm not sure if all bats are protected but if the bats have a brude your stuck with them till the brude flies out. Good luck, get them out before the Guano piles up, that stuff is dangerous.

Call the DNR they maybe able to get some contacts for you and some more suggestions.

Bob is right they are dormant, May or early june is when they come out of Hidernation if I remember right.. And putting a bat house up is a great idea. When putting a bat house up place high in a high tree at least 15 ft high, facing south to south east and if possible put some guano under the tree with the bat house.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

A radio set to WCCO has been known to make a difference. Don't know if it's the frequency or the broadcasting.

LMAO good one

[CFRay]

BradT, I feel for you, I've had/got them too. Built this house 15 years ago, never a bat. Then had the roof reshingled, and last summer I've got bats. I think I found the opening; its a place where the metal soffit of a higher roof intersects with a lower angled shingle roof area. I rolled up some window screen and stuffed it in there. Then sprinkled some ammonia on the shingles there. Before that I could hear the bats crawling up the shingles at all hours of the night. I guess this spring will tell if they are gone.

I have seen other houses where bats used the upper point of a gable roof to access the attic. Crawl under the ridge shingles to an opening in the plywood roof sheathing. A pro placed a sock type piece at that point, bats could get out through the sock funnel but could not get back in.

My internet searching found a picture of a bat leaving an attic area, in Minnesota, on a warm February day.

I'll watch for your posts come spring, Good Luck.

[WaveWacker]

If you can figure out where they are coming out you can hang a pale of water right under the hole. Bats have to drop out of their holes to begin flight and will get caught in the water and drown.

I know Mike Tucker owner of Wildlife removal services out of Bloomington deals in all sorts of "critters".

[BradT]

Thanks all, I guess I'll just have to take a good look and figure oout where they're getting in/out, and do the screen one-way door thing. and seal up the rest. CFRay: I think your on to something since I have dormer windows near the spot I hear them. I think that might be where they're coming in. And thanks to everyone for there input.

[King Canada]

Supposedly they hate the smell of mothballs. Have you ever smelled mothballs? If so how did you.....

[fishyguy]

Many good suggestions here but be careful how early you start killing them or blocking their return. If you were to kill or exclude them too early you may be left with a area full of helpless baby bats that will die and start to rot. I would imagine that is not a good smell.

[beaver11]

find where there coming in and use sticky traps. it works but sometimes there still alive.just used a bb gun on em

[fishandshroom]

A lawnchair a yardlight and a shotgun SHHH Alot of people think bats are great they probably dont get woken up by batty dive bombs and screaming wives. Also to mention the gaunoing in the insulation and other home damage. Ya gotta lead em like a teal.

[fishandshroom]

One more thing If I happened to see a bat flying around with half a sticky trap stuck to it I might have thought now I bet it wont fit through a half by half opening.

[Cold_blood]

A lawnchair a yardlight and a shotgun SHHH Alot of people think bats are great they probably dont get woken up by batty dive bombs and screaming wives. Also to mention the gaunoing in the insulation and other home damage. Ya gotta lead em like a teal.

shotguns are to loud........ but since its minnesota and high school tennis teams really can't practice get them up there to work on their forehands and backhands they'll thank you later

[PierBridge]

I used to get a couple Bats a year flying around inside the house. I had it down pretty good. I would just wait until they stopped flying back and forth and when they landed on the wall near the ceiling I'd grab the Bat with a towel and throw it outside.

Anyway my neighbor put up a Bat house a few years back and we haven't had any Bats in our house's since ...

[Nutty Fisherman]

See that only tells you they want a house of there own.

[echo2010]

I have been known to screech and hide in bathrooms when bats have gotten in.

Now my Mom was having an issue last summer with them and just hired a contractor to look around for problem areas

Seems like an old, non used chimmney was to blame for them getting into her house and he waited till dark then capped it for her.

I would imagine any fix it/contractor guy could take a look around for you for not much money and see points of entry.

My mom was determined not to have any killed since she loves bats. Ok I will admit, the woman is a bit weird! lol

[UdeLakeTom]

Not mothballs....they have to be moth crystals...There is a diffence chemically.

[motley man]

Put more bat houses on sides of houses. Check with D.N.R. for info.

[mnguy152]

the water in the pail trick works saw my dad do it once had 45 of them in there didn't have to feed the cats for a week lol

[Tom7227]

U of M extension service has lots of info on lots of stuff including critters:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD1141.html

[robert1965]

12 pack of beer. underwear on head,and baseball bat, swing away.

[DARK30]

If you can't beat um, join um. Bats are cool. You can offer them a better place to roost by installing a bat house inside your attic wall that only opens to the outside.

I used to live in an old house that had well over three hundred bats that came out every night in the summer. I didn;t own the place and they were loose inside the atttic so i didn't care...ever try and hit a flying bat with a 12 ga.? Nearly impossible

[Marbleye'd]

12 pack of beer. underwear on head,and baseball bat, swing away.

Now that's a party!!

WAIT.....Who's underware??? LMAO!!