How to Catch a Bat in Your House

Bat headed for snug house with open eaves...
Bat headed for snug house with open eaves...

Bats should not be flying through your house. They may be lost, and they are at risk of injury. It is your responsibility to help the bats escape safely.

Steps   

  1. Open your door or window. The bat is looking for a way out. Open a door and leave it open to give the flying bat a clear path. The bat may sense the fresh air and fly out of your house.
  2. Allow the bat to land. Stay out of its way and watch for it to land.
  3. Pick up the bat if necessary. If the bat lands low, toss a towel carefully over the bat. It will not be able to take off again. The towel should cover the bat without causing injury.
  4. Scoop up the towel. Keep the bat wrapped inside. You should expect to hear clicking noises when the bat is frightened. It is best to presume that the bat might try to bite through the towel, so put on gloves or oven mitts to be safe.
  5. Coax the bat down from high places. If the bat lands high on your wall or ceiling, place a coffee can or plastic container over the bat. Slide the lid of the container cautiously between the bat and wall. Keep the container as close to the wall as possible. Do not pinch the bat.
  6. Carry the towel or container outside. Set the trapped bat on the ground some distance from your house. Close your door so that the bat does not accidentally fly inside again.
  7. Remove the towel or container carefully, so that you can see the bat on the ground. Walk away and watch. The bat will attempt a few hops, then become airborne. Bats have some difficulty taking off from the ground.
  8. Help the bat if it seems fatigued. If the bat is too tired or scared to take off, you may want to place it near a tree. The bat will climb the tree where it can drop into flight.
  9. Take care using your hands directly. Some people find it easier to use their hand to pick up a resting bat from the floor or wall. You should wear a leather glove. Do not squeeze too tightly. Place the bat on the trunk of a tree. It will grip the bark and climb away.


Tips   

  • You may want to wet the towel before throwing it over the bat.
  • A fishing net is inappropriate to trap a bat. The bat can fit through the large webbing. A butterfly net is a good choice.
  • A tennis racket or baseball bat will injure or kill the bat. Please don't use this under any circumstances.
  • Bats do not build nests in your hair. A sick or confused bat may accidentally bump into your head. This is undesirable to you and the bat.
  • Bats can enter your house through very, very small cracks in your roof, chimney, fireplace, furnace, attic, vents or windows. The most likely entry is through loose areas in your soffett, the edge of your roof. Once a bat is in your house, it will be unlikely find that tiny crack again to exit.
  • Most house bats are brown. They have extremely sharp little teeth. They use their teeth to eat insects. Bats in your neighborhood will reduce the insect population. Build bat houses nearby.
  • Remove any pets to reduce the chance of them coming into contact with the bat, or causing more stress to the bat.


Warnings   

  • A very small percentage of bats may have the disease rabies. An unhealthy bat bumps into walls, furniture, people and objects or is unable to fly. Avoid a bat on the ground. Rabies can be transmitted by biting.
  • Bat droppings, guano, can grow a fungus that can infect a human. Histoplasmosis occurs when mold spores are inhaled. Symptoms are like pneumonia and may lead to very serious complications, even death. This problem is not likely to occur just because you see a bat in your house. If you have a bat colony in your house, you should have the bats removed and the roosting area sanitized.
  • On one occasion, a man opened his door to allow a bat to escape. Another bat flew in through the open door after hearing the sound of the bat inside the house. Regardless, this still seems to be the simplest method.