Bat Exclusions
Getting Started
People ask me all the time about How to Get Rid of Bats. In order to start the exclusion process to remove any bats in the attic or living spaces of your home, you'll need to first complete a bat inspection. See the full process here.
Once you've determined through your inspection which passages bats are utilizing to enter and exit your home, seal up the smaller gaps and crevices that the bats aren't effectivcely utilizing. Refer to the bat repairs article for more information about the process and materials required. Also keep in mind the dates for bat maternity season to make sure you aren't attempting an exclusion during months when they are protected by law.
On the main entrances and exits utilized by the bat colony, install an exclusion device meant for Wildlife Removal, like a one-way bat door made of screen, a funnel, or poly netting. Read more about these materials below.
Exclusion Devices
1/4 Crawl Poly Netting
This is a great and generally useful bat net, with very little chance for bats to get stuck in and cause harm to themeselves. It must be set effectively, however, to permit bats to fly out of an area where they have made their home, and not be able to fly back in. They won't leave if they have any trouble with the net on their way out, so make sure you set your nets with long poles to leave clear exit paths.
Window Screen
Window screen from your local home warehouse store is an incredible exclusion tool and is generally affordable. Centurian reccommends window screen because this material is great from smaller holes where poly mesh would be wasted.
Funnels
You can make bat funnels out of a number of materials, from clear plastic piping to 1/4-inch steel mesh. If there are a large number of bats, funnels should be used on smaller entrances to your home or attic.
Bat Cones
You can find these devices online from many retailers. It is essentially a flanged tube with a mounting pad perpendicular to the length of the tube. Be careful you are buying products for bat removal instead of Rat Removal when you order your exclusion devices online.
Tips
- Do no less than one nightfall bat perception to decide the most famous purposes of section and exit. This will let you know where to set the avoidance gadgets.
- I frequently set these prohibition gadgets around evening time, when a decent amount of the bats are out to feed. I've found that in larger colonies, a small number of bats do not leave with the rest of the group. In this case, a considerable number of bats will have left prior to your installation of the exclusion device, and after the remainder have left, they won't be able to return.
- Leave the prohibition gadgets up for no less than three days. Screen every night, and listen for sounds at sunruse. In the event that despite everything you hear bat noises inside or some other sign after the second day, you've done something incorrectly. Remove the exclusion device and begin again.
- After you've completed a successful exclusion, go ahead and remove your exclusion devices and seal up those entry points.
- When all else fails, call a specialist who knows How to get a bat out of your house. If you need professional services check out our hiring advice article, and use the search bar at the top of the page to find a local contractor near you!
Other types of exclusion devices
Beware of other exclusion methods that retailers will advertise as "universal." And be advised that such repellants, traps, and netting are not a one-sized-fits-all miracle cure to your nuisance wildlife control problem. Most traps, funnels, and netting is best suited for one type of animal.
For instance, you wouldn't use raccoon traps to capture bats in your attic. You'd use one of the exclusion methods outlined above to prevent bats from reetering the roost once they go out to feed, forcing them to find a new home outside of yours. Most wildlife removal companies will use large traps for Raccoon Removal that lock them inside once they enter, so they can be safely and humanely returned to the wild away from your home.