Bats in Your House or Attic

Friday, June 25, 2010

There are over 900 kinds of bats, but one we see the most in United States is the big brown bat.

Bats are one of the most beneficial mammals in the world. They eat tons of insects each night and they are extremely important for the overall well-being of the ecosystem. Bat is the only true flying mammal.

Despite their "big brown" name, bats are quite small. They can often enter where the sides of a house meet the roof or chimney.

Unlike other rodents, bats do not physically harm your home. But their presence in the house is considered a health hazard. If they are present in a home long enough large amounts of guano or urine can build up. Histoplasmosis (also known as "Cave disease", "Darling's disease", or "Ohio valley disease") is commonly found in bird and mammal droppings here on the East Coast of US. Symptoms of this infection vary greatly, but the disease primarily affects the lungs and sometimes can be fatal in humans.

Like most of other wildlife, bats can carry rabies.

As long as the bat never touches anyone, there is no need to worry about transmitting any diseases. Otherwise, anyone that comes in direct, unprotected contact with bats should receive rabies post-exposure examination and treatment from a health-care provider.

The best way to get rid of bats is to exclude them. Bats that live in a house must still go out each night to hunt. If they can't get back into your house in the morning, they will have to go somewhere else to live. But in Maryland, this must not be done during spring because that's the time when babies are born and still unable to fly. Only a licensed professional will be able to accurately assess your bat situation. If you suspect you may have bats living in your house or attic, please call AtOnce Wildlife Control at 443-562-9509 for assistance.

0 comments: