Even though I’ve lived in the country most of my life, I’ve been fortunate that I’ve never encountered a bat in my house.
I realize that bats are helpful – they eat mosquitos, among other things – but if you’re like me, you just can’t get past how super creepy they look!
I usually hear a bat story or two from friends or clients each year, but this year I’ve heard WAY more stories about people seeing bats, finding dead bats in their yards, and worse – finding live bats flapping around inside their homes.
And it’s not just me, either! Everyone in our office has heard more horror stories this year than we can ever remember.
So that got us thinking…
The other day, Katie and I went over to the Stock Doc to talk with Dr. Amy Stockton about bats, what to do if you encounter one, and how to keep these creepy creatures as far away from our homes as possible. You can check out our discussion in the video below:
Just to recap, here’s a few things you can do if you find a bat in your home:
- If it’s flying around, get your family and your pets out of the room and give it time to calm down.
- Once the bat is resting, put on a long-sleeve shirt, long pants, a hat, gloves, and whatever other protective clothing you can find to minimize the chance of getting bitten.
- Use a bucket or some other kind of container to trap the bat. For example, if it’s on the wall, place the bucket over it, and then using the bucket lid or a flat piece of cardboard, scoop the little guy into the bucket, being sure to maintain a tight seal to keep the bat from escaping.
- Head outside and release the bat as far from your home as possible (and as far from the neighbor’s house as possible, too!).
- If you need help and you live in the Riverton city limits, call Animal Control Officer Becki Weber at 307-856-4891.
And if you want to keep bats and the problems that come with them away from your home, family and pets, be sure to:
- Vaccinate your animals.
- Build a bat house on your property as far from your house as possible.
- Use ultrasonic bat deterrents to keep bats at bay.
I sincerely hope that you don’t have to deal with bats anytime soon, but if you do, at least now you’ll be prepared!