Bats in the Belfry is a saying that means someone is a little cray cray. But, are real live bats dangerous? It’s only vampire bats down in South America that suck blood. But, when it’s your attic floor that has a pile up of their dirty little calling cards, it IS a hazard to your sense of smell. Bats in the Attic might also be a hazard to your health.
If a rabid bat bites a person who isn’t inoculated against rabies, it can be a death sentence. So yes, bats in the attic are something to be afraid of. One family freaked out and contacted a professional animal removal service in Hickory, North Carolina.
Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner were sound asleep after a Sunday picnic with their kids. They woke up to the sound of scurrying noises over their heads. Next they heard the sound of wings, as if a flock of small birds were flying through the attic. Mrs. Homeowner got goose bumps while Mr. Homeowner said, “What the hay?”
Brandishing a baseball bat kept to use on a burglar, he crept up the stairs to the attic. Flipping on the lights he came face to face with a large number of bats. A flock of these homely little creatures generally leads to screaming and cowering, which is what Mr. Homeowner did.
He backed down the stairs and slammed the door against the airborne mammals. Turning to his wife he said, “Mrs. Homeowner, we have a problem.”
She listened in horror as he described the scene he encountered in the attic of their home, which was supposed to be their refuge from any ugliness in the outside world. Her hands flew to her hair. She was recalling the old wives’ tale about bats tangling themselves in human hair. Fortunately, this is patently untrue.
“What are we gonna do?”
Going online, they searched the internet for terms like, bats in the attic, sounds coming from the attic and animal removal service in Hickory, NC, the town where they lived. They left urgent messages on the voice mail of those advertising a free estimate. They checked the status of licensing, insurance and reputation of each one.
“Now we wait till a professional comes to protect us” Mr. Homeowner told his wife.
When he came, he informed them that it was the bats that were protected from harm. They had to be removed alive and well and then released to fly again. “What the hay” the flabbergasted Mr. Homeowner gasped.
He listened as the Animal Solutions, Inc. professional explained the live exclusion method. “It is effective. It is humane. It is legal.”
It’s against the law to harm or kill bats in most states.
- Install exclusion devices: These one-way contrivances are designed to allow bats to exit. They do not allow them to re-enter the attic through them.
- Wait: In a few days all bats should have left the building.
- Seal all possible entryways: If you miss even one, the bats will get back into the attic.
- Clean: Bat droppings, called guano must be cleaned up.
When all four steps are followed, it’s like putting up a ‘No Trespassing’ sign for the next time the bats fly by looking for a convenient place to ‘hang’ out…
