Finding bats living in your house is not uncommon. Most of the time, it is a case of loose bats stranded inside the house. They can also form a colony in and around your house without notice. The locations they frequent include the attic, the chimney, and the trees around the building. It goes without saying that these situations are not fun, because bats are more than just a frightening disturbance. Let’s see what other disruptions bats can carry into your lives.
Noisiness
Bats are noisy, especially if there is a colony in or near your house. Since they are nocturnal creatures, they sleep during the day and enter their active phase from dusk to dawn. At the very least, they can steal away your good night’s sleep.
Damage to Your House
Bats roost in attics and chimneys among other locations and when they leave the roost, they often leave dark-colored rub marks that can ruin your walls and paint. These rub marks are composed of the bats’ body oils, as well as some occasional hair.
Bats’ droppings and urine are also corrosive in nature and can cause any wooden or metal furniture to rot or rust, not to mention its foul odor. The weight of these discharges can also cause the ceiling to collapse.
Bats Carry Diseases
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) warns all of us to take caution when bats are near. There are two things that people need to watch out for: the bat itself and their droppings. In the United States, bat bites are one of the major causes of rabies transmissions to humans. Once infected and symptoms emerge, human rabies is almost always fatal. A timely administration of PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is essential to prevent rabies infection after being bitten by a wild animal.
Bat droppings, also known as guano, are rich in nitrogen and provide an ideal environment for fungus to grow. When the spores are breathed in, they can cause a condition called histoplasmosis. It is a disease that primarily infects the lung and causes respiratory problems. Other dangerous diseases bats may carry include the Marburg hemorrhagic fever, Nipah virus encephalitis, and coronavirus infections.
At the moment, there is no effective bat repellent available. The CDC advises people to contact agencies or specialists to deal with bat removal. It is a specialty service where they use various techniques to get the bats safely out of your house. It is best not to handle bat problems on your own because the wrong method could potentially make the situation worse.
Sources
There’s a Bat in My House!, HumaneSociety.org
Take Caution When Bats are Near, CDC.gov