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Animal Damage Control - How To Deal With Unwanted
Bats
Bats are wild animals and
while they prefer to live out in the environment, occasionally bats might
find their way into a structure such as an attic or garage. However, these
interactions between bats and humans need not be a frightening experience
and there are many simple solutions to the problem.
Often a bat has entered your house by mistake and is just as anxious to
return to the forest as you are to remove him. One simple trick is to open
a window or door to the room, turn on the lights, and quietly exit. Given
time, the bat might eventually find his way out. If this doesn’t work, you
can carefully capture the bat using a shoebox or even a sheet.
Handling bats is not recommended as, with any wild animal who feels
threatened, they will bite. Although rare, bats can carry rabies. Rabies
is a viral infection of the central nervous system and can be transmitted
to humans. While most occurrences of rabies in humans is not caused by
bats, people who have not received rabies pre-exposure immunization should
not handle bats or other wildlife. Anyone bitten or exposed to the saliva
or nerve tissue of a rabies-suspect animal should immediately obtain
post-exposure treatment.
For detailed information on safe removal options for unwanted bats, please
refer to the “Bats in Your Home?” section of Bat Conservation
International’s Web site at
www.batcon.org.
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