# Help! Need bat repellant



## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

I'm in a rural mountainous area in AZ and we usually get a bat or two in the summertime, but never this early in the season. Never see them, just a big pile of black batsh*t under an eave every morning..

But I got the tacos scared out of me a few hours ago when one of them popped up behind my desk. It wasn't huge, the body was maybe 4 " long. The thing looked me in the eye as I jumped up out of my chair and the thing started flying around the house. My bird-dog hound was going nuts, 

I managed to open the patio door and I THINK (HOPE) the thing flew away. I didn't see it fly out as I was running in the other direction to the front of the house to open that door. No sign of it since then, but it could just be hiding somewhere.

Anyway,,anybody have a PROVEN method to keep them away? Not the cinnamon or garlic or whatever, but something reliable and effective. Ultrasonics? What else? (If something does indeed exist.) 

Thanks.


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## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

Well, first I would like to STRONGLY point out, bats are highly beneficial to have around. They keep insect population in check & keep bugs from bothering you. If you enjoy say sitting out on your porch without being attacked by say mosquito's, bats are great to have. They are also great pollinators. I would gladly take them away from you if possible. I need me MORE bats around here, not less.

Secondly, I will point out that bats are usually protected by environmental laws. Might want to check into AZ laws before you begin exterminating them(i am fairly positive it is illegal but im not gonna do the homework for ya ^^). 

Now far as a solution, there isnt many good ones. Moth balls are somewhat effective if you have say a bat population in your attic your trying to clear out. In the wild...not so much.

Flood lights or bright lights are promoted as a remedy but not really. Bats will fly past them & into a dark place (like inside your house), they will also attract more insects so you will have those to deal with then. ultrasonic's are a gimmick & do nothing.

Removing their food source would work. That will be fruit & insects, if you can accomplish that it would reduce your bat population.

My personal advice, build a bat box for them to go home to away from your home (about 50-100yrds) They will mostly stay in that area. Keep the bats mate, they do not attack humans nor do they carry diseases nor is it dracula in disguise.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Hick said:


> Well, first I would like to STRONGLY point out, bats are highly beneficial to have around. They keep insect population in check & keep bugs from bothering you. If you enjoy say sitting out on your porch without being attacked by say mosquito's, bats are great to have. They are also great pollinators. I would gladly take them away from you if possible. I need me MORE bats around here, not less.
> 
> Secondly, I will point out that bats are usually protected by environmental laws. Might want to check into AZ laws before you begin exterminating them(i am fairly positive it is illegal but im not gonna do the homework for ya ^^).
> 
> ...


I agree, except they do carry a disease, rabies, but far less than any other animal, including cats, dogs and cattle. I too would love to have a swarm of them here.


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## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

yeah, they do occasionally get rabid like any other mammal who becomes infected. Though, a rabid animal is easy to spot by there odd behavior & i cannot cite any cases where a rabid bat has attacked a human. Im sure it has happened, but I doubt it is common.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

I'm not trying to exterminate the critters, just keep them away from the house. 

I'm not sure how that one got in the house in the first place, it must have snuck in when the back door was open briefly without the screen a few nights ago, Or maybe it snuck in the doggie door somehow. 

I tired the flood light last summer, didn't seem to make a difference to the bat(s), but it seems to attract a lot of moths and insects. I think maybe the bat(s) liked that part of it. Anyway, the bat(s) usually hang around for about 6 weeks, then they're gone. But that's usually not until late summer. 

And cleaning up the batsh*t off the back deck is a PITA. The deck is Trex, but the batsh*t has stained it badly under the eave where they hang out. I've powerwashed it and that helped clean it up. Last year I just put down a big plastic mat to protect the Trex.


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## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

guano makes excellent fertilizer. Got any plants? Make lemonaid ya know....

My suggestion still stands, give them a better place to live & they wont be living under your eave. Sucks that a critter flew into your home ive had that happen with birds before & can be a pain getting them out. Just gotta leave a door open & shoo em till they leave. Can try a humane trap with some fruit slices if you just cannot get them to evacuate your home. Keep the screen closed mate or be present when its open. They are much more scared of you than you are of them so if your sitting out on your deck when they are flying about, they will likely keep their distance.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I agree, bats don't attack humans, they are very good to have around.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Are they nesting in your attic? Bats can enter a hole the size of a dime. Be very careful not to breathe in anything near bat droppings. You can get histoplasmosis. A virus which can settle in the retina. 

You can tie mothballs in a net and hang them nearby to discourage them.

Bats are difficult to relocate. When their habitat is destroyed for new buildings they will still return year after year.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

Startingover said:


> Are they nesting in your attic? Bats can enter a hole the size of a dime. Be very careful not to breathe in anything near bat droppings. You can get histoplasmosis. A virus which can settle in the retina.
> 
> You can tie mothballs in a net and hang them nearby to discourage them.
> 
> Bats are difficult to relocate. When their habitat is destroyed for new buildings they will still return year after year.


I don't think they are nesting in the attic, at least I hope not. There's no evidence of them outside the house, no droppings in the usual places. 

And like I said, they usually don't appear around here until late summer.

So I'm really hoping this was just a stray that somehow made its way here and into the house. I guess all I can do is keep an eye out and keep the doors and windows screened at all times.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

If I spot another bat, I may try this. Excellent reviews at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Pest-Control-Bat-targeting-system/dp/B003MOEDJ0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

First off you need to verify you do not have them roosting in your attic. Left alone a thriving colony of bats in your belfry can make it cheaper to bulldose and rebuild rather than clean and fix. If they are in there find out how they come and go. Repair this opening at night while they are all out and about.

As for the presence of them outside the only problem may be creating an insect buffet with lighting. This could result in accumulation of guano under their feeding zone.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

https://youtu.be/sj0_42COHRc

Error

Tried to post a video for you but it didn't work.


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## nanuk (Aug 14, 2011)

Startingover said:


> Are they nesting in your attic? Bats can enter a hole the size of a dime. Be very careful not to breathe in anything near bat droppings. You can get histoplasmosis. A virus which can settle in the retina.


Histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus and is primarily a lung disease. The breathing part regarding guano and histoplasmosis is correct.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Nanuk, just the word 'histoplasmosis' alarms me. I'm from Ohio and have it and it settled in my retina and periodically I need shots in my eye. My ophthalmologist said 66% of population have it and it was something in the soil. Growing up, playing in the woods all summer, who knows.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

Histoplasmosis is not as big of an issue in the west or SW as it is in the wetter climates back east. 

The soil fungi that is more prevalent in the drier climates cause Coccidioidomycosis, aka valley fever or desert rheumatism.


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## nanuk (Aug 14, 2011)

Startingover said:


> Nanuk, just the word 'histoplasmosis' alarms me. I'm from Ohio and have it and it settled in my retina and periodically I need shots in my eye. My ophthalmologist said 66% of population have it and it was something in the soil. Growing up, playing in the woods all summer, who knows.


I didn't realize you were referring to ocular histoplasmosis. It is rather rare and poorly understood syndrome. Apologies for correcting you. I wish you the best!


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## Davejss (May 14, 2012)

I wouldn't worry about a few bats. They'll eat buckets of mosquitos and are nothing to be afraid of.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

Davejss said:


> I wouldn't worry about a few bats. They'll eat buckets of mosquitos and are nothing to be afraid of.


I have no problem with bats - as long as they stay outside the house. And except for having to clean up their mess on deck. For relatively small critters, they drop a lot of nasty poop. :furious::laughing:


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## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

I have heard that if you paint the underside of your deck cover a sky blue. wasps & such wont nest there because they think its the sky.

No idea how much truth there is to that or if it would work for bats, but might be an idea worth exploring.


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

ZZZZZ said:


> If I spot another bat, I may try this. Excellent reviews at Amazon.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Pest-Control-...p/B003MOEDJ0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8


We have something similar. Seems to work.

I don't care how "beneficial" bats are. I don't want them in my house. We had a flock of them in the attic during construction, before the house was totally sealed. I shot every damned one of the things, as well as every squirrel that'd sit still long enough for a shot. So sue me. Rabies is a HUGE problem around here.


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