Bats In My Attic!

[nietzche]

After moving into my new house over a month ago I discovered I had some bats camping out in my attic. I would be happy to let the little critters be, however, they poop all over my patio and I have to clean it up every morning. I am also aware that bat droppings (guano) can be harmful to ones health.

I spoke to a Thai exterminator, and his solution was to lay down poison which would kill the bats. I have a couple of problems with this:

- Killing the little guys doesn't seem right, and they do eat a lot of mosquitos which is a good thing!

- I don't want rotting bat carcases in my attic!

I read online that hanging mothballs in stockings around the attic would get rid of them and prevent them from returning.

Has anyone out there had this problem and successfully expelled the bats without causing harm to them, or laying down poisonous chemicals?

[MJCM]

Hi Nietzche,

maybe this helps ?

Or from the same guy, but can't find the vid

Tonight I watched Billy remove nuisance bats. He used a hose (or water spraying device) that had a pressure nozzle on it. I saw the water tip and stream. He soaked them with soapy water and said it'll will not only make them leave, but it will eliminate their bat bugs. So....he sprayed the bats, in the daylight, (as bats are NOCTURNAL) and they left.

After they left, he closed all the entries off, so they couldn't return

Edited April 12, 2012 by MJCM

[necronx99]

Ideally you should flyscreen all entrances, vents etc to your attic.

[Gers1873]

Ideally you should flyscreen all entrances, vents etc to your attic.

That would lock them in and defeat the purpose

[necronx99]

Ideally you should flyscreen all entrances, vents etc to your attic.

That would lock them in and defeat the purpose

You chase them all out first obv.

[Sheryl]

Oh do I sympathize!!!!!

I fought a 2 year battle with these creatures (and it still wages on, but finally have the upper hand, knock on wood)

First of all let me assure that (1) however many bats you think you have you have at least 1,000 times as many, and exponentially increasing by the day. (2) they are totally impossible to coexist with, and I speak as one who tolerates many a critter in the home. The smell you have now will get vastly worse, your ceiling panels will get eroded and collapse. . Picture all your ceilings collapsing from the weight of bat guano and the resulting stench and repair costs (it happened to me)

Secondly don't bother with the mothball bit, I tried it ad naseum. Ditto various electronic sonic devices, blaring country western music and forcibly driving them out (they storm right back in around 4 AM next morning. And the person doing the evicting often gets bitten in the process).

For me only 2 things worked and they had to both be done and regularly maintained:

1) Install 24 hour lighting into the ceiling area. I use long-lasting fluroescent lights, the yellow tinged ones so it doesn't attract insects. Keep them on always. This does mean that about once a year or so you have to get someone to crawl up there and replace the bulbs but believe me that's nothing compared to replace the entire ceilings that have fallen down spreading bat s*it all over your home...

2) Put up some sort of fairly durable netting all around the place where they are getting in and out. In my case they were squeezing themselves in through the tiny gap where the roof tiles meet the house walls/frame, so now i have this sort of plastic mesh all around that, nailed on. This requires that someone get up on a very high ladder and painstakingly nail it on (be sure to nail top and bottom so wind doesn't dislodge it) around the entire perimeter of the roof, and periodically thereafter repair sections that have come loose. Again, a hassle but nothing compared to the alternatives. As for this locking them it didn't seem to, as they hear the commotion they go flying out for a while. If you can time it so that the task finishes right around 6 - 6:30 PM that's even better coz they always fly out at that time.

These are extremely stubborn creatures and once they have decided to live in your home they won't change their minds readily. Good luck!!

[nietzche]

Oh do I sympathize!!!!!

I fought a 2 year battle with these creatures (and it still wages on, but finally have the upper hand, knock on wood)

First of all let me assure that (1) however many bats you think you have you have at least 1,000 times as many, and exponentially increasing by the day. (2) they are totally impossible to coexist with, and I speak as one who tolerates many a critter in the home. The smell you have now will get vastly worse, your ceiling panels will get eroded and collapse. . Picture all your ceilings collapsing from the weight of bat guano and the resulting stench and repair costs (it happened to me)

Secondly don't bother with the mothball bit, I tried it ad naseum. Ditto various electronic sonic devices, blaring country western music and forcibly driving them out (they storm right back in around 4 AM next morning. And the person doing the evicting often gets bitten in the process).

For me only 2 things worked and they had to both be done and regularly maintained:

1) Install 24 hour lighting into the ceiling area. I use long-lasting fluroescent lights, the yellow tinged ones so it doesn't attract insects. Keep them on always. This does mean that about once a year or so you have to get someone to crawl up there and replace the bulbs but believe me that's nothing compared to replace the entire ceilings that have fallen down spreading bat s*it all over your home...

2) Put up some sort of fairly durable netting all around the place where they are getting in and out. In my case they were squeezing themselves in through the tiny gap where the roof tiles meet the house walls/frame, so now i have this sort of plastic mesh all around that, nailed on. This requires that someone get up on a very high ladder and painstakingly nail it on (be sure to nail top and bottom so wind doesn't dislodge it) around the entire perimeter of the roof, and periodically thereafter repair sections that have come loose. Again, a hassle but nothing compared to the alternatives. As for this locking them it didn't seem to, as they hear the commotion they go flying out for a while. If you can time it so that the task finishes right around 6 - 6:30 PM that's even better coz they always fly out at that time.

These are extremely stubborn creatures and once they have decided to live in your home they won't change their minds readily. Good luck!!

Thanks for you're response Sheryl. The netting thing really wouldn't' work for me. I sent a guy up there a couple of days ago to assess that, and he said that because my roof is adjoined with the neighbors, that is not feasible.

The Thai people I have spoken to laugh when I tell them about this and they do not think that it is a problem! The advise I've been given is that "bats and birds are ok, we just have to live with them!" The poop everywhere, and I can't stand it!

This weekend I will try a combination of the mothballs and some very bright fluorescent lights. Hopefully I will get some positive results. Will keep you posted.

[Sheryl]

If your roof is adjoined to that of neighbors and you light up thew area, the bats will probably all stay ovber in the neighbors c eiling.

And I suspect the "mai pen rai" attic will fade once their ceilings cave in soaked in bat guano....

[passingas]

First of all let me assure that (1) however many bats you think you have you have at least 1,000 times as many, and exponentially increasing by the day. (2) they are totally impossible to coexist with, and I speak as one who tolerates many a critter in the home. The smell you have now will get vastly worse, your ceiling panels will get eroded and collapse. . Picture all your ceilings collapsing from the weight of bat guano and the resulting stench and repair costs (it happened to me)

What are you on?...do you think bats are Mormons? They don't multiply like that...that is BS.

...they poop all over my patio and I have to clean it up every morning

And if you are seeing poop on your patio, and the bats are roosting in the attic, why do you think the poop is bat and not bird? I have built a new house and have the same 3 to 5 launching out of my attic every evening for the last two years. I make it an occasion to have an evening libation out on the upstairs terrace and watch them take flight. Live with them...they devaour many times their weight in insects, nightly. Too bad they don't feast on batophiles....pg

[nietzche]

First of all let me assure that (1) however many bats you think you have you have at least 1,000 times as many, and exponentially increasing by the day. (2) they are totally impossible to coexist with, and I speak as one who tolerates many a critter in the home. The smell you have now will get vastly worse, your ceiling panels will get eroded and collapse. . Picture all your ceilings collapsing from the weight of bat guano and the resulting stench and repair costs (it happened to me)

What are you on?...do you think bats are Mormons? They don't multiply like that...that is BS.

...they poop all over my patio and I have to clean it up every morning

And if you are seeing poop on your patio, and the bats are roosting in the attic, why do you think the poop is bat and not bird? I have built a new house and have the same 3 to 5 launching out of my attic every evening for the last two years. I make it an occasion to have an evening libation out on the upstairs terrace and watch them take flight. Live with them...they devaour many times their weight in insects, nightly. Too bad they don't feast on batophiles....pg

The bats are roosting in the roof overhang. I can see their little heads peeping out if I hang over my third floor balcony. Also, along with bats come "bat bugs". I have caught them crawling around my balconies.

Poop is poop, and being un-inclined to living with it is not unreasonable. If there were 10 or 15 people hanging out of your roof pooping on your'e patio; would you be happy with it?

I have done some research, and there are respiratory diseases that can be contracted from bat guano. I tried to coexist with them for a month, but it's just impossible. They are also extremely noisy.

[nietzche]

Mod Please delete

Thanks for the post MJCM. I saw your post, however, the net thing is not possible for me. I sent a guy up there a couple of days ago to check it out, and he said that my roof is adjoined with those of my neighbors (I live in a townhouse). The neighbors have bat issues also but they don't seem to care.

The only solution seems to keep them away from my roof area as they will still exist with the neighbors.

I have a feeling that this will be an ongoing battle! Thanks again for your input!

[MJCM]

Nietzche,

What about spraying the inside your roof with foam ?? Just google: Foam spray Thailand

But it costs a bundle (about 500 THB per Sqm)