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Bats in the Attic

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  • 22-07-2007 10:31pm
    #1
    philstar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,986 ✭✭✭


    Hello....

    Ive got bats in the attic, whats the best way of getting rid of them??

    And whats the best way to make sure they don't come back??

    Thanks Phil.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Katy50
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭Katy50


    philstar wrote:
    Hello....

    Ive got bats in the attic, whats the best way of getting rid of them??

    And whats the best way to make sure they don't come back??

    Thanks Phil.
    Why do you feel you need to get rid of them? They do no harm, cause no damage, and won't hurt you! :p


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    #3
    Mr. Presentable
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,496 ✭✭✭Mr. Presentable


    philstar wrote:
    Hello....

    Ive got bats in the attic, whats the best way of getting rid of them??

    And whats the best way to make sure they don't come back??

    Thanks Phil.

    They're protected. You're not allowed "get rid of them".

    However, *sympathy hat on* if they left and were unable to regain access....


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    #4
    philstar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,986 ✭✭✭philstar


    well, how about if i wait one night for them to all fly out, and then just plug the gap in which they're entering......is that ok/within the law??


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    #5
    Katy50
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭Katy50


    Have you access to the attic? Can you check to see if they are all out and that no babies are trapped unable to get out? I don't think the Bat police will call round your house! lol :D


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    #6
    philstar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,986 ✭✭✭philstar


    is this the time of year they're having kids??


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    #7
    Katy50
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭Katy50


    Ireland's smallest bat, and also the commonest, the Pipistrelle is the bat most likely to be seen flying around soon after dusk, in both urban and rural areas. It has a rapid, twisting flight as it pursues its tiny prey of midges, mosquitoes and small moths. A single Pipistrelle (weighing no more than a 2p piece) may consume as many as 3,500 of these insects in one night, and is thus, like our other bat species, a very beneficial creature. Pipistrelles are quite frequently found roosting in houses, although they also roost in tree holes. In houses, they prefer to occupy confined spaces such as behind hanging tiles and soffit boards, or between roofing felt and roof tiles, rather than the main attic space.

    They get my vote if they eat 3,500 midges each a night. I couldn't find anything about when they have babies.


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    #8
    philstar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,986 ✭✭✭philstar


    here's one of the fecker's hanging out during the day

    bat2vh5.jpg


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    #9
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,764 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    OP - If they're not damaging your house or keeping you awake at night I'd just leave them.

    If they are Pipistrelles (not sure from pic) - they mate in August & September.

    More info here.


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    #10
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Yes they mate in late Summer/early Autumn, but they have a long gestation and the young are born the following summer in June/July.

    It is probably that the OP house is a maternity roost and it is very likely the bats will vacate the house as we head into autumn. Bats hibernate, but they usually don't use houses for hibernation because they are too warm.

    So to OP, leave them be and block the entrance after they left in a couple months.


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    #11
    John Griffin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭John Griffin


    They are protected by law. The best thing you can do is get in touch with your local Wildlife Ranger and they will let you know how to block them out without causing them any harm. The time for blocking them out is in early October and it needs to be done over a few nights. You need to create a valve that allows them out but not back in again.
    The best thing would be to just live with them, if they are getting into your living area, you can block them out, your local Wildlife Ranger will help you find where they are entering the living space. They only have one offspring per year and are only in your attic for the summer to keep the young warm. They are most likely between the felt and tiles in your roof and at a gable end. Their sh1t is a dry pellet made up of insect waste and is nothing to worry about. The urine is not worth worrying about and they don't carry any diseases, they don't chew anything other than insects. If you want i can give you the number of your local Ranger, if your from Wicklow then its me!:D


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    #12
    ronbyrne2005
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,494 ✭✭✭ronbyrne2005


    loads of bats around my area beside botanic gardens. big feckers and all


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    #13
    O'Nolan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭O'Nolan


    John Griffin wrote: »
    They are protected by law. The best thing you can do is get in touch with your local Wildlife Ranger and they will let you know how to block them out without causing them any harm. The time for blocking them out is in early October and it needs to be done over a few nights. You need to create a valve that allows them out but not back in again.
    The best thing would be to just live with them, if they are getting into your living area, you can block them out, your local Wildlife Ranger will help you find where they are entering the living space. They only have one offspring per year and are only in your attic for the summer to keep the young warm. They are most likely between the felt and tiles in your roof and at a gable end. Their sh1t is a dry pellet made up of insect waste and is nothing to worry about. The urine is not worth worrying about and they don't carry any diseases, they don't chew anything other than insects. If you want i can give you the number of your local Ranger, if your from Wicklow then its me!:D
    Hi there,

    I also have Bats in my attice and I like them, except that when they come back each year, the place starts to smell.

    I would like to keep them in the area if possible and I am looking for ideas as to how I can do this ?.

    Any good ideas would be great.

    Peter Nolan


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    #14
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Rather than go into it all here why not contact these people

    http://www.batconservationireland.org/

    They will be best fixed to advise you. I'd imagine Bat Boxes would be among the suggestions.

    I have bats in the attic but can't say we ever noticed a smell from them. Their droppings are dry and odourless.


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    #15
    jamas
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭jamas


    We have a bat in our house. S/He has been spotted flying around at night, generally when a light goes on in a bedroom after it is dark. What is the best way for us to encourage it to leave? Turn on lights in house after dark and leave windows open? I don't want to do the creature harm, but I really want him to leave. Please advise.


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    #16
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Can you find it at rest during day?


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    #17
    jamas
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭jamas


    Not so far. But there is quite a lot of junk upstairs :-( Last night he was flying around our bedroom after I turned on the light when getting up to go to the loo. Before I could open the window he flew out into the hall. It was about 4 am and my husband suggested I just turn off the light and shut the door and leave both him and the bat alone!!! Bat was spotted upstairs a coupel of nights ago by my daughter.


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    #18
    Palimpsest
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭Palimpsest


    We have had noise for the last couple of weeks-we had a bat for a while a year ago which we saw so were happy enough to leave it in peace but I haven't spotted one this time and want to rule out the possibility that it is a rodent but how do I do that without risking damage to bat?


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    #19
    Daniel S
    Registered Users Posts: 3,525 ✭✭✭Daniel S


    Katy50 wrote: »
    Why do you feel you need to get rid of them? They do no harm, cause no damage, and won't hurt you! :p
    Neither would a homeless man in your attic. :D


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    #20
    jamas
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭jamas


    My reason for getting rid of my one is a) being trapped in the living part of a house with lights going on and off all the time is hardly good for them, b) it won't be able to eat and c) sorry, but I would prefer not to wake up to him flying around my bedroom. Anyway, we opened all the windows and turned on the lights in the house while it was dark outside. He hasn't been seen since, so I assume he left. Hopefully s/he is happily rootsing somewhere more suitable now.


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    #21
    Tenbears
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9 ✭Tenbears


    Look for droppings in the attic, if they are bat droppings they will crumble to dust when you touch them. Rodent droppings will be hard or soggy.:confused::eek: If its bats they should be leaving your house very soon for hibernation.


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    #22
    Tenbears
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9 ✭Tenbears


    Check out http://www.batroostireland.org go to links page, at bottom of page is a video link on how to do it:) without harming the bat.


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    #23
    Tenbears
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9 ✭Tenbears


    O'Nolan wrote: »
    Hi there,

    I also have Bats in my attice and I like them, except that when they come back each year, the place starts to smell.

    I would like to keep them in the area if possible and I am looking for ideas as to how I can do this ?.

    Any good ideas would be great.

    Peter Nolan
    You can buy a bat house online at www.batroostireland.org. You may be able to encourage the bats out into this, that way you can still have them but not in your home. The site also has lots of info on bats, they really are brill animals.:D


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    #24
    BloggerBob
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭BloggerBob


    What person decided that bats are protected, I have some in my attic and they are a nuisance with the noise they make coming and going, can't remember the last full night sleep I had due to them. If I wanted a pet in the house I would get a dog.


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    #25
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    BloggerBob wrote: »
    What person decided that bats are protected, I have some in my attic and they are a nuisance with the noise they make coming and going, can't remember the last full night sleep I had due to them. If I wanted a pet in the house I would get a dog.

    I don't know what kind of house you have but I have had Bats in the attic for 18 years and you wouldn't know they were there except for the droppings (which are dry and odourless).

    Me thinks you exaggerate. I have never been in a house where the comings and goings of bats caused noise. If you need to repair where they enter the attic then contact the NPWS can see about having them removed by qualified persons in accordance with the law.


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    #26
    swifts need our help!
    Registered Users Posts: 944 ✭✭✭swifts need our help!


    I'm a licensed bat worker. I'll ready through the comments and then make my own.

    All I'll say is interfeering with bats is dangerous. You are likely to come off worst - fined heavily and possibly jailed


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    #27
    swifts need our help!
    Registered Users Posts: 944 ✭✭✭swifts need our help!


    some great advise. Bats and their roosts are protected by law.

    Why do you want them out?

    Before you do anything definitely contact Bat Conservation Ireland.

    My experience is people are afraid of the myths that do the rounds about bats.

    Bats tend not to use the attic but use the cavity or eaves


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    #28
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,667 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    BloggerBob wrote: »
    What person decided that bats are protected, .

    Professionals with a knowledge of conservation and ecology - what do you think protection of wildlife should be based on:confused:


    PS: One Pipestrelle bat eats 3000 midges a night - that fact alone is a good enought reason to have them around


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    #29
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,667 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    swifts need our help! wrote: »
    some great advise. Bats and their roosts are protected by law.

    Why do you want them out?

    Before you do anything definitely contact Bat Conservation Ireland.

    My experience is people are afraid of the myths that do the rounds about bats.

    Bats tend not to use the attic but use the cavity or eaves

    Indeed - sadly human ignorance causes an immense amount of damage to wildlife around the world:(


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    #30
    swifts need our help!
    Registered Users Posts: 944 ✭✭✭swifts need our help!


    jamas wrote: »
    my husband suggested I just turn off the light and shut the door and leave both him and the bat alone!!! .

    I always tell people not to vacate the room when a bat enters. They can disappear very quickly when left alone. Simply sit still and wait for the bat to land. Quickly put your hand over it and hang it on a wall out side. Never put it in a hedge


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    #31
    Harry Angstrom
    Registered Users Posts: 19,351 ✭✭✭✭Harry Angstrom


    It's all very well rationalising that people shouldn't mind bats and that they actually do help us through controlling the numbers of midges, but I think a lot of human beings do have a fundamental problem with sharing their personal space (and that includes the attic) with a wild animal - be it rat, mouse, bat, bird etc.

    Thankfully I've never had bats in my attic but if I did have, I'd probably take steps to get rid of them, law or no law.


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