Author Topic: Bat in the house (Read 14804 times)

efmesch · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2015, 04:07:10 pm »

RB says.... i relocate them when one finds it's way in.......they go to the 'bat promised land'.

So now I know who repopulated the bat caves in my neighborhood.
I accept, reluctantly, the need for bats in spite of the losses I suffer from them. They are strong competitors of mine for the fruits that ripen on my trees, particularly the loquats and the dates.
About ten years ago someone, (I know not who), "treated" the bat cave about 5 km from my home and there was a marked drop in the bat population. But since then, their numbers have been growing again and not only do I see it at nights when they flap around my fruit trees, but they leave their marks on the walls of my house---it seems that as they flit around the trees, they fling their guano on the walls of the house. And it sticks, tenaciously.
Friday, last week, as I was raking leaves in my front yard, a bat appeared on the ground under one of my loquat treees. It must have been hanging on one of the branches and fallen. Being on the ground, it couldn't flap itself into the air and I just left it there to fend for itself. It was still in the vicinity on Sunday---but so was a cat. After that I saw no more of it and can only assume that it joined RB's bats "in the promised land".
But hold on----it was already here in the first place

lazy shooter · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2015, 07:10:01 pm »

I have batts in a small cavern on the back side my ranch. They fly out, the don't crawl out. It seems they would require a large hole to fly through, but then again, my knowledge of batts is small, make that minuscule. Woulldn't patching holes in your cornice and facer boards quell this problem?

iddee · « **Reply #22 on:** January 08, 2015, 07:20:31 pm »

Lazy, the walls in my bat house are only 3/4 in. apart. That is the space the bats prefer. The actual entrance can be even smaller than that. That is the interior measurement.

CpnObvious · « **Reply #23 on:** January 08, 2015, 08:27:53 pm »

Something to keep in mind, and I don't think I've seen this added yet, is that when you catch a bat you need to release it properly. As a general rule, bats can't take off into flight from the ground... They drop into flight. If you do catch it and decide to place it back into your attic, place it on one of the collar ties.

lazy shooter · « **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2015, 09:27:48 pm »

Quote from: iddee on January 08, 2015, 07:20:31 pm

Lazy, the walls in my bat house are only 3/4 in. apart. That is the space the bats prefer. The actual entrance can be even smaller than that. That is the interior measurement.

My bats fly out of hole that is about two feet across and one foot high. I just assumed they lived in places they could fly out of. Do they crawl through the 3/4-inch crack? Surely, they can't fly through it. I do remember that they have some type of radar to guide them in total darkness, as in caves. One of my friends sons is a spelunker, and would like to crawl in my rock cave, but I have never invited him to do so due to liability issues and my fear of his safety. He hasn't seen the cave, but assures me he could crawl into it. That sounds terrifying to me, as I am somewhat claustrophobic.

iddee · « **Reply #25 on:** January 08, 2015, 09:49:41 pm »

They land on the bottom and walk up into it.

http://www.batcon.org/resources/getting-involved/install-a-bat-house

They exit like in the video here.

http://www.batconservation.org/bat-houses

Mine are mounted on light poles about 12 to 15 feet off the ground.

lazy shooter · « **Reply #26 on:** January 08, 2015, 10:31:12 pm »

All the bats I have ever seen came out of caves are from under bridges. It's yet another thing that I don't know anything about. I like the bat house. Are bat housed baited with anything to get them started, like a swarm trap?

iddee · « **Reply #27 on:** January 08, 2015, 10:46:58 pm »

Only with darkness.

Jen · « **Reply #28 on:** January 08, 2015, 11:15:50 pm »

I have a bat house that I found in a thrift store. I'll take pics of it tomorrow. I believe it's not the same measurements as the bat houses you have Iddee, I am familiar with those sites you posted.

iddee · « **Reply #29 on:** January 08, 2015, 11:28:33 pm »

They come in all sizes, Jen. About the only consistent thing is the 3/4 in. compartments. The height and width can be about anything. They are made with 1 to 6 or 8 compartments. Mine are all 2 compartment.

Jen · « **Reply #30 on:** January 09, 2015, 05:51:01 pm »

This is the bat house I picked up at a thrift store a couple years ago. It looks like it might have been a boy scout project or something. Someone told me the dimentions were wrong. The opening is 1 inch. Why wouldn't this work for bats?

lazy shooter · « **Reply #31 on:** January 09, 2015, 06:26:49 pm »

Jen:

It would be simple enough for your handy man, man to reduce the opening to 3/4-inches. Also, in the wild, the entrances are not exactly 3/4 of an inch.

Jen · « **Reply #32 on:** January 09, 2015, 06:58:21 pm »

Hi Lazy

I agree about the great outdoors, so why even bother to make this entrance 3/4 of an inch? In what way would this not be suitable? just curious..

iddee · « **Reply #33 on:** January 09, 2015, 07:18:12 pm »

If you had mounted it on a pole when you got it, you would likely know by now. Why didn't you/

And why don't you now?

lazy shooter · « **Reply #34 on:** January 09, 2015, 09:57:16 pm »

A good many of our locals think bats are often carriers of rabies. Does anyone know if this is true? Our most local carrier of rabies is our large skunks, and I don't know why that is the case. Our local fish and game biologist says that if you see a skunk with poor health, most noticeably, one with poor hair that looks mangy that there is a relatively high percentage chance that it has rabies. I've never seen an animal that I knew had rabies.

riverbee · « **Reply #35 on:** January 09, 2015, 11:19:03 pm »

ef~
"not only do I see it at nights when they flap around my fruit trees, but they leave their marks on the walls of my house---it seems that as they flit around the trees, they fling their guano on the walls of the house. And it sticks, tenaciously."

guano does stick tenaciously ef..........but they don't 'fling' it flapping around your trees, guano on the side of a structure is an indication that they are either roosting in your siding or trying to get in to it, or where ever you see it on your house.......

also like iddee said, bats can squeeze into something less than 3/4 of an inch.

capn~
"when you catch a bat you need to release it properly. As a general rule, bats can't take off into flight from the ground... They drop into flight. If you do catch it and decide to place it back into your attic, place it on one of the collar ties."

release properly? yes i release them properly, and same when they are on the ground, (true, they can't fly, when grounded they are either sick or were dislodged) i whack them dead with a broom or a shovel........

capn, you don't want them in your attic.

jen i saw your pix of the bat house...."Why wouldn't this work for bats?"
why wouldn't it work? cuz they have better roosting/hibernating spots in your house somewhere.........it's WARMER...........

efmesch · « **Reply #36 on:** January 10, 2015, 12:52:03 pm »

RB
..... they are either roosting in your siding or trying to get in to it, or where ever you see it on your house.......
Ef:
So,..... I might have bats in my belfry?

I doubt it but wouldn't swear to it. Whatever the case, this isn't the time of year when I'm going to open my roof and check it out. The only fruit on my trees now is from the citrus family (tangerines, oranges, lemons, grapefruit. pomello) and they don't go after them.

Jen · « **Reply #37 on:** January 10, 2015, 12:59:22 pm »

If you put up a bat house within the vacinity of your house and many other houses, would that attract more bats to those houses?

I don't want to set up a potential problem for my house or any other house...

I can ask my bat guy too

Ray · « **Reply #38 on:** January 10, 2015, 07:20:27 pm »

IMO:
Alternate housing is just that an alternative. I don't think you would attract bats to the area with a bathouse, you might entice those in the area lodge there though. If you have neighbors with Riverbee's love for bats........ I wouldn't brag on my bathouses.

riverbee · « **Reply #39 on:** January 10, 2015, 09:27:51 pm »

ef~
" So,..... I might have bats in my belfry? I doubt it but wouldn't swear to it. Whatever the case, this isn't the time of year when I'm going to open my roof and check it out. "

ef, wherever you see the guano sticking that's where you look.....doesn't necessarily have to be in the attic. bats like a very warm environment, so this could be anyplace, ie siding, eaves, shutters, etc..........

"IMO:
Alternate housing is just that an alternative. I don't think you would attract bats to the area with a bathouse, you might entice those in the area lodge there though. If you have neighbors with Riverbee's love for bats........ I wouldn't brag on my bathouses. "

now ray, how did you figure out my love of bats?..........

what ray said about alternate housing, a bat house, and attracting them to it. first, bats love warm/hot environments that your structure provides for them. a bat house is of no use IMHO, maybe in summer months and maybe in the southern states, but even in the southern states, the weather gets chilly for them, they will find a warmer environment than a bat house, especially for the species that hibernate during winter months.

never thought i would be posting about my infinite love and knowledge of bats..................

Author Topic: Bat in the house (Read 14804 times)

Ray