Intruding Trespass: Bat Terrified Female Resident from Shymkent (VIDEO)
Freaky Flyer: Dealing with a Bat in Your Home
In the bizarre event a bat finds its way into your apartment, as happened in Shymkent, it's essential to know how to handle the situation safely, without adding to the chaos. Here's a step-by-step guide you can follow if you ever find yourself sharing your living space with a winged visitor.
First and foremost, avoid coming into direct contact with the bat, and move children and pets to another room. Frightened and likely disoriented, the bat might become aggressive or exhibit unpredictable behavior. After ensuring everyone's safety, take a deep breath, and go about catching the bat using a protected hand.
And here's where things get a bit trickier. Bats carry potential health risks, such as rabies transmission and the lung infection known as histoplasmosis, which comes from exposure to fungal spores in their guano. So, it's crucial to wear thick gloves and a mask when handling the bat.
But that's not all you need to be mindful of. To keep these winged creatures out of your home for good, you'll need to inspect for any small gaps around vents, chimneys, or roof edges. A humane and effective way to remove bats is by using one-way doors, often referred to as bat excluders, that allow the bats to exit but prevent them from re-entering. After a few nights, wait until all bats have exited, and then seal any entry points with caulk or mesh.
However, if you suspect baby bats are present, avoid sealing the exits, as this can trap them. Instead, consider consulting a wildlife expert for guidance. And, if the situation is overwhelming or you're unsure about handling bats, don't hesitate to hire a professional wildlife removal service.
In the aftermath, clean up the area carefully, wearing protective gear and using a respirator, to avoid inhaling fungal spores. And remember, handling a bat in the house requires careful consideration for both your safety and that of any pets in your home.
For more information, take a peek at these resources:
- Humane Society, "Bats in the House: What You Need to Know." (https://www.alleycat.org/learn/cats/bat-control/bats-house-what-you-need-to-know/)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Bats and Rabies." (https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/index.html)
- National Wildlife Control Operators Association, "Bat Management Best Practices, Version 2." (https://www.nvos.org/bat-management-best-practices-version-2/)
- Environmental Protection Agency, "Cleaning Up Bat Guano - Protect Yourself when Removing Bat Droppings." (https://www.epa.gov/mold/cleaning-up-bat-guano-protect-yourself-when-removing-bat-droppings)
- National Wildlife Federation, "Bat Conservation and Management." (https://www.nwf.org/wildlife/wildlife-issues/humane-wildlife-management/bat-conservation-and-management)
- In the event of a bat entering your home, as in Shymkent, it's important to avoid direct contact, move children and pets to another room, and wear protective gear such as thick gloves and a mask when handling the bat.
- To keep bats out of your home for good, inspect for small gaps around vents, chimneys, or roof edges and consider using humane one-way doors, or bat excluders, to allow bats to exit but prevent them from re-entering.
- If you suspect baby bats are present, avoid sealing the exits, as this can trap them, and consider consulting a wildlife expert for guidance.
- After handling a bat in the house, clean the area carefully while wearing protective gear and using a respirator, and check out resources like the Humane Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Wildlife Control Operators Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Wildlife Federation for more information.
){kind=link}