About Bats in NJ
In New Jersey, bats are protected under the NJ Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act. Therefore, bat removal in New Jersey is not permitted from May 1 through July 31. During these months, young bat pups are unable to fly and forage for food on their own. Nursing mothers will frantically search for access inside any structure to be with their young. Also, causing the young to starve to death is illegal.
How to get rid of a bat in your house
No one wants a bat in their home. The bat doesn’t want to be there either. So how do you get rid of a bat, and what precautions should you take? Unfortunately, bats can carry rabies, and their droppings can carry other diseases, too. But are bats dangerous? Bats are beneficial for the environment, and they are instrumental in insect control, pollination, and seed dispersal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 10% of bats tested carry rabies.
If bats fly into your house, they are just looking for food, but also for a way out. So, relocating a bat back outside is the best course of action.
How to get a bat out of your house
- First and foremost, please wear protective gear. Never touch a bat with your bare hands. Wear thick gloves, and possibly even a mask or eyewear to protect yourself from potential bites or other residues. Bats aren’t usually aggressive, but better to be safe than sorry.
- Remain calm. When removing a bat from your home, avoid making any loud noises or chasing after the animal. You should also remove any household pets from the room. If the bat is agitated or panicked, it will be more challenging to catch.
- To Trap. To trap a bat in a box or container, wait for the bat to land. Quickly place a box or container over the bat. Then, slide some cardboard or thick paper (thick enough to prevent a bite through the paper) under the box and carefully take the bat outside. You may hear the bat panic but hold the box firmly.
- To Release. To release a bat outside, take the container holding the bat next to a large tree. Open the box away from you at the base of the tree trunk and let it climb up the tree. Bats usually can’t take flight from off of the ground.
- Contact a local bat removal service or local animal control. In many states, bats are protected. If you feel that you can’t remove the bat yourself, contact a pest service or your local animal control contact for help.
Is a bat living in my attic?
If you hear squeaking or scratching noises in your attic, you may have mice, or it could be a bat. Unlike mice, bats prefer high places, like attics, chimneys, or ceilings. Bats are also typically very quiet animals. The telltale sign of whether you have a bat in the attic is their droppings. The droppings look like mouse droppings, but larger and will be away from walls and not in corners.
If you encounter a bat in the attic, be sure to close the attic door, so it won’t escape and fly into other parts of the house. Please review the steps outlined above when capturing a bat inside your home.
Need assistance?
While you can hire any bat removal service, NJ Pest Control is one of the best bat removal companies in New Jersey. Contact NJ Pest Control today for help get rid of a bat or stop your bat infestation problems.
NJ Pest Control
1240 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph, NJ 07869
Randolph, NJ
877-4NJ-PEST (877-465-7378)
