As the only mammal with the ability to fly, bats are a special kind of pest that differs from rodents like rats or mice. However, should bats enter and roost inside your property, their infestation can lead to structural damage, strong and offensive odors, and the spread of diseases like rabies or histoplasmosis from their bites or toxic droppings.
If you’re dealing with these invasive nuisances and wondering how to get rid of them, it’s important to consider legal restrictions that regulate bat removal in the state of Florida. Here are some of the ways they access your home and safe and legal tips on how to get rid of bats.
How Bats Enter Residential Homes
Bats are in search of areas where they can roost that provide access to food sources. Having a generous supply of insects to eat can attract a bat colony to your property as they commonly prey on insects like mosquitos, which breed abundantly in environments with standing water such as poorly maintained roof gutters. Once there, the bats can make their way into your property through several means:
- Unsealed Cracks – Bats are always looking for a safe shelter to roost, and they may choose your property if there are exposed cracks they can squeeze through. Florida bats are quite small and would be able to infiltrate your home through a hole as wide as your thumb.
- Holes in the Roof – A roof with eaves and overhangs is a common entry point for bats to access a home. Even if you don’t visually spot bats entering or exiting your property directly, you may find, or smell, bat guano in your attic or notice greasy, dirty spots from their coats near exterior entry points.
How To Get Rid of Bats in Florida
- Don’t Exterminate Them – Once you’ve discovered bats in your home, you may be tempted to use poison or otherwise exterminate them. However, killing bats is actually illegal in the state of Florida. Florida bat species are protected and therefore must undergo a process of exclusion, or properly sealing off the property.
- Consider the Season for Exclusion – In most of North America, bat removal cannot be done from April 15 to August 15 because baby bats cannot fly yet and the exclusion of the adults will make the young bats starve to death. Therefore, trying to remove bats in the summer months is inhumane and can create more problems from decomposing bat carcasses.
- Call Professional Wildlife Handlers – Bat removal is a tricky endeavor that requires careful planning and execution. Instead of being hasty, attempting to remove the bats on your property yourself, and exposing yourself to harm and legal ramifications, the correct course of action is to contact the professionals at Animal Wildlife Trappers to permanently remedy your bat problem.
Get Rid of Florida Bats With Animal Wildlife Trappers
If you have bats or any other wildlife problem in your home or business, it doesn’t have to last forever. At Animal Wildlife Trappers, our team of licensed specialists is available 24/7 to handle your wildlife emergencies quickly, carefully, and humanely. We will inspect your property, strategize a safe and legal plan, and humanely remove all bats for good. To ensure permanent removal, we also offer a three-year guarantee. Call us today at 352- 267-0546 to get a free wildlife removal quote for your property.