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What to Do If You Find a Bat in Your House
by Arielle Bhumitra
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Overview
Whether or not you are a fan of the critters, it can be unnerving to find a bat in your house since bats are known carriers of rabies. It is important to remain calm and act rationally if you encounter a bat. By responding appropriately, you can protect your family's health and act humanely.
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Isolating the Bat
Immediately after discovering the bat in your home, act to isolate it from the rest of the house. Turn on all lights and remove children and pets from the room. Close closet and entry doors so that the bat cannot hide in a closet or escape to another part of the house. If the bat is flying around, wait for it to land and become stationary. Do not scream or yell, as this may agitate the bat and incite it to fly around the room.
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Handling the Bat
In general, bats should only be handled by experts. It may be necessary, however, to handle a bat to remove it from the premises. If the bat is hanging on a wall or ceiling, try to catch it with a small net. If this is not possible, grab it while wearing leather gloves. Once you have caught the bat, place it in a coffee can or other container with a lid. Do not maim, injure or kill the bat as this may make it impossible to test the bat for rabies if necessary. In particular, the bat's brain needs to be kept intact for it to be tested for rabies. If you are absolutely certain the bat has had no contact with another human or animal, you can release it outdoors. If it is unclear whether the bat came into contact with another human or animal, you should continue to confine the bat in the event rabies testing is required.
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Testing for Rabies
Bats transmit rabies through their saliva. Rest assured that it is impossible to get rabies from contact with bat feces, blood, urine or mere touch. If a person or pet is bitten by a bat, it will be necessary to test the bat for rabies. Most adults, teens and older children will know if they have been bitten by a bat. If an individual is sleeping or impaired, however, a bat bite may be more difficult to ascertain. In addition, small children and pets are unable to communicate if they have been bitten by a bat. Contact the local police department or animal control and inform them about the bat. They will then collect the bat and submit it for rabies testing.
