A few years ago in 2018, for the first time in 74 years the state of Utah reported a death from rabies. Gary Giles, a 55 year old resident of Moroni, Utah died after symptoms that can be associated with rabies went undetected. It slowly infected his brain and other organs and led to his death. There was nothing doctors could do to save him. Giles and his wife allowed bats to come into their home. They would even handle the bats and allow them to lick their hands. What they didn’t realize was that the bats were rabid and carrying the deadly virus. Even a bite or a scratch from a rabid bat can result in transmission of the virus. It can also be transmitted through saliva. While it is extremely rare to be infected with rabies, it can happen and once infected with symptoms showing it is almost always fatal. Symptoms develop anywhere from 3-12 weeks after exposure to an infected animal. If it gets to the central nervous system, it will advance very quickly and is a terrible way to die.

What are Facts About Bats?

Bats are very understood animals. Many people believe that bats are birds, but they are not. They are mammals and the only mammals that can fly. Others believe bats are rodents, but they are not. They have a wing structure where their finger bones serve as spars and struts for the skin that makes up the aerodynamic surface of their wings. Many also believe that bats are blind, but they actually have great vision. They also use echolocation to navigate and locate prey. Bats are great at insect control. They can eat as much as a quarter of its own weight in insects during a flight.

Why Bats in the House are a Problem

If you find bats in your home in the fall or winter, they are probably big brown bats. They can wake up in the cold weather to move around a little or to adjust in changing temperatures. The reason bats need to be controlled is because they might just decide to make your home theirs. They pose health risks with their guano, or droppings, that can contain organisms that can cause some pretty serious diseases, and let’s not forget they can carry rabies. They can also carry parasites that can carry a wide variety of arboviral diseases.

How Can I Keep Bats Away from My House?

Bats aren’t really exterminated, they are relocated. A professional wildlife control specialist will first identify where the bats are entering and exiting your home. One-way doors will be installed to prevent them from getting back in once they have left and exclusion methods will be implemented to keep them out in the future. Then guano will need to be cleaned up along with any parasites, shed hairs and other debris. Professionals know the bats’ seasonal cycles to prevent young bats from being trapped in your home. This will also ensure that the bats can reestablish themselves in a suitable location.

Nuisance Wildlife Control Pest Inspections, Treatment, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas

Bats can make good neighbors as far as pest control goes, but not when they get in our homes. Less than 1/10 of 1 percent of wild bats have rabies but why risk it? Do you need help with bat control? Contact A-Tex Pest Management today!