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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bats in house

67 replies

primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:16

Can someone please offer any advice on why I have bats coming into my house so much. So far this year in the last ten days there have been 6 bats I have found.

Just now I was in bathroom happened to glance into shower and there was one in the corner of shower tray.

I really dislike them, they make me extremely anxious in the same way that rats and mice do to some people.

I do not understand how they are getting in, windows and doors shut all the time unless we open a door to walk in and close it behind us. Mesh up on my bedroom window and it is cracked open in morning for a bit. But I keep my door shut and they keep appearing so I know its nowhere in my room.

I have contacted bat conservation trust and they were helpful but could not offer anything we hadn't done . Has anyone ever had this issue? can bats get in via the chimney?

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Original poster
primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:19

Sorry meant to add.; do I just need to accept this as normal rural living or no I would hate this to?

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primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:20

*Too

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Peridot1 · 02/05/2023 16:22

Oh God that is my worst nightmare.

could they be in your loft?

A big problem is that they are protected and I’m not sure what you can legally do to get rid of them. Other than burning the house down which I would be tempted to do!

ComtesseDeSpair · 02/05/2023 16:22

It sounds as though you may have a roost in the attic or chimney stack, we did when bats were getting in. Best idea is to contact someone for a professional bat survey.

fairislecable · 02/05/2023 16:22

Are they coming through a bathroom vent or air brick?

dudsville · 02/05/2023 16:23

I can't answer your question, but this halterneck to my mum (with a whole slew of creatures!) And they were coming in through the roof. They're wonderful necessary creatures but do not need to be in your home. She had a pest control sort of person come to fix where they were coming in.

Out of total nosiness in really curious to know what you do when you find them! The one that came in when i was there meet a bad end unintentionally. We were trying to get it outside.

DorritLittle · 02/05/2023 16:24

There must be somewhere they are getting in so I would get a bat survey. Their way in could be sealed up. Sounds stressful!

Nimbostratus100 · 02/05/2023 16:24

They can get in through the tiniest of holes, If you can squash an empty match box through it, then a bat can squash through it. Yes they can get in down the chimney very easily. We have bats that get in through a crack in the windowsill.

Treesoutsidemywindow · 02/05/2023 16:27

Unfortunately for you, bats can get in anywhere! Have you checked your loft? We discovered bats in our house when we heard strange noises whilst in bed at night, my husband went in the loft next day, and was shocked to see a whole load of bats hanging from the roof. If they have got in and settled up there, you'll need to wait until they leave, which I think is usually around October time, although we're not experts, so no guarantees on this. In the meantime, go outside at dusk and watch to see where they're flying into, then once they have ALL gone, block up the entry. However, having made the Bat Conservation people aware that they are in your property, you will now need to take their advice on how to proceed, as bats are protected, and have precedence over humans I'm afraid. You have my sympathies, as I was absolutely terrified of the wretched things, but thankfully we haven't had any in the house for a couple of years now. Google it and you'll find all sorts of advice on how to proceed.

Original poster
primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:27

@Peridot1 yes they are in loft definitely. Which is fine as long as they stay there! Everything I have read says it is not normal apart from the odd confused bat that flies in through an open door/wimdow at dusk in the summer when they are most active.

Yes it is my worst nightmare, family seem to think I am hysterical for having this phobia. I just can't bear the flying with the furriness and the eraticness (sp.?).

Also they just appear out of nowhere, last year I picked up a pile of clean laundry and a dead one fell out.

I am a capable person bought/sold two house on my own, travelled in Africa solo etc etc but I can't stand them!🦇🦇

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NooNakedJacuzziness · 02/05/2023 16:28

"Catch it Derry!"

Original poster
primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:30

@dudsville someone (not me!) gets a tea towel and gloves and shoe box and scoops it up and we put them somewhere safe until dusk then open the lid so they can fly off.

But this can take up to 20 mins as they fly and circle round and round and you have to wait until they settle.

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primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:30

@NooNakedJacuzziness 😂😂😂🦇.

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primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:33

@Treesoutsidemywindow yes they are most active now with the babies hatching/being born😱 so we can't do anything until autumn .

how did the one that came in your house get in do you know?

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FictionalCharacter · 02/05/2023 16:33

dudsville · 02/05/2023 16:23

I can't answer your question, but this halterneck to my mum (with a whole slew of creatures!) And they were coming in through the roof. They're wonderful necessary creatures but do not need to be in your home. She had a pest control sort of person come to fix where they were coming in.

Out of total nosiness in really curious to know what you do when you find them! The one that came in when i was there meet a bad end unintentionally. We were trying to get it outside.

Unlike birds, if a bat has been resting for a while it can't fly again until it has warmed up its flight muscles. So if it's resting or asleep it should be easy to catch. You're meant to put them gently on a brick wall outside, somewhere quiet and sheltered, let it grip the little bumps and cracks with its claws, and leave them. They vibrate their wings until they can fly.

waterlego · 02/05/2023 16:34

@NooNakedJacuzziness 😂

OP, I have no advice, I’m sorry. This would be a nightmare for me too. I’m shuddering reading your posts. I think bats are amazing but I am quite frightened of them. I struggle to even look at photos of them. Their wings! 😫

I hope you find some help because I’m going to be worrying about you and the bats now

Original poster
primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:34

@Nimbostratus100 Thats interesting about crack around windowsill and chimmney, it is only today that I considered chimney because it just seemed so unlikely .

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primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:36

@waterlego Yes its the wings! The kind of stretched fabric look and the folding and unfolding, sorry Ive probably given you nightmares now!

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primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:38

@FictionalCharacter thats really interesting about not being able fly straight away, luckily we have a stone wall at the gable end of the house, where judging by the bat droppings they must roost, so we set them there.

They do eat lots of insects so thats a good thing I guess......

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waterlego · 02/05/2023 16:39

Arrrgghhh! Yes, that’s exactly it! They’re such sweet little things really but just…from a distance. A very big distance.

Mars27 · 02/05/2023 16:39

I have no advice other than move 500 miles away after burning your house to the ground (sorry).

If one came close to me I wouldn't be able to move, I'm scared to death of them (apologies again, I said I didn't have any useful advice)

Quisquam · 02/05/2023 16:41

Iirc, it is an offence to disturb a bat roost?

Original poster
primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:42

@Mars27 I am actually looking for house to buy and around here all the new builds and bat boxes!

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Thelondonone · 02/05/2023 16:48

You are a better woman than I. Their shit attracts flies like nobodies business. I’d do bad things to get rid.

Original poster
primoseyellow · 02/05/2023 16:55

@Quisquam Yes same as Barn Owls, you have to get a survey before building work.
The bat Conservation trust has some useful info on their site about what you can and cannot do. I am going to check with them about blocking the chimney off and if we are allowed to do it at this time of year.

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