Bat guano cleanup after removal

Bats are indeed one of the most adored species in the world and they positively contribute to the environment in nameless and innumerable ways, but what are the dangers that bats pose to humans, especially when they’re not removed in a timely manner, and thoroughly? Apparently there are many.

Before we go any further, we’d like to remind you to read the sad news about our friends the bats at the end of this article so you can re-balance your views of them as you’re reading this because they truly are necessary part of the local ecosystem and without them the environment will become very out of balance.

For instance, years upon years of studies and research has found that in many parts of Ontario, a large portion of rabies found in wild animals is cause by bat bites. In May of 2004 a study was done on the Status of Rabies in Elgin County of St. Thomas Ontario which found that from 1998 to 2005, 100% of the cases of animal rabies were caused by bats.

That’s a drastically high percentage but it leaves out whether domestic animals were in that list as well. By this data we can safely assume that a percentage of domestic animals (cats and dogs) were affected as well.

According to the CDC one of the most prevalent type of rabies comes directly from bats and is spread to other animals and humans quite easily. As noted before, since the time of the research done in St. Thomas, the most prevalent form of rabies among animals stemmed from the bat strain of rabies. These types of facts truly point to the danger of handling the creature, neglecting bat inspections, and also not getting professional decontamination done if they’re found in or near a home.

Bat bites can easily go unnoticed

Another important point to make is that quite frequently a bite from a bat will go unnoticed or only be considered a simple scratch. Since bat teeth are very small and fine, they don’t always puncture the skin when they bite which can be misleading as the victim (if they’re human) may think nothing of it before it’s too late.

If the bite mark is on a household pet, the owners may also think nothing of it as house pets get hurt and scratched all the time. Statistics have shown that 70% of human deaths caused by rabies were due to bat bites. They may be an integral part of a healthy ecosystem, but when it comes to human contact, the effects are obviously devastating.

How do I know right away if a bat is rabid?

You can’t. With other ground dwelling animals like raccoons, skunks, opossums and coyotes, you can sometimes see signs that they have rabies, but with bats, it’s virtually impossible. The only way to truly determine of a bat is rabid is through laboratory testing. If a bat was found in the living of a home it is entirely suggested that it be captured by your local wildlife control company and taken to your local health department to be tested. If it comes back positive for rabies, all persons in the home should see a doctor as soon as possible in order to get the pst-exposure rabies vaccine.

As mentioned earlier in this article, when a bat bites a human or animal (especially a sleeping human) there’s a high chance the person may not know they were bit and if the bat is indeed rabid, you’ve got a serious problems on your hands.

When it comes to bats in your living space, we highly suggest that you always consult your doctor.

How should I deal with a bat infestation?

Piles of bat guano in atticsigns of their presence, one of the signs you’ll most definitely be seeing are piles and residue from bat guano. Bat guano are bat droppings, and they are usually left behind around an entry point to a home or inside, close to where they are nesting.

Hiring a local pest control company to take care of removing the bats is one part of the solution but what needs to be done about the bat droppings that you’ve discovered?

You’ll need a professional cleanup

For starters, I’m going to put forth some simple facts about bat guano below, of which will probably tell you exactly what you should do if you indeed encounter any in your home. There are as follows:

  • bat guano carries a deadly disease for humans called Histoplasmosis
  • it can add excessive weight to attic floors and cause damage
  • it can contaminate any surroundings it comes in contact with
  • it can leave a strong odour that lingers well after removal especially if intermingled with bat urine

When an infestation occurs the only appropriate remedy is professional decontamination. As we’ve noted many times in the past, preemptive bat entry prevention measures are the tried and trusted way to completely avoid this mess.

Wildlife prevention involves installing drip edge, covering ridge vents and securing an potential wildlife entry points. We can safely say that most homes aren’t built with wildlife prevention in mind and therefore most homes are susceptible until prevention is done. It’s only a matter of time. If you see a wild animal going into your neighbours attic, chances are they’re going into yours too or they inevitably will be.

Years of experience in this business has proven that the answer to wildlife entry problems like the severe problems that can result from bats is “prevention, prevention, prevention!

The sad news about our friends the bats

Bats are indeed our friends but at the time of writing this they’re in serious jeopardy. Now, in Ontario, three species of bats have now been added to the endangered species list. Their plight stems from a type of fungus that is fatal to bats, that is spreading throughout the environment called white-nose syndrome (see resource). If you follow through the link to that website you’ll also see what you can do to help get bats out of their current predicament.

The bigger connection

Harbouring bats in your attic, realizing their presence and then uprooting them (because you have to) contributes to their demise. They need to be able to live peacefully and do their work (catching bugs etc.) without hindrance but disturbing their living quarters only adds to their problems.

This can be avoided by making sure your home is protected from entries (prevention). It’s obviously a long shot to hope to prevent all homes from harbouring bats but if you understand the significance of prevention you can join us helping them one house at a time.

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