How to remove a bat from my living space in West Virginia | Bat

How to remove a bat from my living space

Bats that suddenly appear in living spaces may enter through gaps in window screens, chimneys, ceilings, attic openings, exhaust flues or may even fly in through open garages or doors. If you find a bat in your house, stay calm. Keep in mind that the bat wants out as badly as you want it out and it is probably disoriented and lost. Healthy bats generally try to avoid people, so chasing them in a confined space will simply encourage evasive flight and seeking refuge in the room. Do not do this!

Keep all pets and children away. If there has been no direct contact with people or pets, the best and simplest solution is to confine the bat to a single room and then open windows and doors leading to the outside and let it escape. If the room is brightly lit, lower the lights or shut them off. Bright light may disorient the bat and cause it to seek refuge behind pictures, bookcases, curtains or under furniture. Keep an eye on the bat; it is important to confirm that it leaves. 

If the bat doesn't leave on its own, wait until it lands and try to catch it. Wearing thick protective leather gloves, quickly cover it with a coffee can, waste paper can, plastic tub or similar container.  Carefully slide a piece of cardboard or a magazine under the container, trapping the bat inside. Then, take the bat outside to release it, preferably after dark. It is difficult for bats to take flight from the ground, so tilt the container, or allow the bat to climb a tree trunk or other vertical surface so that it can fly away.

If you have found a bat in your house, it is possible that you have a roost or colony somewhere in your house. Check for bats or evidence of bats along the roof line, behind siding, behind a chimney, inside walls, and the attic. If you find evidence of bats, follow the guidance provided for “How to eliminate and prevent bats from living in your house.”

If you need assistance in capturing a bat, contact a licensed wildlife control professional.

Assistance in West Virginia

Contact the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources for a list of licensed Animal Damage Control agents in your area who can assist with animal removal, damage, damage prevention, and clean up.  Be aware that they charge for their services.  Your local Division of Natural Resources office can provide guidance regarding nuisance wildlife.  They can also provide you with a permit to remove or destroy certain animals, and advice on how to do so, if it is necessary or desirable for you to trap or shoot animals yourself.  Federally protected species require additional permits as noted if necessary.

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources district offices:    

District 1       Farmington              304 825-6787

District 2       Romney                   304 822-3551                                                                                                                           

District 3       French Creek          304 924-6211

District 4       Beckely                   304 256-6947

District 5       Alum Creek             304 756-1023

District 6       Parkersburg            304 420-4550

Op Center    Elkins                      304 637-0245

Trapped animals must be humanely dispatched.  They may not be relocated without prior approval from West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Instructions for Possible Exposure to Rabies in West Virginia

In West Virginia, if you are exposed (through bite or contact with saliva) to a potentially rabid wild animal, contact your family physician and county health department for further instructions.  Contact your veterinarian if your pet has been exposed.

Laws and regulations to be aware of

Regulations for West Virginia

Trapping, Shooting, Keeping in Captivity, and Moving Wildlife

Trapping, Keeping in Captivity, and Moving Wildlife in West Virginia

In West Virginia, it is illegal to trap or shoot nuisance wild animals without a nuisance wildlife permit.  No permit is needed for game animals and furbearers during legal harvest seasons by hunting/trapping license holders using legal means.

It is illegal to keep wild animals in captivity.  It is illegal to move wild animals from one location to another without prior approval from West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

 

While we attempt to provide guidance about state and federal regulations pertaining to specific species and control techniques, we do not provide information about local jurisdictions (city, town, county, etc.) where regulations may be more restrictive, especially as it applies to discharge of firearms, transport of animals or use of trapping equipment. Contact your local city or county government to inquire further. No guarantee is made that information (or lack of information) associated with a species or control technique is completely accurate or current. You should become familiar with federal, state and local laws before beginning any wildlife control activities.

Was this solution helpful?

Yes No