# Rabid Bats (again) - public awareness/real threat?



## Bachflock (Jul 3, 2007)

I read another article on rabids bats and it claims that they are on the rise this year. I'm wondering if its just more in the public eye or is there a true increased threat? Thoughts?

*Bats with rabies up dramatically across the state* *<<<-Link to article in GR Press*


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## JackAm (Aug 25, 2007)

I own and operate a Nuisance Wildlife Removal business. This time of year, out of ten calls per day, six or seven will be bat calls. 

I know we have gotten way more bat calls this year than in the past. On the same note, we have aggressively advertised this year too.

I have been pondering the same question about the bat/rabies issue as you have Bachflock. Looking at the health data, I see a steady and rapid increase in cases of bats with rabies since 1994. It is my belief that rabies is slightly on the rise but reporting/testing has dramatically increased.

In Genesee County Michigan, there have been two confirmed bat rabies cases already. The counties that border Genesee County have a combined total of seventeen bat rabies cases. That's a pile of rabies!

As most of us know, few bats have the rabies virus. Unfortunately, due to the nature of bats being the cuddly sort in colonies, the disease spreads quickly when one bat contracts it.

All in all, compared with the Eastern coast, we are fortunate. Check out this rabies map. Bats in Michigan

Jack
Advanced Wildlife Control
http://www.advanced-wildlife-control.com


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## Slick fishing (Sep 25, 2002)

I got my first bat in the house the other day after 22 years of home ownership, wife was freaking out:lol: I just took a towl and put over him and took him out side pretty uneventful, I am glad I did not get bit thats for sure.. Cya Slick


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Slick-where in the house was it when first noticed?


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## Slick fishing (Sep 25, 2002)

It was on the wall near the ceiling and it stayed pretty calm the whole time.. Cya Slick


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## Slick fishing (Sep 25, 2002)

It was on the wall near the ceiling and it stayed pretty calm the whole time.. Cya Slick


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## Slick fishing (Sep 25, 2002)

It was on the wall near the ceiling and it stayed pretty calm the whole time.. Cya Slick


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## Slick fishing (Sep 25, 2002)

It was on the wall near the ceiling and it stayed pretty calm the whole time.. Cya Slick


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## Slick fishing (Sep 25, 2002)

It was on the wall near the ceiling and it stayed pretty calm the whole time.. Cya Slick


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## Slick fishing (Sep 25, 2002)

It was on the wall near the ceiling and it stayed pretty calm the whole time.. Cya Slick


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## Slick fishing (Sep 25, 2002)

sorry about the multipl posts there is a certain time every night it seems Michigan sportsman website slows way down for some reason or another.. Cya Slick


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## Bachflock (Jul 3, 2007)

LOL! That'll help the post count!


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## JackAm (Aug 25, 2007)

For every bat in the living quarters, you can figure about 10 in the attic/walls. Unless that bat flew in an open window or door, it came in the living quarters through a gap or hole from the attic. 

Bats reside in attics because they are the perfect spot for them. While in that stale, hot environemnt, they will sense a fresh air current coming from the living quarters. These air currents come in the attic through holes drilled during initial construction by electricians and plumbers. These guys often drill a one inch hole for a 3/8" wire. The rest of the space is a bat highway!

The bats sense this fresh air and get confused. To them, fresh air means "outside and bugs!" They decide to take this new route outside and the next thing they know, they are in a living room or a bathroom instead.

I would recommend a call to an expert bat removal professional to ask for an inspection of your attic. I'm sure there is one in your area. These inspections are generally not real expensive and could save you headaches in the future. 

Jack


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Bach flock said:


> LIL! That'll help the post count!



I thought he said it was his wife that freaked out not him. Looks like he still hasn't come down to earth with that many reposts.

The other night I had the first one in the house this year. Big one too!!!! And for some reason my bat catcher/landing net was in the shed and not behind the couch. I finally nailed it with a broom but never found it.

The barn that my wife got in the divorce is toxic from all the guano (politically correct for bat crap) filtering down from the hay loft. Before I left the barn to the bat in the house there were times I could have filled a 1/2 bushel basket with the mass of bats hanging in a bunch in the peak to keep warm.


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## Bachflock (Jul 3, 2007)

Thankfully I've not *spotted* any bats in the living area. I have no doubts they are up in the attic and in the garage. Never seen any there either but I'll just err on the side of caution and say they're there. I'd be suprised if they didn't winter in my crawl space. Maybe its to warm?


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

One way to see where bats are entering is to look for dirty spots up under the eaves of your house. There also may be bat guano (PC again) stuck to the side of the house balow where they are entering.

Before I realized my hay loft was full of bats I thought I had rats. The only thing that I could not figure out was how they managed to crap on pole barn siding lening at a 45* angle agains the wall. Then one day I heard a squeek nd loed up to see the peak covered with bats.


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## JackAm (Aug 25, 2007)

Bachflock said:


> I'd be suprised if they didn't winter in my crawl space. Maybe its to warm?


You raise a great question! We get many calls in February from people that have a bat flying around in their living room. These bats didn't make the migration and decided to stay in their house. I know that bats will move up and down the walls to stay at a comfortable temperature. Makes me wonder just how far down they'll go. 



Jack


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## 5PATS (Feb 11, 2004)

I have been working with bats for nearly 20 years (U of M, and EMU). The bats that you see in the Winter are generally young male bats that did not migrate with the maternity colony (I assuming you live in Michigan). The temperatures that we get in the Winter months are energetically to expensive for the bats to live. The bats start hibernation just fine, but have to wake up and warm themselves when the temperatures dip too low. Each time they wake up, they lose a tremendous amount of stored energy (fat) and cannot eat to make up for those losses. They eventally die. One of my graduate students keeps all the bats I get from homeowners (Winter months), feeds and waters them daily and then releases them into the wild when the insects start emerging.

To answer the question about bat rabies. I think the increase is probably due to an increase in reporting and not an increase in actual rabies. The change in reported rabies cases in bats from year to year are most likely insignificant (small sample sizes). Regardless, Never pick up a bat that is on the ground. Bats normally are not found on the ground and if found on the ground, would be injured or sick.


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## CritterCatchers (Aug 27, 2007)

Bats frequently get inside peoples homes by falling between the walls from the attic to an unfinished basement. Once inside, they are free to fly around the entire house. 

The interesting thing about bats is that people get them inside their home in February. This is the time that they are hibernating (inside attics). The thought is that they partially wake up during times of warmer weather.

For more information about bats see:
crittercatchersinc.com


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## WAUB-MUKWA (Dec 13, 2003)

OMG! Never heard of any bat attacks around here. Guess it isn't a problem. More worried about racoons and skunks.


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