Bats, help with my questions.

[trales]

got home from the weekend and found a bat in our sink. I thought is was dead, umm, no, it was alive and well. My neighbor got it for me. I have bat people coming on Friday.

Sooo. Why would it be in the sink just handing out during the day all curled up looking dead? To say I am freaked is kind of an understatement.

I am waiting ti get DH at the bus station, go out to dinner, and let him come home and bleach the guano out of the sink. Ahhhhh. This thing pooped a lot.

I was thinking of filling the whole sink with straight bleach and letting it sit for an hour or so. I am afraid the bat might be sick.

[trales]

Just to add, this is the 4th bat in 2 years, the rest have been alive and well.

[pinkmomagain]

Sorry, no help here. This post really gave me the heebee bujeebees.

The bleach idea sounds good to me. Of course, I'd have dh do it!

[graciebellesmomma]

Yuck!

We have found two chipmunks in our house in the last week and
can't figure out how they are getting in and having a heck of a time
getting them out!

I want to bleach my
entire house! I'm having thoughts of Bubonic Plague and
Rabies!!!

[Ceepa]

Maybe it got stuck in the house (??) and looked for a cool place to rest so it ended up in the sink?

[trales]

It is scaring me. The bat guy comes on Friday, he will inspect the entire house and look for problems, give me a report and let me know if they are getting in.

I thought they were getting in through the fire place, we had a bladder put in to keep them out. I guess they are getting in somewhere else.

[jren]

If they are out during the day (i.e., in your downstairs and not in the attic), then I would suspect rabies. From what I researched during DD's rabies scare (she was bit by a stray cat and had to get the rabies vaccines), bats are a major carrier, and they will exhibit this behavour when infected. Like coming out during the day and acting sick (if it was just laying there, not moving, etc.). I also read that their bites are small and it is easy to not even feel it in your sleep, so if you find a bat in your home after sleeping there, you should get vaccinated. Good thing you weren't home!

[StantonHyde]

ugh. That sounds like sick (rabies?) to me. I would definitely talk to the extension agent or somebody else in your area (health department) who knows about the rabies rate in your area etc. yucko.

They aren't so bad if they are just flying around minding their own business (outside!) but inside in the sink,-let us know what the bat guy says.

[doberbrat]

bats are a huge carrier of rabies. I'd call your health dept as soon as they open tomorrow. what happened to the bat? It should be tested if possible.

a bat out during the day laying in the sink would be a huge huge huge red flag to me.

[bubbaray]

How long have you had your house? I worked on a file once where the new owner sued the previous owner b/c bats were considered a rodent (IIRC) and if there was a prior rodent infestation, the seller had to disclose that. The disclosure statement is probably specific to your jursidction, but its something to consider (and will give your DH something to work on, not just you).

I too would be freaked about rabies. Ewwwww.

[MamaMolly]

Ewwwwwww! I found a dead bat in my house once while in college. It was all dried up under a stereo cabinet. NASTY!
ITA with the concern over Rabies. Scary disease. Did your neighbor put it outside or...dispach it? If it went to it's maker then the little body (brain) can get tested.

My sister's house has had a bat. They tried everything to get rid of it (including spraying the fire extinguisher on it! BAD idea!) but the broom was the final bat removal tool. BIL's nickname is Bat Whacker.

[Fairy]

Oh. My. God. I am freaked just reading this. I don't know anyone who's ever had a bat problem, but I live in suburban Chicago; not sure if we even have bats here. If we do, please don't tell me.

Where do you live? Somewhere with snow, I see, but curious.

I'm reading every word here. Please let us know what batman says.

[MamaKath]

Okay, freaky!!! There is a bat illness that is killing huge amounts of the bat population. Healthy bats are really good, especially for eating bats. But in the sink, that would completely freak me out!!! Could be rabies?

[trales]

When I thought it was dead I looked for the white scale disease on the nose, I did not see it. I could not tell if it was a Little brown or a Big brown.

We have a lot of bats around here, we are surrounded by woods and wetlands, snags, on a river and at the edge of the Northern Forest.

The other three bats in the house were flying around and healthy, this one really did not seem very healthy.

I need to ask the neighbor if it flew away when he let it go in the woods. I did not watch. I was too freaked out.

I did go through a gallon of bleach cleaning the sink.

I will let you know what the bat man says on Friday. I do know it will be the best $75 I have spent in awhile.