Bats are the only mammals that are capable of true and sustained flight. There are 13 species of bats living in Florida, and all of them are insectivorous, which means they only eat insects. They like to live in dark and cool spaces, like caves or the attic in your house.
While bats are interesting creatures with a lot of lore behind them, you never want them living in your home. Sometimes, bat colonies looking for a place to call home will be attracted to your attic. Unfortunately, allowing bats to live in your house can lead to physical health concerns, like contracting histoplasmosis, rabies, coronavirus, and more.
The best way to tell if you have a bat infestation is by looking for bat droppings. Bat poop can sometimes resemble mouse droppings. They are typically small, dark-colored pellets that are the size of a grain of rice.
If you come across bat poop, you should avoid contact with it. It is best to wear a mask and gloves before coming close to bat guano, as this will prevent you from contracting a disease, virus, or bacteria. Because bats roost in attics, you’ll likely find bat droppings there.
While you might be tempted to try to remove bats on your own, doing so is dangerous. A simple scratch or bite could cause you to contract rabies. Instead, call a professional wildlife removal service like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers.
In this article, you will learn:
- What does bat guano look like?
- Where can you find bat guano?
- What are the other signs of bat infestations?
- What should you do if you find bat droppings in your home?
What Does Bat Poop Look Like?
Bat droppings, also called guano, are small and dark colored. They are usually the size of a grain of rice. Because they are crumbly and break apart easily, you might notice pieces of their food in their droppings, like insect parts.
The characteristics of bat feces include:
- Size and Shape- Unlike bird guano, bat feces is usually the size of a grain of rice. It is often described as small and elongated pellets.
- Color- Bat droppings are usually dark brown or black with a shiny appearance.
- Texture- While you should avoid touching bat feces because you could develop a disease, it is crumbly and breaks apart easily.
- Insect Parts- Bits of shiny and hard insect parts can be found in bat droppings. You might see insect wings, legs, shells, insect exoskeletons, and other parts of insects that bats can’t digest.
Coming into contact with bat guano can be dangerous, as it contains the histoplasmosis fungus. Contracting this could lead to severe respiratory problems.
Where Can You Find Bat Droppings?
Bats tend to leave their droppings in areas near where they are roosting. Bats roost in areas like trees, attics, lofts, and even chimneys. Specifically, you might find bat feces in attics, lofts, or on the ground beneath roof edges, on the ground and roof tiles, eaves, and windows.
If you find bat feces, do not disturb it. Touching it or even breathing in the air near it could cause you to become infected with a disease like histoplasmosis fungus, which causes severe respiratory problems. Their nutrient-rich droppings cultivate the perfect environment for bacteria, fungi, and diseases to survive.
Other Signs of Bat Infestations
While identifying bat droppings and bat guano is a great way to determine if you have a bat problem, there are other signs to look out for.
The main signs of a bat problem in your home include:
- Noises- Bats are nocturnal, which means you’ll probably only hear them at night. They make squeaking, scratching, or fluttering noises.
- Stains- Bats might leave oily stains on walls and ceilings as they leave their roosting spots.
- Odor- the accumulation of bat guano and urine can leave a strong and unpleasant smell in your attic. It often has an acrid smell and smells similar to ammonia.
- Entry Points- Bats can squeeze through small openings, at about 3/8 of an inch. If you find any gaps or holes around eaves, vents, and chimneys, you might have bats in your home.
- Visible Bat Activity- If you enter your attic and see a bat, there is probably a colony living in there. Don’t return to the attic until you have a wildlife professional there to assist you.
What to Do if You Find Bat Guano in Your Home
If you find bat guano in your home, you’ll need to contact a wildlife removal service. You should avoid cleaning up the bat guano yourself, as you could become ill. Instead, allow the professionals to clean the area, trap the bats, and relocate them.
At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we remove bats using a humane and ethical approach. This means we will never harm them in the process. If any of the bats have rabies, they’ll be sent to animal control for euthanasia, as that poses a risk to the community and human health.
Whether you are dealing with one bat or a large colony, we can help you resolve the infestation. We will assess the roosting areas and make a detailed plan on how to remove them from your home most safely and efficiently.
Get Connected to a Top-Rated Bat Removal Service
If you are dealing with a bat problem in Florida, it’s time to seek professional help. At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we can resolve any size of bat infestations, whether it’s one bat or a whole colony.
Contact us today for more information on how we can remove bats from your home.
