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We seem to have a group of bats who have moved into the space between our metal roof and the tongue and grove ceiling of our new home. We know the bats are great for eating insects, but would prefer they moved to another location. Can anyone suggest a way to get rid of them?
We have a lot of bats in Costa Rica and I don’t believe there is an easy way to get rid of them.
The key from day one is ‘prevention’ and not allowing them access in the first place. Rural areas are three times more likely to have bat problems that urban areas.
Have you spoken with your local veterinarian? He would probably have the right connections to help with that kind of a problem.
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comMake the environment uninhabitable in the early evening, then when the bats have left, close up whatever openings they’re using to get in. By “uninhabitable”, I mean put something up there that they won’t tolerate. Moth balls, a bowl of amonia, etc. come to mind.
The best thing to do is what has already been offered and you might try loud music as well. It works but will drive you crazy, lots of bright lights up there where they live also works and is a little easier on the nerves. You have to use 1/4″ heavy duty screening to exclude them, and you have to cover every entranceway. If you use the screening, you have to make sure there are no babies left behind by the adults when they go foraging for food each night or the babies will will die once the parents can’t get to them with food. Of course when they die there is a residual smell that will last a few days. In the states they call the screening I am talking about hardware clothe. I don’t know what they call it here.
CaseyHigh pitch sonar pulses above the frequency we can hear will drive them … batty. Unfortunately, I have the same problem in NW Washington State, but my bats migrate away every October. If your bats were migratory, the off season is the time to seal up all openings as suggested. Also, I believe 1 in 20 bats carries rabies.
We had one of the high pitch sonar devices in our home in Puerto Viejo. These are great and do work; however, they reach a very limited area so you have to plug one in every room with the bat problem. They also have the tendency to drive you crazy as the high pitch is audible to the human ear . . .
It sounds like the sonar devices are the best option for our situation. Next question is where to purchase them and how much do they cost. I am in the States at this moment so I could buy some here if I know what to look for. The lights are not an option because there is no practical way to install lights in this very small air space (only about 4 inches), also very hard to block all the potential spaces along a convoluted metal roof edge. I have another suggestion of installing bat boxes (or houses) along the property to give them another option. Someone suggested a high incidence of rabies in bats. I know this is true in North America, but I haven’t heard of any incidences of rabies in bats or any other mammals in Costa Rica. Has anyone else?
Big myth…less than 1% have rabies and there has only been one case of rabies in Costa Rica in the last 30 years.
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