What to do if bats have taken up quarters on your house or in your roof? According to Nabu, they are among the most endangered mammals in Europe. This is why they are protected – you must not simply drive bats away! Read all about the right way to deal with the animals in our guidebook. Even if one of them has strayed into your apartment.
Bats belong to the endangered species and must not be driven away. We will show you what you can do if you find them in your basement.
- Where do bats set up their roosts??
- This is why you must not drive away or disturb bats
- Instead of chasing bats away: What to do if they live on or in your home?
- How do I drive bats out of the apartment??
- Where do bats set up their roosts??
- This is why you should not drive away or disturb bats
- Instead of driving bats away: What to do if they live on or in your home?
- How to evict bats from your home?
Where do bats roost??
Beginning in April, and sometimes earlier, pregnant female bats congregate and seek out a so-called maternity roost, where they carry their offspring, give birth, raise them, and then wean them. Until finally, in September, they dissolve the weekly roosts and move to mating quarters. At the end of October they go to their winter quarters, where they hibernate from the beginning of November until the end of March.
One of these different roosts that bats visit throughout the year might be on or in your house. Bats make themselves comfortable in cavities or crevices for their hibernation quarters. They can find that on trees – or just on your house. The roof, a roller shutter box or a window shutter can be used for this purpose. In their winter quarters, on the other hand, bats like it cool and damp. And where do they find these conditions? Right, in a basement!
Where do bats stay during the day??
Bats are nocturnal animals. During the day they slumber in their roosts – or sometimes in a living space if they have strayed there (see below).
Bats should in no case be handled without gloves.
This is why you must not drive away or disturb bats
If you disturb pregnant birds in their roosts in late spring or summer, the female may lose her offspring. If bats are disturbed during hibernation, their lives could be threatened. Because they lose a lot of energy. When bats are completely displaced from their roosts, it’s a serious loss for the site-faithful animals. Since the animals do not cause any damage to your house, it is anyway unnecessary to drive them away.
Instead of evicting bats: What to do if they live on or in your house?
To find out what to do if a bat roosts in your home, contact the state environmental agency or Nabu. There you will get expert advice on how to deal with the animals and tips on how to protect bats. If renovation work is planned while bats are living in your house, you must contact the State Environmental Agency beforehand. If the animals pollute your facade, you can place so-called droppings boards a little below the nests.
How to drive bats out of the apartment?
In summer or early fall, young bats in particular occasionally stray into a living space through an open window. Even then, don’t vehemently chase the bat away, but help it find its way back to nature – by simply opening or leaving the window open and closing the doors to other rooms. The nocturnal bat, however, will probably only fly out in the evening when it gets dark and, if necessary, first take a nap in your home. In the meantime, it would be ideal if you stay in another room so as not to frighten the animal. Installing a fly screen prevents incidents like this one.
In the case of the tiny dwarf bat, it can also happen that it gets lost in a vase, for example, and does not come out again on its own. If you touch the animal – carefully – be sure to wear bite-proof, thick leather gloves to protect yourself from bat rabies. But this disease is extremely rare. Because if bats get scared, they may well bite. Wait with the action until dusk and then let the bat fly back into nature. Be sure to check if any of the animals have found their way to you elsewhere in the room.
If a bat is sick or injured, it must be taken to the animal hospital. Advice on how to deal with the sick animals can give you the state environmental office. Alternatively, you can contact the bat hotline of the Nabu: 030 284984 5000. You can also get help there if you don’t know how to deal with a stray bat in your house.