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Warning -- those squeamish about flying rodent like critters may want to take a deep breath before reading on.
Looking for advice from anyone who has had a problem with bats getting in your house.
This started at our place two days ago when Kelly found a lttle tiny bat hanging asleep on one of the curtains in our kitchen. He trapped it and took it outside to release it, and we chalked it up to a freak event caused by the existing problems with our roof and windows and ddn't think too much more about it.
Until last night, that is, when one of our new kittens was found staring up at a bat that was hanging asleep off of one of the wardrobe-size boxes that we aren't going to unpack until after remodeling. It was just as crashed out as could be, so Kelly had no problem slipping it into an empty jar and taking it outside for release.
While I hope these guys will stay nearby because bats are an awesome natural mosquito control solution (I ordered a bat house and some starter guano at my last house in Michigan in the hopes of attracting some bats to our yard) -- but I really don't want them moving inside with us. Up north, bats in the house are usually just a problem in attics, but with no attics here I'm worried that these two guys might be looking to set up house in a closet or cabinet, or just move into one of our extra rooms. We've checked the house and don't see signs that any others were here or are here now.
I'm not at all freaked by the occasional bat getting in (actually would trade the occasional bat for all of the millipedes) with one exception: bats can carry rabies and I'm very concerned about our cats being bit or scratched should they try to hunt one. I really don't want the little bats hurt, so I'm hoping that I can avoid using an exterminator. However, my cats' health (and ours) comes first, so I will do what is necessary to keep them safe.
Any words of wisdom or folks with similar problems? Should we just try to live with it and see if the remodeling work blocks off whatever crack they're using to get inside?
Thanks to all!
HC
Posted : October 1, 2004 5:30 pm
I'll take your bats. My house back in Boston had them, I'd find one floating in the pool occasionally, damn radar but have been off. LOL Anywho, they will never attack a cat, but you are right if the cat sneaks up to a sleeping cat and wakes it, who knows.
I would think if you got a bat house outside to lure them out there that would probably help. But, I'm not bat expert, so I'm pretty much talking out of my a-- which is nothing new for me.
Posted : October 1, 2004 5:58 pm
Topic starter
Stu,
Thanmks. We do want to get a bat house set up here, just don't think we can do it in time to convince these guys that being in it is better than being in our kitchen.
HC
(and I can't leave without leaving this meant-in fun poking intended only for my new debate buddy Stu: Isn't talking out of your a-- a universal trait in people who are RIGHT WING DAMMIT!!!! *wink grin*)
Posted : October 1, 2004 6:18 pm
Uh...wow...no advice for that one of course. But I am supposing that the beauty and relaxation there makes all of critters worth it...right????? Uh one more thing..these millipedes....do they hurt?
Posted : October 1, 2004 6:22 pm
Topic starter
Autumn,
Although bats don't bother me, I usually can't stand bugs in my house -- freaked me right out and made me totaly paranoid. I've found I love being here so much that learning to accept the occasional bug issue (and the new sense of the realities of hurricane season and the more frequent than before but still not bad power outages, and the time-consuming vehicle registration process, and etc. ) is totally worth everything I get from being on St. Croix, hands down,
Millipedes are not at all dangerous, just annoying., We have the little guys that look rather like earthworms on the shell side and have all the little legs below. The ones we find are either dying or dead from the once a month visit from Terminex, so it's mostly an issue of cleanup. The only really icky bugs that have made it in our badly-sealed house are centipedes, which look like catepillars with armor (spikes off the sides of their bodies), pinchers, and a bad attitude. The centipedes can deliver a painful sting and are pure evil in my book. That is why I stand firmly with "Designing Women's" Suzanne Sugarbaker in believing that even with won'en liberation and self-determination, "It is the man's job to kill the bug."
Don't spend too much time worrying about insects at all. If I can adapt, anyone can. 😛
HC
Posted : October 1, 2004 6:37 pm
HC,
hey aren't you sandal wearing weed smoking tree hugging liberals supposed to welcome everything and become one with nature. You should be offering your bed up to those bats.
Damn hypocritical hippies.
I think I'm voting for Bush just to piss you off.
Stu 😉
Posted : October 1, 2004 6:51 pm
Yeah okay....I will be taking your word for it HC~I think I detest roaches more than any other bug. I will just walk around with good stompers on and my ever ready bottle of some kind of insect repellent. Two years and counting, but I do have a running list of everything that's being suggested. Thanks to all ;0)
Posted : October 1, 2004 7:08 pm
Stu!
How dare you spew obscenities like saying you are going to vote for Bush! 😉 Just kidding. I am actually using my last address to do an absentee vote for myself for President. Couldn't come up with anyone better. 😉
HipCrip,
You didn't get to vote for President in D.C., right? Are you voting in this upcoming election? I don't like losing my voting rights by living here, but I understand that you can't vote on local elections and at the same time vote on U.S. elections - same as D.C., no?
BTW, take pictures of the little bat guys. I find them to be such delicate and interesting creatures, although I can totally understand your worry of rabies and such. Mosquitos have actually lightened up a bit here. Hope they are being nicer to you!
Teresa
Posted : October 1, 2004 7:58 pm
The traditional lore is that there is no rabies in the VI. I have never heard of any cases, but that doesn't obviously make it true!
Posted : October 1, 2004 8:35 pm
I also live in DC and we have been able to vote in presidential elections for several decades. DC gets 3 electoral votes. The Democratic candidate has won the District's vote in every election by a lot. We also have a non-voting delegate to Congress similar to the VI, no representation in the senate.
Posted : October 2, 2004 7:19 pm
