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How to Kill Pests - Bat Removal Information

How to Kill Bats



If you need bat help, click on my Nationwide List of Bat Removal Experts for a pro near you.

How to Kill a Bat
Bats flourish in the areas which are abundant in food and shelter. They are usually found at a place which is dark, quiet, enclosed and protected. They do not like to be disturbed and therefore choose a place which is not easily accessible for the predators.



It is unlikely that bats are found flying through your house; however, if it happens you need to act fast. People fear them a lot, as they are the carriers of Rabies virus and you do not want to be infected. The bites are usually not noticeable. An interesting thing to note here is that the bite is common when you try to kill or catch them.

Here are a few ways used by people to kill the bats

Bat Trapping: How to Trap a Bat
Bat Prevention Tips: How to Keep Bats Away
About Colonizing Bats and Things You Need To Know
How to Get Rid of Bats
Six Steps to Get Bats Out of Your Attic

Lethal traps
 People to catch the bats use traps widely. The body-gripping traps kill the animal with a powerful mechanical blow. These traps are highly effective and kill in a matter of seconds. A trap generally consists of strong iron jaws, which grips the animal instantly. However, if the trap is not set properly you might get a non-fatal result and releasing the mammal in the condition can be dangerous. Size of the trap is also really important and an inadequate one would incur a lot of pain and suffering.

Knives/garden tools
Many people kill them with knives or the garden tools. It requires skills and experience and you need to be really careful. Protect yourself with a pair of leather gloves to avoid a bite. To kill it, you will have to strike it quickly with lightning speed. It surely is a dangerous method as an injured or disturbed bat might bite back to protect itself.

Use of Guns
Guns are also widely used to shoot down the mammals. However, before using them you must have a close look at the local laws.

Use of Poison
There are various animal poisons available in the markets which are used by people to kill the bats. These are actually manufactured to kill the rats but are effective against bats as well. However, this is an inhumane method as the poison takes a long time to kill them and the animal suffers till then. The different poison types that you can use include
  • Anticoagulant (warfarin and congeners): Anticoagulants damage capillaries (blood vessels) and cause internal bleeding (haemorrhaging). The killing process is slow and the mammal dies of hypovolemic circulatory shock. Severe pain is also caused.
  • Antifreeze (Ethylene Glycol): It is a liquid used to cool engine and hence is easily available. It can also be used for poisoning the bats. However, the process is again a slow one and it takes about a day to kill. It causes extensive cellular damage in tissues and organs. Kidney, liver and sometimes heart failure cause the death. This is again a cruel method as the animal suffers from nausea, muscle twitches all through the day.
  • Bromethalin: Bromethalin is another poison the affects the central nervous system. It takes about 36 hours to kill the bats. It causes hyper excitability, muscle tremors and hind limb hyper reflexia resulting in the death.
  • Cholecalciferol: Another poison which produces hypercalcemia. This results in systemic calcification of soft tissue, leading to cardiac abnormalities, renal failure, CNS depression, hypertension and GI upset. It is again a cruel method that leads to death of the animal in about 24-36 hours.
  • Red Squill: It is a cardiac glycoside derived from the plant Urginea maritima which causes the death by cardiac arrest.
All these rodenticides are meant to be used on rats only. Using them to kill any other animal including the bats is illegal. These poisons are effective for rats but might not be as effective on bats. Moreover, it is not easy to make the bats swallow these poisons. You must also know that many bats come in the category of endangered species. They are an important part of the ecosystem. They eat agricultural pests, disperse seeds to replenish the rainforest and pollinate a variety of plants. It is better to get rid of the bats without killing them. You can use a cage trap or a fishing net to catch it and relocate to a far-off place. You also have the option of simply ushering them out by leaving the door open and waiting for it to find its way out of the house. It might have entered in search of a fly or insect.

© 2001-2018     Website content & photos by Trapper David     Feel free to email me with questions: david@getridofpests.com