Should you ever trap a bat in a cage?

The Problem with Bats

When bats enter a person's home, they're going to cause a lot of problems.

These animals will spread diseases like rabies and histoplasmosis. They'll also leave their droppings all over the place, resulting in awful smells, stains, and structural damage.

That's why you should act quickly if you find a bat inside your home, as you don't want to give them more opportunities to cause trouble.

The Appeal of Traps and Cages

A lot of people like to take a hands-on approach by trapping bats in cages. It feels like you're actively working towards the solution, and the approach lets you see the bat population dwindle. For many, this approach seems humane as well, since you aren't really killing or hurting the animal.

Yet things aren't so simple.

The Problem with Cages

Unfortunately, traps and cages have a lot of downsides, since they're illegal, ineffective, and inhumane.

Most states have made it illegal to trap bats, as these animals are surprisingly beneficial. A single bat eats thousands of bugs a night, removing agricultural pests and killing spreaders of disease. Many bat species are also endangered, so there are even more reasons to make trapping them illegal.

Using cage traps is also ineffective. Most bat infestations are made up of many individuals, so you'd need to buy a lot of traps — something which isn't very feasible. Even if you catch the bats, you'd have to get rid of them by relocation. Yet that would quickly fail because bats have excellent navigation and will find their way back. That isn't even mentioning the risks of being scratched and contracting rabies from handling the animals in a cage.

Finally, cages can be very inhumane. Bats are flying animals like birds, so a cage restricts their movement and makes them feel trapped. These mammals also have a high metabolism, so they'll quickly get hungry. Meaning there's a high chance of them starving while stuck in a cage.

For all these reasons, you shouldn't trap bats in a cage. Instead, you should look for alternative bat removal techniques.

Exclusion

Exclusion is by far the best way of removing a bat infestation, and it's incredibly humane and effective.

This technique works by allowing bats to leave of their own free will while preventing them from coming back in. Meaning, the animals won't be able to do anything even if they find their way to your home.

Exclusion is also inexpensive, as it only needs three items.

• An exclusion funnel — or some other exclusion device.
  
  
• Some caulk.
  
  
• Steel wool.
  
  

Step 1: Find the Entries

Your home must have at least one path that allows the bats to come and go as they will. Bats will use this during the evening to go out hunting, and they'll use it again to enter your home at dawn.

It's important you find all such holes if you want to get rid of the bats.

Step 2: Seal the Entries

Now that you've found all the holes, you should seal them up. Use the steel wool and caulk — or any other material you'd prefer — to seal up the entries. The important thing to keep in mind is that you should leave exactly one entry open, as you'll need to get rid of the bats somehow.

Step 3: Install the Device

With most entries sealed up tight, it's time to install the exclusion device. If you're using an exclusion funnel, place the wide end pointing indoors and the narrow end pointing outdoors. This stops the animals from coming back in after they leave.

If you've spotted any baby bats in your home, you should not do this step. Instead, wait a few weeks for them to grow up before you install the device. Otherwise, the animal will be abandoned, so it will starve to death.

Step 4: Wait for the Bats

With the device installed, you only have to wait for the bats to leave.

Step 5: Clean and Repair

Once all the bats are gone, remove the exclusion device and seal the final hole as before. You should then carefully clean and disinfect the area to prevent the spread of diseases.