One of the important aspects of getting rid of your bats, that should be considered AFTER you get rid of your bats, is the cleanup of the bat excrement that may be required. If you had bats, you certainly have bat excrement remaining.
For the health and safety of everyone who might come into your house or business, it is imperative that the bat excrement be cleaned up very thoroughly. Areas to be cleaned include the grounds around your house or building, the attic, roof, walls, and definitely the areas directly underneath where the bats have been resting and roosting.
Bat excrement, or guano, may look like small pellets, or it could look like “crumbly” dust and dirt. If you only have a small quantity of bat guano, it will likely not cause a problem. In fact, when sprinkled on gardens, it makes an excellent fertilizer. Similarly, pigeon keepers and chicken farmers must also be careful about contracting diseases from the excrement of their birds. Even flocks of blackbirds and starlings can spread Hostoplasmosis, for example, when migrating over the Ohio River Valley area in the United States. An estimated 70% of the people who live in the Ohio River Valley have been exposed to Histoplasmosis from these birds.
However, if you have large quantities of bat guano, it could be providing a fertile breeding ground for many different forms of micro-organisms, notably Histoplasmosis, which is a viral, respiratory infection that can be transmitted to humans.
Since most bats eat insects, (and PLENTY of them!), you will likely be able to see small pieces of insect wings in the crumbly guano. These insect wings will probably appear to “sparkle” in the sunlight, as they reflect light. Bat guano in large quantities is a fertile breeding ground for bacteria, fungus and other micro-organisms, including Histoplasmosis.
Additionally, your bats may have left fleas, bat mites, or other parasites in your building, and / or enough urine to eventually cause structural damage in your building.
Be sure to check for all of these potential issues after you have gotten rid of your bats.
If your bat excrement problem is small
Bat Cleanup – After You Get Rid of Bats,
you might be able to clean it up by yourself. If your bat excrement problem is large, you may very well choose to, or be required to contact a professional bat exterminator or commercial cleaning service clean up after your bats.
The safe and proper clean up of bat excrement will likely require at least the use of special HEPA filter respiratory masks, high-powered, HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaners, disposable, protective clothing, and special disinfectants and deodorizers for specific use with biohazardous materials. More difficult bat removal jobs could require additional observation of your building, especially at dusk, debris chutes, tall ladders, or even hydraulic bucket lifts.
Remember that if you are removing dead bats or other animals from your home or building, be sure to use gloves to prevent potential exposure to diseased tissue or other contaminated matter.