Some illnesses you can acquire from bat guano

Bats are a creature that most people are afraid of. While the creature is good for insect control, they are also known to carry disease such as rabies. However, what most people don’t know is that bats carry another dangerous disease that should be avoided, histoplasmosis.

When bats take up residence in a home, it is usually in the attic area. Bats will enter the attic via small openings in the roofline, venting or soffits. As the bats claim the space as their own, bat droppings will occur. Bat droppings, known as guano, is a carrier of histoplasmosis, a disease that can infect humans through inhalation.

Understanding Histoplasmosis

The infectious disease known as histoplasmosis can be caught by humans when the spores of the fungus of histoplasmosis capsulation is inhaled. The disease is not contagious but is something that most home owners are completely unaware of. Anyone can be subject to the disease but there are individuals who are more susceptible to catching it. Roofers, installers of HVAC systems, construction workers, etc., anyone who would work in an area where bats may be present are at risk for inhaling the spores.

Even individuals inside a home can be exposed. If the disease is present, the spores can work their way into the ductwork system of your home and be present in the air. The spores are then inhaled and the individuals begin to feel bad, though they may have no idea what they are suffering from.

When affected by the disease via bat droppings, you may have no symptoms or light symptoms for a few days. It usually takes around ten days for an individual to begin to feel chest pain, have a fever, lose their appetite, experience headaches, impaired vision and even muscle pain. The disease can actually run its course and you have no idea you were subject to histoplasmosis and simply think you are suffering from the flu.

However, there have been cases where the disease affects individuals in a serious manner and can create long-term illness or even death. Those with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible to getting the disease and being affected by it in a negative manner.

If you find bats are living in your area, check to see if you might have an infestation. If you find bats are circling your roofline or appear to be coming in and out of your home, contact a wildlife specialist. You will need to have your attic and roof inspected by a professional. Experts in bat removal will be able to tell exactly where the bats are gaining entry and assist with the removal of the creatures.

If you have no experience with bats, it is best to leave the removal to the experts. Individuals with years of experience know how to remove the bats from the home in a safe manner that will be humane to the bats as well as protect you and your family. After removal, the area affected will be evaluated to see what cleanup measures need to be taken and how to keep your family safe by removing any entry points the bats may have been using to enter your home.

Bat removal services are provided by Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, a company with years of experience in pest control. Contact Skedaddle if you need help with bat removal or have issues with other pests in the home.

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Bats In The House: What to do?

Bats play an important role in our environment and they are actually a benefit to us. They help pollinate plants, eat other insects, help control the mosquito population and are involved in seed dispersal and pollination. However, when they find a way into your home the situation does change and they become pests. They find shelter in chimneys, attics and dark walls of the house.

When bats find their way into your home, there is no need to panic but it's important to stay on top of the situation before it gets worse. If you have to seek help from professionals, then you should look for well-experienced personnel from recognized institutions such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control Mississauga. Depending on where they are, there are various ways to remove bats from the house:

Depending on where they are, there are various ways to remove bats from the house:

• In Attics

This is one of those hiding areas that can be difficult and time consuming for animal control officers because it can be tough to reach the bats. Humane methods are an important part of the procedure which means they first ensure there are no young ones in the attics before they begin the removal process. Once they have determined their entrance and exit points they can then go ahead and remove them from the attic. To prevent them from coming back they will close off all the access points leaving one way for them to escape through when they go to feed.

• In Chimneys

It's a bit easier to deal with bats in chimneys than in attics since they are restrained to a small area. Shut the damper to prevent the bats from getting into the house. Place a one-way-exclusion device in the evening which will allow them to fly through the top of the chimney but not get back in. Once you are sure there are no more bats, install a chimney cap to ensure they can not get in again. This may seem simple but bats are also creative and can fit through holes the size of a dime so simply closing holes won’t always work effectively. This is where choosing a professional and experienced company like Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Mississauga is not only the best plan but,  you are guaranteed to be a happy and satisfied customer when they are done.

• Inside the House

Bats get into the house through many ways. When they get into the living space its usually because they are living inside the attic and have got lost. Inside the house, the bat feels trapped therefore becomes restless. You will find it flying from one corner of the room to another which can cause a panic. The best thing to do is to stay calm and not fight it (or them). A good option is to contact an animal control  professional to help deal with such a scenario. They not only remove the bats from your home but part of their process is to clear and clean any contaminated materials as this can cause many health risks.

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Animal control Mississauga takes pride in their work of assessing and removing wildlife from homes. They also prevent any return through effective measures they have put in place. They help to control many wildlife animals such as skunks, raccoons, squirrels, mice insects and bats humanely and effectively.

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Why Wildlife Infestation Increases Every Day

Are you wondering why you see raccoons and squirrels lingering near your home? If so these animals might be attracted to your property because of accessible food, and it is suitable to turn into a den to raise their young. Several factors affect the possibility of wildlife infestation, knowing what these are will help you determine its cause and prepare for animal intrusion.

Loss of Natural Habitat

Rapid urbanization is leading to the loss of natural habitat of all sorts of wildlife. Animals such as raccoons, squirrels, bats, skunks and others will look for other suitable places to live and raise their young. If your property happens to be near, there is a high possibility that these creatures will infest it.

Looking for a Suitable Den

Loss of habitat caused by urbanization will push animals to look for a suitable and warm den to raise their young in, especially when the cold months begin. Once they infest your home, they will look for warm spaces such as between walls, the area just above the bedroom, the attic, basement, sheds or other empty spaces. They will bring all sorts of insects, bacteria and germs that may transmit diseases.

Mothers who feel that you are threatening their young will become aggressive and may hurt you with their biting and scratching. Wildlife will not only bring diseases, but will also damage property. They will tear or chew through rotten wood, walls, insulation, electrical wires and others.

Accessibility of Food

The possibility of wildlife infestation increases because of access to food around or in your property. Throwing food in unlocked garbage bins will attract raccoons, squirrels and other animals into your property. They will rummage through garbage cans and may enter your home, if they get a smell of something to eat inside. To prevent this from happening, dispose of food until the collector arrives or lock bins to deter animals from opening them.

How Can Animals Infest Your Home?

Animals will find ways to invade your home, whether it is slithering through tiny holes or tearing through an opening to fit in. Raccoons have strong paws that allow them to open doors and windows, and claw their way through rotten wood. Rodents can enter a home through small golf ball-sized holes. Your best defense is to cover holes, replace rotten wood and repair damaged areas that wildlife can enter.

Remove Animals

With the help of animal removers, getting rid of wildlife is faster, humane and easier. Animal removers have the expertise and experience to handle all sorts of wildlife, from raccoons to bats to rodents. They have the appropriate gear and tools to remove animals without harming them.

Some will also clean and deodorize dens to prevent attracting other animals. They do not only remove but they make sure that wildlife will not re-enter once they do the job.

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How Bats Help the Balance of The EcoSystem

Bats have been one of the misunderstood animals in our planet because of their appearance and behaviour. For centuries, bats have been perceived associated with vampires and other dark myths. Before you see a bat and run away in fear of being bitten (since people almost always think all bats are after human blood), let us share with you their actual role in the environment.

Although it is a common assumption that bats are dangerous and dark animals, they actually keep the ecosystem in balance. They play vital roles in pollination, insect control and plant dispersal.

About seventy percent of the bat population is composed of insectivorous bats. They feed on insects and consume millions of pests every year. They serve as nature's pesticides minus the harmful effects of chemical ones. Farmers appreciate bats for this role very much, since they keep the crops healthy and insect-free. Bats help farmers save of up to a billion dollars depending on the usual damage of crop eating pests like worms. They not only save the crops, but also minimize the need for chemical pesticides farmers use to keep their vegetations healthy and alive.

In some places where diseases are brought by insects such as mosquitoes, a bat is the easiest solution to getting rid of them. Nursing bats can consume insects at an amount equal to their body weight each night. This helps immensely in insect control and human health, since they eliminate disease carrying insects every time they forage at night.

In Canada, these are the some of the distinctive species preying on insects: the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), the hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), which is known to be the largest bat in the country, and the Eastern Pipistrelle or tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), one of the smallest Canadian bats.

Other than their role as insectivores, bats are also very good pollinators. There are nectar-feeding bats that help in the distribution of pollen from one flower to another and this plays an important role in propagating a locality’s flora.

Aside from insectivorous and nectar-feeding bats, there are also fruit-eating bats. Fruit-eating bats can grow very large and travel miles as they search for their fruit. As they are eating or are foraging, they drop seeds from the fruit they consume, and therefore help in seed dispersal. Because of this, bats are also known as tropical farmers and help in maintaining the number of plants in our forests.

Bats play a very important role in the balance of our ecosystem. The next time you see a bat, think of the real good things they do and appreciate them as animals. Without bats, the world would be a more uncomfortable place.

When these creatures sometimes end up living inside your attic, don’t fret! It is important to immediately call animal control services like Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. Skedaddle Wildlife Technicians are trained experts for bat removal. Their methods have been proven to be effective and humane. With more than twenty-six years of handling wildlife infestation in Canadian homes, you can be rest assured that your house remains bat-free while at the same time, helping bring these creatures back to the wild where they can play their role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem.

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