Pesky bat... I think.

[Lindsey]

I think I have a bat in my storage shed outside. A few weeks ago there was one hanging around my deck in the evening. My shed door doesn't close properly and a couple days ago I noticed it was open. I went out in the afternoon and closed it. But for the past couple of nights I have heard rustling going on outside, and it seems like something is moving around inside, and running into some of the lighter stuff like Layla's old travel crate.

After being kept awake most of the night with it, I got brave this morning and went out to open the door, half expecting something to come out at me! But it was quiet. I looked inside and didn't see anything. I went back to my room where it was rustling just minutes earlier to see if I could hear it, but it was silent from there too.

So I'm keeping the door open for the day. Maybe whatever it was got scared and hid when I opened the door. If it's a bat, maybe when it gets dark it will go out and I can go close it when it's gone.

Has anyone had experience with getting rid of bats? Don't they hibernate? It's freezing here every night, we're expecting snow tonight and tomorrow. I don't know if bats can stand the cold!

[DianaB]

Lindsey, I don't think of bats as being out when it's cold but I'm really not experienced with bats. Any animal that's in there will probably get quiet when you open the door. I think that leaving the door open for a while like you're planning on doing will be a good idea. Hopefully, what ever's in there will leave!!! If not, then send Scott in to find out what it is!!!

[Lindsey]

Lol yeah I don't want to go in there myself, but Scott's not back home again for another week. I don't want whatever it is to die in there

[judy]

Yuck!!! I don't know anything about bats.

[gja1000]

We have bats here in Austin, and they do migrate to Mexico when it gets cold. I"m not sure all bats migrate south, but maybe they do. Perhaps if this is a bat, he/she got left behind. Most bats have rabies, so if it is a bat, be careful and DO NOT TOUCH IT, even if it is dead!

Rats will create that rustling sound too - and if it is a rat, he/she probably won't come out during the day or night.

[Lindsey]

Surprise! I came home from work today and Scott was HOME!!!!!!!!!!! He was told he could come home for a few days this morning and he lied to me all day lol. Anyways he went out this afternoon and searched around the storage shed and there was nothing there. He closed the door and neither of us have heard anything yet, so maybe whatever it was left!

I did research a bit today and all bats in Saskatchewan either migrate south or they burrow for the winter in cave-like areas like old mine sites.

How well do rats climb? It would have to get up to the third floor outside.

[DianaB]

I think that I'd just get some good mouse/rat poison and put it in a far corner of the shed where Layla can't reach it. You may not have a problem but it will be there just in case.

[gja1000]

Also, if it were a rat, you would see rat poop - little bullet shaped pellets - not as big as a bullet, of course, but shaped like that. If you don't find any rat poop, then that is probably not what it was. Yes, rats can climb. We have tree rats here in Texas - yes, they live in trees.

[DianaB]

OOOOO Yuck!!!!! Tree Rats!!!! I've never heard of them living in trees!!! I do know that they can climb but I've never seen some that lived in trees!!! OOOOOO YUCK!!!!

[Marilyn]

So hope that whatever was making the rustling sound is gone!!!! Bats can be good for getting rid of flying insects, but can be a messy nuisance. Hope if it's a bat it flew away!!

[Lindsey]

I had a nice quiet sleep last night! Whatever it was must be gone now. Yay!!

[Janet]

Glad it's gone...whatever it was. I'm with Diana on this one....TREE RATS???? I'm so happy to not have them in Indiana that I know of....and if we do....I'm still glad I don't know..lol.

[Blueyes]

OK... I live in Texas and I've never heard of tree rats either Gayle...WHAT is a tree rat??????

[gja1000]

Well, it's a rat that climbs trees............ my daughter has them in her back yard. The first time I saw them I was like, WHAAAATTTTT is that running up the tree trunk. They have a big bunch of vines at the base of the tree and they come down and get in those vines, but then you see them go up the tree. I don't know if they nest up there or just run up there, like squirrels????? Anyway, she said they are tree rats. But maybe they are just regular rats and they happen to climb trees because there are a lot of trees in the back yard????

[Blueyes]

Maybe they are just naked squirrels