Should you ever trap a bat in a cage?

You might see a bat and be tempted to trap it in a cage, but a word of advice is do not do it. Even a professional knows trying to trap a bat with a cage is not going to work and can harm the creature. The bat population is here because they are good for insect control. If the bat population decreases, then the insects will be out of control and you will never want to go outside.

If you are smelling bats or seeing them flying into your home, then it is time to call a professional and let them handle the removal. Bats will need to be excluded carefully and never trapped. In other words, they have moved in and taken up residency, so they will need to be evicted professionally. This is the process of letting them leave and never being able to enter the home again. They have a very high metabolism and are fragile. If you trap them in a cage, they are now at risk of dying from the sun, heat stroke or even from exhaustion. In many states it is against the law to trap a bat in a cage. Relocating a bat is next to impossible, since they fly so fast and can always find their way back to their home.

If you cannot get ahold of a professional, then you will need to do things differently. You could use a scare tactic, and the attractants will need completely removed from the premises. You can even look into installing a simple barrier. As tempting as trapping might be, the outcome will never be a satisfying in the long run. Some things that will keep bats coming around is when a shelter is easy to find and if there is a vast amount of food available.

When it comes to trapping animals, there are primarily two kinds of traps available. These include traps that kill the animal and traps that simply catch the animal so that it can then be relocated. You certainly do not want to kill the bat, but the other types of traps aren’t appropriate for a bat either. The best solution is to use an exclusion device so that they can fly out of your home but can’t come back in. Then you can seal all of the entry ways to keep them from returning.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Bats page or email us if you have any other questions about Should you ever trap a bat in a cage?