A bat in the house
One bat in a room is usually a lost young bat, often in July and August, and most of the time nobody has been touched. If you are certain of that, open a window, close the room off, turn the lights down and it will normally find its own way out within an hour.
The exceptions matter. Bats are the most commonly reported rabid animal in the United States, and about seven in ten people who die of rabies here were infected by a bat (CDC). So a bat found where someone was asleep, or with a child, is kept for testing. And one bat inside often means a colony somewhere in the house.
Health first. If a bat was in a room where someone was sleeping, or with a young child or anyone who cannot say whether they touched it, do not let it go. Contain it if you can do so safely and call your local health department today. Bat bites can be too small to notice, and rabies shots work only if started early. CDC guidance
If you are sure nobody was touched
Close interior doors so the bat stays in one room. Open a window or outside door wide, turn off the lights in that room and leave the porch light off. Stay out of the room and keep pets elsewhere. Most bats leave within an hour once they find moving air. If it is still there in the morning, it has probably tucked itself somewhere; look behind curtains and furniture with gloves on, and call for help if you find it.
New York's health department gives the same advice in its Bat Awareness Tips, including step-by-step capture.
Keep the bat and call the health department if
- It was in a room where someone was asleep.
- It was with a young child, or someone who cannot be sure they were not touched.
- Anyone touched it, was bitten or scratched, or it landed on someone.
- A pet may have caught or played with it.
- It is on the floor, cannot fly, or is out in daylight.
- You are not sure. Calling costs nothing and they deal with this every summer.
Typical costs
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| One bat inside the house Removing it and finding the gap it used | $100 to $450 |
| Inspection Checking for a colony and the way in | $75 to $400 |
| Exclusion, under 50 bats If a colony is found | $400 to $1,500 |
| Sealing entry points Gaps into living space | $150 to $1,500 |
Ranges drawn from three national home-services cost guides, checked November 2026. US dollars. A guide, not a quote. Rabies testing is arranged through your health department, not a contractor. See the bat removal cost guide.
How to catch a bat safely
Never use bare hands
Wear thick leather work gloves. Never pick a bat up with your hands, even if it looks dead.
Close the room
Shut doors to the rest of the house, close closets, turn the lights on and wait for the bat to land, usually high on a curtain or wall.
Cover it
Place a box, plastic tub or coffee can over it. Slide a piece of cardboard underneath to trap it inside.
Tape it shut
Turn the container upright, tape the cardboard on firmly and poke a few small air holes. Keep it somewhere cool and away from pets.
Call
Phone your local health department or animal control. They decide whether the bat should be tested and whether anyone needs treatment.
If it is dead
Use gloves to bag it, then keep it cold but not frozen until the health department tells you what to do.
Second bat this summer? There is probably a colony. Find out where.
Get a quoteAfter the bat is out
Find the way in
Common routes are attic hatches, gaps around pipes and wires, chimney flues, and loose window screens.
Seal inside gaps
Interior gaps between the attic or walls and your rooms can be sealed at any time of year.
Check for a colony
A dusk watch and an attic check show whether bats are living in the house.
Exclude if needed
If there is a colony, it is excluded in the next legal window and the outside gaps sealed.
Before you book
What should I do if I wake up with a bat in my room?
Do not release it. Contain it safely if you can and call your local health department or doctor that day. Health departments treat a bat in a room with a sleeping person as a possible exposure, because bites can go unnoticed (NY State Department of Health).
Do all bats have rabies?
No. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks puts it at fewer than 1% of bats (FWP). But bats cause most US human rabies cases, so any contact is taken seriously.
How did a bat get in my house?
Usually from a colony in the attic or walls, through gaps around the attic hatch, pipes, chimney or recessed lights. Sometimes through an open door or a torn screen.
Should I call pest control or animal control?
Call the health department or animal control first if anyone may have been exposed. For finding and sealing the entry, a bat removal specialist is the right call.
Is it normal to see bats in the house in summer?
Late July and August are when young bats start flying and get lost most often, so yes, it is common. It also usually means there is a roost nearby.
Can I kill a bat in my house?
Avoid it. Many states protect bats, and crushing one damages the brain tissue needed for a rabies test. Contain it instead.
Get a quote to find and seal the way in
Start with your ZIP code. Contact details come next, then a few taps about the bats.
We are an introduction service, not a bat removal specialist. We pick one who works near you, tell you their name, and share your request only once you agree.
Got it. Your request is with us.
- Before close of business tomorrow you will hear from us with the name of a bat specialist working near you.
- Say yes and your request goes to that firm; say no and it goes nowhere.
- They arrange an inspection and give you a price. Your email is used for this request only, never for newsletters.
If a bat was in a room where someone was asleep, keep it contained if it is safe to do so and call your local health department today.