I was just headed off to bed last night when my cell rang. I answered “Iowa Wildlife Control, this is Mike.” The lady on the other end was obviously upset and was very apologetic for calling so late. but had a bat in her bedroom flying around. Both she and her boyfriend had seen it but now it disappeared. When they disappear in a room they can be hard to find do to the small size they are when they are folded up and trying to hide.
I grab a small container, a net and my heavy leather gloves and drove to the other side of town to hunt down the bat in the bedroom. I arrived on site and was shown in and to the bedroom. Her boyfriend ( a rather large gentleman) was sitting on a chair outside the door with a tennis racket guarding the door for all appearances.
I went into bed room took my flashlight and looked behind everything 1st pulled things away from the wall one by one to make sure the bat wasn’t hiding there. Rolled up the blinds, checked in he windows. Got permission to remove the stuff from under the bed, which I did slowly. Then I took the jackets off the back of the door one by one and inspected them for the bat. once cleared I got the OK t to do the same to the closet. I slid the 1/2 door open and did a check up on the ceiling and walls for the tiny creature and saw nothing.
Then I started removing clothing from closet one by one and inspecting it for the bat. Occasionally the boyfriend would poke his head in a and see if I was OK, which I assured him I was. I was laying the clothing on the bed neatly, I hear him yell “Damn woman, I didn’t you know had so many trench coats!”
I had totally emptied the one side of the closet, and had closed that door and slid the other one open and started removing items from that side. The boyfriend was in the room shining his flashlight around as well, I figure sure I may miss something. He shined it on the track of the closet door and I heard “It that is?!?!?!” I look up and there it is just starting to slide around the edge of the door track. I said “Yeah that islet me get my gloves.” I hear the door SLAM shut and chuckled to myself as I got my gloves on and scooped it up and put the bat in my container, it was squeaking like mad. Elapsed time from arrival to capture about an hour.
I came out and told them I got the bat and explained the old wives tales about them going into your hair, and most being rabid etc. I told them I would hold the bat till this afternoon in case they find a bite or scratch and it needs tested. They never called to say they found anything so I released the little fellow into a tree at lunchtime. And, i will be going back to do a full inspection and seal up of the house if need be.
Tags: bat, bat in house, bats, exclude, removal
