Roughly 10% of Texas bats test positive for rabies. Rabies is dangerous to you, your family members, and your pets, offering another reason why it’s so vital to get bats out of your house as soon as you suspect they may be there.
Rabies, of course, is not the only reason why you would want to get bats out of your attic. But it is a significant enough concern for us to spend a little bit of time talking to you about it.
What is rabies?
Rabies is a viral disease that can be fatal to animals and people alike. When rabies spreads to people, it can result in hyperactivity, hallucinations, intense throat spasms, aggressive behavior, and, eventually, cardiac arrest.
Doctors can treat rabies, but it’s essential to get treatment as soon as you come into contact with it. Do not wait for symptoms to appear! When symptoms occur, death is the most common and likely result.
How does rabies impact bats?
Rabid bats rarely become aggressive, but they do start becoming active during the day. They may fly erratically or become paralyzed.
Any erratic behavior is a point of concern when you see bats, especially if you suspect those bats are tucked away in your attic.
How do bats pass rabies to humans?
Rabies generally spreads via a bite. It passes through the saliva. While bats rarely bite humans, this isn’t a risk you want to take. Any animal will bite if it feels cornered or threatened enough.
If a bat bites you, schedule an appointment with your doctor’s office right away.
What should you do about bats in the home?
Few people want to stand around attempting to analyze bats for rabies. Getting rid of bats when they appear is generally the better part of valor. Bats can do a lot of damage to your home and also carry a wide variety of other viral diseases that can spread to humans.
In addition, if you find a dead bat in your home or your yard, you should take precautions. Wear gloves before handling it. It’s also a good idea to place the specimen in a clear, leakproof, sealable Ziplock bag so you can submit the sample to a DSHS Laboratory.
Get Help Today
We are Houston’s bat removal experts. We use humane techniques and exclusion methods to get bats out of your home and back into the wild where they belong. Bats are endangered, so we never kill them, but nevertheless, work hard to keep them from harming you.
We’ve completed many bat removal projects in the Houston Metro Area and look forward to helping your home and family as well. Click here to request your free inspection today.
