If a bat were to get into my house, how would I safely remove it?
Wearing GLOVES, use a container to capture the bat as illustrated above. Do not touch the bat with your bare hands or try to hit it with an object such as a tennis racket.
Why should you never touch a bat with bare hands?
Bats groom themselves by licking their fur. Rabies is found in the saliva of the animal. If you touch a rabid bat who just groomed itself, the rabies can transfer into your system through micro cuts found in the skin on your hands.
Why should you never hit a bat with a tennis racket?
If a bat is hit with a tennis racket, the saliva found on the bats fur due to grooming can be aerosolized and contracted.
For more information on capturing a bat visit the DNR website or the CDC site below:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/livingwith_wildlife/bats/removal.html
