Does this sound like a bat or something else?

Question

I saw a bat flying back and forth in my daughter's room one night last week. My husband chased it out the window and we didn't hear from it after that. The week was quiet until last night when I heard scratching and scurrying on her bedroom ceiling. It would run, then stop and scratch and/or tap, then run again. I thought it was a squirrel, but they're not noctournal and I don't think they can "tap" on things. Does this sound characteristic of a bat? If so, how do you make a bat leave?

Answer 1

Borrow or get a cat!  We had a cat that would catch them.  It could possbily be a bat trying to get out or fly upward if you are hearing noises like that.  Is the noise from the ceiling? ( can't you see it when you turn on the lights?) or is it above the ceiling ?  My guess is that it is a bat. Oh and yes there are flying squirrels that are nocturnal.  

Answer 2

I doubt very much that it's a bat.  Bats don't scurry like that, and you'd hardly hear them anyway.

I'm sure it's a mouse or rat or some other rodent.  I live in a forest and we get wild forest mice in our house now and then.  There is no way to really prevent this.  When it happens we put down "live catch" traps and release the little guys back into the wild.  

Mice and rats can be quit noisy in the walls or attic spaces.  

If you care about the little creatures, put down the same kinds of traps I use.  Otherwise, call an exterminator.

If it turns out that you DO have bats, do NOT kill them.  Email me and I'll tell you how to humanly get rid of them from your house.  They are far, far too beneficial to destroy.

Answer 3

Bats cannot run and scurry like you describe.

The tapping is typical of field mouse.

Answer 4

Throw some mothballs up there, sounds like a  squirrel we had in the attic it played around after dark every evening.

Answer 5

Bats might scratch...but they would not be running around..it could be some sort of rodent instead.  You might want have someone check out your attic and see exactly what is up there.  If it is a bat..please have it removed humanely..they are very important to the ecosystem as pest control and pollinators and should not be harmed in any way.  Look here for ways to remove them from your home humanely:

http://www.batcon.org/home/index.asp?idP...