What should I do if a bat flies into my house?

Bat in house: let it fly out

Most bats that end up indoors flew in by mistake, through a window or balcony door left open after dark. NParks AVS gives a simple routine that works in an HDB flat, a condo unit or a landed home:

1. Open the windows wide. Open every window and any balcony or yard door in the room, and pull back the curtains and blinds.
2. Turn off lights and fans. Switch off the ceiling fan and the lights so the blades are still and the room is calm.
3. Close the inner doors. Shut the doors to the bedrooms, the kitchen and the toilet so the bat stays in one room with a clear way out.
4. Take pets out. Move cats and dogs to a closed room somewhere else until the bat has gone.
5. Step back and wait. Leave the room quiet and look in again after a while. The bat will usually fly out by itself.

If something else goes wrong the same night, such as a burst pipe or a power trip, our home emergencies FAQ explains who to call.

If the bat hides

Now and then a bat does not leave. It may squeeze behind a curtain, into the gap above a wardrobe or under a sofa, and then go quiet. Do not try to flush it out with a broom or shake the curtain. Keep the door shut, keep pets and children away and call the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600, the number NParks AVS gives for a bat that hides indoors. Tell them which room it is in and where it is resting, and leave the window open in case it slips out first. For other unwanted visitors, see our pest control FAQ.

Fruit bats Singapore homes see

A bat that circles the same window night after night is usually looking for food. NParks AVS says fruit bats come for fruit, so the answer is to take away what draws them.

In many HDB kitchens the fruit basket sits on the ledge by the window, and condo households often leave bananas or rambutans on a balcony table. Cover the fruit, or bring the baskets in and away from open windows before evening. If bats still come, AVS says temporary window mesh in the evenings keeps them out. Removable screens that press or stick onto the frame let air in without leaving a gap.

Small lizards come in through open windows too. If they visit more often than bats do, read about a gecko in the house.

Bats roosting roof and eaves

A roost is a different problem from a bat that wanders in. In terrace houses, semi-detached homes and bungalows, bats may settle under the eaves or between shifted roof tiles. Often the first sign is droppings in the same spot on the porch or a window ledge every morning.

To keep bats from roosting, NParks AVS suggests sealing gaps in the roof tiles or covering roosting spots with smooth acrylic. It adds that mothballs or reflective objects may deter them, which can help while you arrange the sealing.

Work at eave height needs at least a ladder, so many owners hand it to a handyman. Ask how they will check that no bat is still inside a gap before they seal it. Loose tiles that let bats in can also let rain in, so while they are up there, have them look for the signs in our landed roof leak guide.

Droppings and health

Droppings under a roost are unpleasant, but they are no reason to panic. NParks AVS monitors bats and has found no zoonotic diseases, meaning diseases that pass from animals to people. Even so, do not handle bats or their droppings with bare hands.

Put on disposable gloves, dampen the droppings lightly and wipe them up with paper towels instead of sweeping them dry. Bag the waste and put it out with the household rubbish, then wipe the spot with a disinfectant. NEA says disinfectants should be prepared and applied in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines, so follow the product label. Never mix bleach with acid-based cleaners or ammonia. Wash your hands afterwards.

If droppings keep turning up in the same place, there is probably a roost nearby, and the section above explains how to deal with it. For a fuller routine on wiping down surfaces, see how to disinfect after illness.

Why removal is not an option

NParks AVS says it is not feasible to remove bats from an estate. Whether you live beside a park, in an HDB block or on a landed street, bats share the neighbourhood with you. The lasting answer is prevention at your own windows and roof. Never trap, poison or harm one. If you are deciding how to handle other pests, our pest control vs DIY comparison sets out the choices.

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