For current guidance about bats, rabies, possible exposure, and prevention, review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information about bats and its rabies guidance. If anyone may have touched the bat, been bitten or scratched, or shared a room with it while asleep or unable to recognize contact, contact your local or state public health department promptly for advice.
Finding a bat indoors can be frightening, especially at night. The safest response is to slow down, keep people and pets away from the animal, and determine whether anyone could have had contact with it. Most bats do not have rabies, but rabies is a serious disease, and a bite or scratch can be difficult to see. A bat in a room with a sleeping person or someone who could not reliably report contact may require a public health assessment even when no wound is obvious.
What should you do first if you see a bat inside?
Move people and pets out of the room if you can do so without approaching the bat. Close doors to other parts of the home, and keep children away. Do not try to catch, hit, swat, or handle the bat with bare hands. Avoid actions that could injure the animal or force it into another room.
If the bat is flying, give it space. A bat that is circling a room may be trying to find an exit. If it lands, do not touch it. Keep the room quiet and limit movement around it while you contact a local animal control agency, wildlife professional, or public health department for instructions. Local agencies can tell you what services are available in your area and how they want a bat handled.
Can you safely let the bat leave on its own?
Sometimes a bat can leave through an open exterior door or window, but the approach depends on the room, the bat’s location, and whether an exposure may have occurred. Before opening an exit, make sure people and pets are out of the room. Keep interior doors closed so the bat cannot move through the home.
Do not release the bat before asking public health or animal control what to do if anyone may have been exposed. An available bat may help officials evaluate whether testing is appropriate. If the bat is released and a person later needs an exposure assessment, important information may be unavailable.
Should you try to catch or kill the bat?
Do not handle a bat yourself unless a public health or animal control professional gives you specific instructions and you can follow them safely. Bats have small teeth and claws, and a person may be scratched or bitten while trying to capture one. Bare-hand contact is unsafe.
If an agency asks you to preserve the bat for possible testing, follow its instructions exactly. Do not use your hands, household containers, or improvised equipment unless the responsible agency tells you how to do so. If the bat has already died, do not pick it up. Keep people and animals away from it and ask local officials what to do next.
Could anyone have been exposed to rabies?
Think about whether a person or pet could have been bitten, scratched, or exposed to saliva or nervous tissue from the bat. Possible contact can happen when someone tries to remove a bat, wakes up with a bat in the room, or finds a bat near a young child or a person who cannot reliably describe what happened.
A bite from a bat may be small and may not be easy to notice. Do not decide that there was no exposure only because you cannot find a mark. Public health officials or a healthcare professional can help assess the circumstances and determine whether additional care is needed.
What if a sleeping person was in the room?
Call your local or state public health department promptly for guidance if a bat was in a room with someone who was sleeping. The same applies when the person may not have been able to recognize or report contact, including a young child or someone who was intoxicated, heavily sedated, or otherwise unable to respond reliably.
Tell the official what happened, when the bat was found, who was in the room, whether the bat touched anyone, and whether the animal is still available. Do not wait for a visible bite before seeking advice. Public health staff can help decide whether the situation meets the definition of a possible rabies exposure and whether a medical evaluation is needed.
What if a person touched or handled the bat?
Anyone who touched the bat should wash the affected area immediately with soap and running water. If the eyes, mouth, or another mucous membrane may have been exposed, rinse with clean water. Contact public health or a healthcare professional promptly for an individualized assessment.
When you call, explain whether the contact involved a bite, scratch, saliva, or direct handling. Mention any existing wound, even if it looks minor. Do not rely on the absence of pain or bleeding to determine that there was no risk.
What if there is a bite or scratch?
Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical advice promptly. A bite or scratch from a bat should be taken seriously because rabies prevention is time-sensitive. Do not put off calling because the wound is tiny or difficult to locate.
Tell the clinician and public health official when the contact occurred, where it happened, and whether the bat is available for evaluation. They may ask about the person’s medical history and the details of the animal contact. Follow their instructions about further treatment, observation, or rabies post-exposure care.
What if a pet may have contacted the bat?
Keep dogs, cats, and other pets away from the bat. Do not allow a pet to sniff, bite, carry, or play with it. If a pet may have touched the bat, call a veterinarian and your local public health or animal control agency. Have the pet’s rabies vaccination information available.
Do not try to remove the bat from a pet’s mouth or fur with bare hands. A pet can move suddenly, and saliva or the bat itself could create a contact risk. Ask professionals how to separate the animal safely and whether the bat should be preserved for testing.
When should you call public health?
Call public health promptly whenever there may have been direct contact with the bat, a bite or scratch, saliva exposure, or a bat in a room with a sleeping or otherwise unaware person. Also call when a child may have been near the bat and cannot clearly explain what happened, or when a pet may have touched it.
Public health departments help assess rabies exposures and can coordinate with animal control, healthcare providers, veterinarians, or laboratories as appropriate. If you cannot reach your local department, contact your state health department or seek urgent medical guidance. In an immediate emergency involving a severe injury, call emergency services.
Do you need rabies shots after a bat is found?
Not everyone who sees a bat needs rabies post-exposure treatment. The decision depends on the facts, including whether contact may have occurred, whether the bat can be evaluated, and the person’s or pet’s circumstances. A public health official or healthcare professional should make or guide that assessment.
Rabies is preventable when appropriate post-exposure care is started before symptoms develop. Do not begin or refuse treatment based on online comments, a guess about the bat’s behavior, or the fact that no wound is visible. Give the evaluating professional a complete account of what happened.
How can you tell whether the bat has rabies?
You generally cannot determine by looking at a bat whether it has rabies. An unusual location or unusual behavior may be concerning, but it does not provide a reliable diagnosis. A bat that is on the ground, active during the day, or unable to fly may need professional attention, but people should not approach it to investigate.
Do not touch a bat to check whether it is alive, injured, or behaving normally. Keep the animal isolated from people and pets and ask local officials for instructions. If testing is considered, trained personnel should manage the process.
What should you tell the health department?
Prepare a clear timeline. Include when and where the bat was found, whether it was flying or on the ground, who was present, whether anyone was asleep, and whether anyone touched or attempted to remove it. Report any bite, scratch, saliva contact, or contact involving a pet.
Also explain whether the bat is still in the home, whether it escaped, and whether it has been captured or injured. If you have photographs, you may offer them to officials, but do not delay a call while trying to obtain a picture. Do not handle the animal to document it.
What should you do after the bat is gone?
Once the bat has left or has been handled by professionals, keep people and pets away from any area contaminated with droppings or bodily fluids until it can be cleaned safely. Do not sweep or vacuum animal waste without understanding the precautions appropriate to the material and location. If the bat was in a bedroom or another enclosed space, ask local officials or a qualified professional about cleanup.
Inspect the home for possible entry points, such as gaps around rooflines, vents, chimneys, windows, or doors. Exclusion work should be planned so bats are not trapped inside and so wildlife protections are followed. A qualified wildlife professional can identify entry points and recommend a safe approach.
How can you prevent another bat from entering?
After the immediate incident, arrange a careful inspection of the exterior. Seal openings only when you are confident no bats are inside and when the timing is appropriate for local wildlife conditions. Install or repair screens, maintain tight-fitting doors, and address gaps around vents and other openings.
Do not use poison or attempt risky removal methods. They can harm people, pets, and wildlife and may leave an animal trapped inside a wall or attic. Local wildlife authorities can explain humane exclusion options for your area.
What mistakes should you avoid tonight?
- Do not touch the bat with bare hands.
- Do not let children or pets chase or corner it.
- Do not assume there was no exposure because you cannot see a wound.
- Do not release the bat before asking public health whether it should be preserved for possible testing.
- Do not delay a call when a sleeping person, young child, or person unable to report contact was in the room.
- Do not use home remedies or make your own decision about rabies treatment.
Where can you confirm the next step?
Start with your local or state public health department, especially if contact may have occurred. You can also review the CDC’s bat guidance and rabies information while you gather the facts. Procedures for animal control, bat testing, wildlife removal, and medical access can differ locally, so confirm the next step with the appropriate agency in your area.
The key priorities are simple: separate people and pets from the bat, avoid handling it, wash any possible contact area, and obtain prompt public health advice when exposure cannot be ruled out. A calm response tonight can protect both your household and the animal while helping professionals decide whether further action is needed.