How to Safely Remove Bats from Your Michigan Home: Expert Tips

If you've lived in Michigan for a significant amount of time you have dealt with the world's only flying mammal flying around the inside of your home. What do you do? Panic? No, actually making hysterical noises, like the sound my wife and daughter make when there is a bat in our home, actually agitates the bat and increases the likelihood of someone or even a pet being bitten. Even though the chances are very low that the bat has rabies, it's best to avoid a bite.

Let's see what the experts at WikiHow.com suggest you do when you have a winged furry creature flying in your home.

Getting a Bat Out of Your Michigan Home: Step 1 Stay Calm and Shut It Off

Don't panic. We've already covered that loud noises scare bats, and make no mistake, they are just as terrified as you are. Take a moment to collect yourself and then go turn off anything that makes noise. TVs, radios, air conditioners, anything that may through the bat's sonar off. Your first instinct may be to grab a tennis racquet and swat it out of the air but, bats are a protected species in Michigan and you could face hefty fines or even face jail time if prosecuted.

Related: Can You Get Jail Time for Killing a Bat?

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Getting a Bat Out of Your Michigan Home: Step 2 Put Kids and Pet's In a Different Room

Dogs and cats can be especially counter-productive when you're trying to be stealthy and as quiet as possible. Give them a treat and a tablet and tell them you'll be back soon.

Getting a Bat Out of Your Michigan Home: Step 3 Open Up the Nearest Exit

Find the exit or window that is closest to the bat and pull it wide open. If possible turn off all but a light coming from the outside of the exit. If possible block the bat into one room with one exit option. Now you'll need to grab some equipment.

Getting a Bat Out of Your Michigan Home: Step 4 Grab a Sheet and Glove Up

You'll need a sheet and some gloves. You don't want to be bitten and the bat doesn't want to bite you. Yes, to you it's terrifying, but to it, you're a giant whacky waving arm flailing inflatable tube man with bad intentions.

Related: The Deadly 7: Michigan's Most Venomous and Poisonous

Now that you have your tools, slowly approach the bat where it is hanging, holding the sheet in front of you with both hands. Use the sheet to help 'guide' the bat to the opening. That sheet to a bats sonar might as well be a wall. It may take a few tries, but eventually, you'll be relieved the bat is gone and he/she will go their friends about the giant that chased it with a wall.

What if the Bat is on The Ground?

All that indoor flying will tucker the flying flea bag out too, so it may end up on the ground. So what do you do? Grab your handy-dandy bat box of course!

Place said 'Bat Box' over the now very tired floor-bound bat and...

Take that box outside and let it fly! Just like the ending of Free Willy. There you have it, a safe option for removing a bat from your Michigan home!

But what kind of bat was it?