Bat Exclusion in Montana and How to Safely Get Bats Out of Your Home
Updated: 2 days ago
Imagine hearing scratching above your bedroom ceiling just as you're getting ready for bed. You might think it's mice or squirrels. But what if it's bats?
For Montana homeowners, discovering bats in the attic or walls can raise plenty of questions. Are they dangerous? How did they get inside? Will they leave on their own? And most importantly, how do you get them out without putting your family at risk?
The answer is often bat exclusion, a humane approach that allows bats to leave a building while preventing them from returning.
Here's what every Montana homeowner should know.
What Is Bat Exclusion?
Bat exclusion is the process of safely allowing bats to leave a home or building while preventing them from reentering. It involves locating entry points, installing specialized one-way exits, and sealing openings after the bats have left.
Unlike trapping or extermination, exclusion is designed to solve the problem without harming the animals.
The Montana Department of Agriculture identifies physical exclusion, also called bat-proofing, as the most effective permanent solution for unwanted bats in buildings.
How Do You Know If Bats Are Living in Your Attic?
Bats can occupy parts of a building without being immediately noticeable.
Some signs worth watching for include:
Scratching, clicking, or movement sounds in walls or ceilings.
Bats repeatedly flying near your roof around dusk.
Small piles of droppings, called guano, beneath roosting areas.
Dark staining near openings around the roofline.
Repeated bat sightings inside the home.
These signs don't automatically confirm an infestation, but they are good reasons to investigate.
Montana wildlife specialists recommend watching your home's exterior around dusk to identify where bats may be emerging.
How Are Bats Getting into Your House?
You might be surprised by how small an opening a bat can use.
According to the CDC, bats can fit through openings as small as approximately one-quarter inch.
Common entry points include gaps around rooflines, damaged soffits, loose siding, vents, chimneys, and spaces where building materials meet.
And because bats can return to familiar roosting locations, simply getting them out once doesn't guarantee the problem is solved.
The entry points must also be addressed.
When Is the Best Time for Bat Exclusion in Montana?
Timing is one of the most important parts of responsible bat exclusion.
During late spring and summer, female bats may be raising young that cannot yet fly. Blocking adult bats from returning during this period can leave the babies trapped inside.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks advises avoiding bat exclusion from May through August. The Montana Department of Agriculture's June 2025 guidance recommends avoiding May 1 through August 30 and identifies suitable exclusion periods in spring and fall when temperatures allow bats to emerge safely.
Fall can be a good time for bat exclusion in Montana, but the temperature and activity of the bats still matter.
Late-fall or winter exclusion can also be problematic if bats are hibernating inside the structure.
A professional inspection can help determine whether exclusion should happen immediately or be scheduled for a more suitable time.
How Does Professional Bat Exclusion Work?
While each property is different, a typical bat exclusion process involves four main steps.
Step 1: Inspect the property
Identify evidence of bat activity, potential entry points, and areas where bats may be roosting.
Step 2: Install one-way exclusion devices
At the appropriate time, specialized devices allow bats to leave without giving them an easy way back inside.
Step 3: Seal entry points
Once the bats are confirmed to have left, remaining openings are secured to reduce the chance of future entry.
Step 4: Assess cleanup needs
If guano or contaminated materials are present, determine whether specialized cleanup is necessary.
This general approach follows the exclusion methods described by the Montana Department of Agriculture.
Are Bats Dangerous to Your Family?
Bats play an important role in Montana's ecosystem by feeding on insects. Most avoid contact with people, and simply seeing bats flying outside is not a reason for concern.
However, bats inside living spaces require care.
Bats can carry rabies, although not every bat is infected. Bat bites can also be difficult to notice.
If you discover a bat in a bedroom where someone was sleeping, or in a room with an unattended young child, do not release it before consulting your local health department. An exposure assessment and possible rabies testing may be needed.
If anyone has been bitten, scratched, or may have had direct contact with a bat, seek medical advice promptly. Keep children and pets away and avoid handling the bat yourself.
Bat guano can also pose health concerns when contaminated material is disturbed. Large accumulations should be assessed and cleaned by appropriately equipped professionals rather than swept or vacuumed by homeowners.
Can You Remove Bats Yourself?
Some homeowners may be able to identify visible gaps or observe bats leaving a structure.
However, excluding bats involves more than simply sealing a hole.
Sealing the wrong opening at the wrong time can trap bats inside, separate mothers from their young, or cause bats to enter living spaces while searching for another exit.
For families dealing with suspected attic colonies, difficult-to-reach rooflines, or repeated bat activity, a professional assessment is the safer approach.
At Montana Pest Solutions, bat assessments and exclusion work are handled by our wildlife biologist. With a background in wildlife biology, our team can assess bat activity, identify potential entry points, and develop an exclusion plan that prioritizes safe, humane removal and helps prevent bats from returning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bat Exclusion
Will bats leave my attic on their own?
Some bats leave seasonal roosts as conditions change, but others may remain or return. Waiting for bats to leave doesn't address the openings that allowed them inside.
Do bats return after exclusion?
They may attempt to return to a familiar roost. Thoroughly sealing potential entry points after bats have safely exited is essential to long-term prevention.
Is bat exclusion safe for baby bats?
Properly timed exclusion helps protect young bats. Exclusion should not be performed while flightless pups are dependent on adults inside the building.
How much does bat exclusion cost in Missoula?
Costs vary depending on the size and condition of the building, number and location of entry points, access requirements, and whether cleanup or repairs are needed. A property inspection is the best way to establish an appropriate scope and estimate.
Should I use poison or repellents to get rid of bats?
No. Poisoning bats is not an appropriate solution. Physical exclusion is the recommended approach for removing unwanted bats from buildings.
Keep Bats in Nature, Not in Your Home
Bats belong in Montana's ecosystem, where they provide valuable insect control. But that doesn't mean your attic should become their home.
If you're hearing unusual noises, finding bat droppings, or noticing bats repeatedly entering your roofline, the next step is to find out what's happening and determine a safe solution.
Montana Pest Solutions has a wildlife biologist on staff who handles bat assessments and exclusion work.
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