Bat Removal in Grand Rapids

If you're hearing scratching or squeaking in the attic at dusk, finding droppings near the roofline, or you just found a bat in the bedroom, you're in the right place. This page explains how bat removal works in Michigan, what the rules are, and what to do right now. When you're ready, call [616 NUMBER] or use the form, and a local wildlife control professional will call you back.

If a bat is inside your living space right now, jump to “Bat in the house: what to do now” below.

Signs you have bats

Bats rarely announce themselves until a colony is established. The most common signs Grand Rapids homeowners notice:

• Sounds at dusk and dawn. Scratching, rustling or high-pitched squeaks in the attic, walls or around a chimney, usually when bats leave to feed in the evening or return in the early morning.
• Droppings. Small dark droppings piled below a roost in the attic, or scattered on a deck, windowsill or siding under an entry point.
• Stains and rub marks. Dark, greasy-looking marks around a gap in the roofline, soffit or trim where bats squeeze in and out every night.
• Bats flying out at dusk. Watching the roofline from the yard just after sunset is one of the simplest ways to find where they're getting in.
• A bat inside the house. A single bat in a bedroom or living room often means there's a roost somewhere in the attic or walls.

Where bats get into Grand Rapids homes

According to the Michigan DNR, bats can fit through holes or slots as small as half an inch. That's roughly the width of your thumb. The places to look:

• Eaves and soffits, especially where soffit panels have separated from the wall or fascia
• Rooflines, including gaps where roof sections meet and along ridge lines
• Vents, including attic and gable vents with missing or damaged screens
• Chimneys, particularly uncapped chimneys and gaps where flashing meets brick
• Trim and siding transitions, where materials meet and leave a narrow gap

Most homes have more than one opening. That matters, because sealing only the obvious one often sends bats to the next gap instead of out of the house.

Bats are protected in Michigan

This is the part most people don't know. Under Michigan rules:

• Bats are protected. The DNR states that killing bats is not permitted except for human safety issues.
• Three species are state-threatened. In 2023, Michigan listed the little brown bat, northern long-eared bat and tricolored bat as threatened, after steep population declines from white-nose syndrome.
• The approved fix is exclusion, not extermination. The DNR calls one-way doors plus sealing the entry points the most effective and humane way to resolve bat problems.

That's why there's no spray, poison or trap that solves a bat problem. A professional's job is to get the bats out alive and keep them out.

Bat control timing: why May to mid-August matters

Timing is the biggest difference between bat work done right and bat work done wrong.

In summer, female bats form maternity colonies in warm, sheltered places like attics and raise their young there. Those young can't fly at first. If someone installs one-way doors while flightless young are still inside, the adults leave and the young are trapped.

That's why the Michigan DNR advises avoiding exclusion during maternity season, typically May through mid-August, and waiting until the young can fly, which is typically late summer.

What that means for you:

• Late summer and fall are the main window for full exclusion work, once the young are flying.
• During May to mid-August, a professional can still inspect, find entry points, and plan the job. Ask what they can safely do now and what has to wait.
• Winter: the DNR notes that bats can hibernate in attics and other sheltered spots over winter. If you're hearing activity in a cold month, an inspection now gives you a plan and a schedule. Ask the professional how they handle timing for a winter colony in your home.

Any company that offers to close up an active colony in June or July without a plan for the young is skipping a step the DNR specifically warns about.

How bat removal works, step by step

Every home is different, but professional bat exclusion generally follows the same path.

1. Inspection

The professional checks the attic and the full exterior: roofline, soffits, vents, chimney and trim. They're looking for active entry points, rub marks, droppings and every gap a bat could use, down to half an inch. A good inspection ends with a written list of what they found and where.

2. A plan and a schedule

Based on the inspection and the time of year, you get a plan covering which gaps get sealed now, where one-way devices go, when the work can happen around maternity season, and whether cleanup is needed.

3. Sealing the gaps that aren't in use

Secondary gaps, the ones bats aren't actively using, get sealed first with durable materials. The DNR names hardware cloth, caulk and metal flashing as examples. This keeps bats from simply switching to a different opening.

4. One-way doors on the active entry points

One-way exclusion devices go over the openings bats are actually using. Bats leave at night to feed as usual, but the device won't let them back in. The devices stay up until the bats are out.

5. Final seal

Once the bats are gone, the devices come down and the last openings are permanently sealed with durable materials.

6. Cleanup, if needed

A colony that's been in an attic for a while can leave droppings and soiled insulation behind. That's a separate job, covered on our attic cleanup page.

What to expect on inspection day

If you've never had a wildlife inspection, here's what usually happens, so you can plan your day.

• Someone needs to be home to give access to the attic. Clear a path to the attic hatch or door if you can.
• Expect a ladder on the outside. The roofline, soffits, vents and chimney all get a close look.
• Tell them what you've noticed. Where you hear sounds, what time of day, where you've seen droppings, and where bats come out at dusk if you've watched.
• Ask to see what they found. A careful inspector will show you or photograph the entry points and rub marks.
• Get the plan and quote in writing before any work starts, including what will be done now and what has to wait for timing.

Bat removal vs. bat control

You'll see both phrases when you search for bat control in Grand Rapids. In practice they mean the same job: getting bats out of a building with one-way exclusion, then sealing it so they can't return. Be cautious with anyone whose "bat control" means something else, like sprays, poisons or traps. None of those are the approved approach for bats in Michigan.

What a finished bat job should leave you with

When the work is done, you should have:

• No bats inside, confirmed before the final seal
• Every entry point sealed with durable materials, not just the main one
• A written record of what was sealed and where
• A clear answer on cleanup, done or quoted separately
• Written terms for any guarantee, so you know who to call if a bat shows up again

If any of those are missing, ask before you pay the final bill.

Bat in the house: what to do now

A bat in the living space is the most common reason people call. What you do next depends on one question: could anyone have had contact with it?

If nobody touched it and nobody was asleep in the room

The Michigan DNR's advice: close the interior doors to that room, turn off the lights, and open a window to the outside. Give the bat time and it will usually leave on its own.

If someone may have had contact, or someone was asleep in the room

Don't let the bat go. Michigan health officials note that bat bites can be minor and hard to notice, including when someone was sleeping. Testing the bat is the best way to rule out rabies exposure, and that's only possible if the bat is contained.

The Kent County Health Department's steps:

1. Safely capture the bat. Wear thick gloves, long sleeves and pants. Use a container and a piece of cardboard, and keep the bat somewhere cool and quiet.
2. Call the Kent County Health Department at 616-632-7228 for a risk assessment. They'll decide whether the bat should be tested. Testing happens only if they find a possible risk to a person.
3. If they approve testing, they'll direct you to bring the bat to the Kent County Animal Shelter.
4. Wait for their call with results and instructions, including whether treatment is needed.

If a pet had contact with a bat, call your veterinarian and the health department too.

We're not a health resource, and this page isn't medical advice. For any question about possible exposure, the health department and your doctor come first. Once that's handled, a wildlife professional can find out how the bat got in.

One bat inside usually means more outside

A single bat in the house is often a sign of a roost in the attic or walls. After any health questions are settled, an inspection can tell you whether there's a colony and where it's getting in.

Why sealing it up yourself can backfire

It's tempting to grab a tube of caulk the moment you find the hole. If bats are still inside, sealing the main exit can trap them in the attic or push them deeper into the house looking for a way out. That's why the DNR's approach is one-way doors first, then a permanent seal after the bats leave.

What you can safely do yourself:

• Watch the roofline at dusk to see where bats exit, and note it for the inspection.
• Check attic and vent screens, and keep chimneys capped. The DNR recommends both.
• Keep pets current on rabies vaccinations, and keep them away from any bat you find.

What bat removal costs

We don't publish prices, because every job is priced by the professional who inspects it. The factors that usually drive the cost:

• How many entry points need sealing, and how hard they are to reach
• The size and layout of the home, including roof height and pitch
• How established the colony is
• Whether cleanup is needed for droppings or insulation
• Timing, since some work has to wait until after maternity season

Ask for the quote in writing, with the sealing work and any cleanup listed separately.

Questions to ask any bat removal company

Whoever you hire, these questions separate careful work from shortcuts:

• Do you use one-way exclusion devices? The answer should be yes. Anything involving killing or trapping bats is a red flag.
• How do you handle maternity season? They should talk about avoiding exclusion from May through mid-August.
• Will you seal every gap, or just the main one? Bats can use openings as small as half an inch.
• What materials do you seal with? Durable materials like hardware cloth, caulk and metal flashing hold up.
• Is cleanup included or separate?
• Do you guarantee the work in writing? Ask what's covered and for how long.

Bat removal FAQ

Will the bats come back?

Bats return to familiar roosts, so they'll often try to get back in. If every gap is sealed with durable materials after exclusion, they shouldn't be able to.

Can I just kill the bats?

No. Bats are protected in Michigan, and the DNR says lethal control isn't permitted except for human safety issues. Exclusion is the legal, effective approach.

How long does it take?

It depends on the home, the number of entry points and the season. The devices stay up until the bats have left, and the final seal follows. Your professional can give you a timeline after the inspection.

Is it safe to stay in the house during bat removal?

In most cases, yes. Exclusion work happens on the outside of the house, at the entry points. Ask your professional about anything specific to your home.

I found a dead bat inside. What do I do?

Don't touch it with bare hands. The DNR says to contact your local health department if someone finds a dead bat indoors or handles a bat. In Kent County, that's 616-632-7228.

Get a Grand Rapids bat professional to call you back

Call [616 NUMBER] or send the short form. Tell us what you're hearing or seeing, and a local wildlife control professional will call you back to set up an inspection.

Serving Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, Grandville, Rockford and nearby Kent County communities.

Sources: Michigan DNR: Bats · Michigan DNR: 2023 threatened and endangered species update · MDHHS: Rabies · Kent County Health Department, May 28, 2026