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Bats in the Belfry
By erodriguez in School Daze
December 22, 2009

I thought I was going crazy.

Halfway through a very sweet dream I awoke to my cat strangling a dark, fluttering creature in my bedroom.

I did what any girl would do: I screamed and scared both creatures into my dining room.

Still in that whoozie post-sleep state of mind I barricaded myself in the bedroom like a mad woman.

I dialed my apartment maintenance who responded by saying, "Can't you just open the door and let it out?"

After a couple failed attempts to contact police and animal control I did the only thing left to do: I dialed 911.

Animal control was dispatched later and a man appeared at my front door brandishing a badge and a pillowcase.

Needless to say I expected a bit more (like nets and cages), but he was quite skilled at pulling back my curtains and yanking the little fellow from his hiding place.

The man said they would probably put the animal to sleep, but this is a somewhat common occurrence in old apartment such as mine. Many times the bats will crawl through air vents or holes in the walls to go indoors, he said.

We took a short stroll around the complex and the man pointed out places where the creatures hide to stay warm. He also told me the squeaking noise I heard was the sound they make.

Unfortunately there's nothing we can do to remove them, he said. Since they are a protected species.

Later, I phoned a friend who also lives in an apartment complex in town. Her story was similar to mine. She had bats in the walls of her apartment.

After a quick conversation about bats in Victoria with others I wondered if this problem is something more widespread.

Here at the Advocate we're wondering if you all have similar batty stories or concerns.

Are bats a nuisance in your residential area or does this faith reporter have a few too many bats in the belfry?

I welcome your thoughts.

Comments


  • gansoblanco gansoblanco Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    Bats are thick down at the river camp. I put a metal roof on the place sometime back and the indentation in the roof panel is apparently perfectly "bat" sized. At dusk dozens of them pile out under the eaves of the roof and it makes for an impressive display. It's only during the mild months they congregate there and I have to believe the sun would bake them under the roof if they tried to stay there during the summer.

    The little Mexican Free-tailed bats tend to be colony dwellers and are migratory and it's the spring and fall that their numbers seem to be the highest.

    It's fun having them around and other than a pungent guano odor on one side of the house they're not much of a nuisance.

    December 25, 2009 at 4:45 a.m.

  • fatboy fatboy Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    rflmao, glad to hear all are ok.

    December 23, 2009 at 11:46 a.m.

  • erodriguez erodriguez Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    Sugar,

    Yes, may cat is current on her rabies shot. That was the first thought that went through my head too.

    December 23, 2009 at 11:20 a.m.

  • coolgranny coolgranny Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    Ewe, I freak at bugs. I would have called 911,too.

    December 23, 2009 at 7:17 a.m.

  • SugarMagnolia SugarMagnolia Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    I do hope your cat is current on her (his) rabies shots. Bats are notorious rabies carriers.

    People, please make sure ALL of your pets are current on rabies shots; rabies has surfaced from time to time in this area. Protect your pets.

    December 22, 2009 at 11:30 p.m.