Finding a bat in the house often triggers an understandable panic reaction, but the situation can be managed serenely with the right gestures. In Quebec, eight species of bats reside on the territory, and all are protected to varying degrees by the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife. This guide details the actions to be taken immediately, the pitfalls to avoid, the health status (including the risk of rabies), the legal framework surrounding the exclusion of a colony and the indicative costs for 2026 for a professional intervention.

First step: secure the situation without panicking

When a bat enters a room, it almost always looks for an exit. Close the door to the room and insulate the other rooms in the house. Open a window wide to the outside, turn off the interior lights and turn on the outside: bats are attracted to nocturnal insects near street lights. In 90% of cases, it comes out on its own in less than 30 minutes. Avoid chasing it with a broom or a racket: a direct blow can injure the protected animal and expose the skin to a possible bite. Never touch a bat with your bare hands, even if it appears dead.

If the bat remains hanging on a wall or in a corner, you can capture it delicately with a rigid container (cardboard box, large mason jar) and a larger sheet of cardboard. Place the container on top of the animal, slide the cardboard between the wall and the opening, gently turn it over, then transport outside. Release near a tree, never on the ground: the bat needs height to fly. Wear thick leather or lined denim gloves. If direct contact has occurred (bite, skin contact or mucous membrane), call Info-Santé 811 immediately and have the animal captured alive if possible for rabies analysis.

Risk of rabies: situations to be reported to public health

Rabies is rare in bats in Quebec: between 0.4 and 0.7% of specimens tested annually by the Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec are positive (2015-2024 data). However, the disease remains fatal without post-exposure prophylaxis. Any bite, scratch or direct skin contact with a bat must be reported to Info-Santé 811. The capture of the live animal for analysis is strongly recommended: only laboratory analysis can exclude the risk of rabies with certainty. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is covered by public health in Quebec, and its effectiveness is nearly 100% if administered before the first symptoms.

Situations that still require reporting include: bat found in a room where a person was sleeping without being able to confirm the absence of contact, bat found near a child or a person unable to testify to the contact, visible bite or scratch, direct contact with a dead or dying bat. In these cases, public health systematically recommends PEP in the absence of an analysis of the animal. Store the dead animal in a closed container in the refrigerator (not in the freezer, which destroys the viral RNA needed for analysis) and call 811 for instructions on how to get to the lab.

How did the bat get in? Typical entry points

A lone bat in the house almost always signals a wider entry point, often associated with a colony in the attic or soffits. Bats can squeeze through an opening of only 6 to 10 mm. Typical entry points are poorly jointed wood soffits, roof-wall junctions (especially at dormers), cracks in the stone walls of older buildings, grilleless ventilation ducts, plumbing vents, gaps around chimneys, and roof-to-flashing junctions. A twilight inspection (observation at the exit at sunset) remains the most reliable way to locate active entry points.

Table of actions by situation encountered

Legal framework: what you can’t do yourself

In Quebec, the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife (LCMVF) prohibits the killing, capture or disturbance of bats without regulated methods. Section 26 provides for fines ranging from $250 to $5,750 for an individual who deliberately kills a bat. The Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus) and Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) have also been designated as endangered by COSEWIC since 2014, adding a layer of federal protection. The exclusion of a colony installed in a house is legal and encouraged, but it must be done exclusively by non-lethal method (unidirectional exclusion cones) and imperatively outside the calving period (mid-May to mid-August in Quebec).

Indicative costs 2026 for a professional intervention

For an isolated bat captured and released by an exterminator, count between $175 and $285 depending on availability (emergency or standard appointment). For a complete attic and soffit inspection with report, count $285 to $450. For a complete exclusion of a residential colony with cone installation, sealing and warranty, count $1,200 to $3,800 depending on the size of the house. Decontamination of the attic after leaving the colony (histoplasmosis risk) costs an additional $1,500 to $3,500. Many home insurance policies cover these costs under the heading of vermin damage: keep the invoices and the intervention report. To learn more about the health risks associated with bat droppings, check out our dedicated article on this subject.

FAQs: Frequently asked questions about bats in the home

Can a bat attack a person?

No. Bats in Quebec are all insectivores and do not attack humans. A bat that seems to be charging at a person is simply echolocating in an enclosed space: it avoids humans but can brush against hair. The real risk is the defensive bite if you try to catch it without protection.

Should you get vaccinated against rabies after seeing a bat in the house?

Only if direct contact has taken place or cannot be ruled out (bat found in a room where one was sleeping, near a child, etc.). Public health recommends post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in these situations. Without contact, no vaccination is necessary. Info-Santé 811 provides the assessment on a case-by-case basis.

How long does a colony stay in a granary?

Bats typically frequent the same attic from May to October for maternity, and then migrate or hibernate elsewhere. However, without exclusion, they return the following year to the same site, often in greater numbers. An untreated colony can grow from 20 to 200 individuals in 5 years.

Can you scare away a bat with ultrasound?

No, commercial ultrasonic devices have no demonstrated effect on bats. The only effective and legal method is mechanical exclusion by unidirectional cones, to be practiced outside the calving period (mid-May to mid-August).

How much does it cost to be excluded from a colony on the South Shore?

Between $1,200 and $3,800 for a single-family home, and between $2,200 and $4,800 for an urban triplex. These rates include twilight inspection, cone placement, final sealing and report. Histoplasmosis decontamination is added if the colony has been established for several years.