Bats in My Barn

Bats have moved into one horse owner’s barn. Find out if that’s a good or bad thing.
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Bats in my Barn
Bats love warm places to roost like barns and hay sheds. Bat houses should be placed on the south-facing side of a barn. | Photo: Thinkstock

Q: I recently noticed bats are living somewhere along the roof of my hay shed. They tend to fly at my head when I go out to feed at dusk and open the shed door.   Is it safe to have bats around horses, and if so, what kind of habitat can I provide for them? Is there a safe way to relocate or encourage them to move away from the shed door?

A: Lucky you to have bats! I say “lucky” because I have had multiple bat houses on my horse properties for many, many years—with no sign of occupants. Each bat will eat about a pint of mosquitoes every night and are a major predator of flying nocturnal insects. This means free nontoxic insect control for you and your horses!

Bats love warm places to roost like barns and hay sheds. A healthy bat won’t bite horses or people, and bats have about the same chance of carrying rabies as any other warm-blooded animal. That said, never handle a wild animal that appears sick or immobilized. To be safe, I suggest talking with your veterinarian on their recommended rabies protocol for horses. In most parts of the country rabies is now a standard vaccination, just as it is for our dogs and cats

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Written by:

Alayne Blickle, a lifelong equestrian and ranch riding competitor, is the creator/director of Horses for Clean Water, an award-winning, internationally acclaimed environmental education program for horse owners. Well-known for her enthusiastic, down-to-earth approach, Blickle is an educator and photojournalist who has worked with horse and livestock owners since 1990 teaching manure composting, pasture management, mud and dust control, water conservation, chemical use reduction, firewise, and wildlife enhancement. She teaches and travels North America and writes for horse publications. Blickle and her husband raise and train their mustangs and quarter horses at their eco-sensitive guest ranch, Sweet Pepper Ranch, in sunny Nampa, Idaho.

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