Bats are mammals that can be very fascinating. They are helpful when it comes to ridding your house of insects, they help to pollinate certain flowers and they can have a whole host of positive traits. Not all bat species migrate to warm areas when the weather begins to cool down. Other bat species are able to hibernate. You might be asking yourself “when do bats come out of hibernation”. This article will help you figure that out and more questions
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When do bats come out of hibernation?
Bats begin to hibernate at the beginning of winter. They choose to hibernate at this time because their food sources, namely insects and fruits decline in number. In turn, the bats will need to find a place to hibernate.
When the temperature is more favourable and the food sources come back to their original abundant levels the bats come out of hibernation. This is around November and October.
Some bat species, such as the big brown bat (which can hibernate in people’s homes) will wake up from their slumber after a couple of weeks. This can happen if there is an extreme change in temperature. But if undisturbed they can hibernate for about six months.
What do bats do when they hibernate?
During hibernation, bats will be inactive. This is so they can preserve their energy sources. The metabolism of the bat will slow down during hibernation, this is a means to save energy.
In addition, the bat’s heartbeat will slow down to an alarmingly slow rate. The heart rate will slow to around 10 beats per minute. A far cry from its usual heart rate of 200-300 beats per minute.
The body heat of the bat slows down to maintain the hibernation. It drops from 100 degrees down to 40 degrees. All this needs to happen to ensure that it stores enough body fat to last it for 6 months.
Do bats poop when they hibernate?
Depending on which bat. The bats that hibernate for 6 months straight won’t. Some bat species will need to wake up every few says to poop. Their metabolisms are still somewhat functional albeit slow.
When they wake up they eat and fly around. All those new foods need to be processed and need to go somewhere so the bats will poop. After this, they return to their hibernation sleep.
Are bats hibernating in my attic though winter?
Bats can hibernate wherever they feel comfortable in winter, your attic makes a cosy, safe place for them to hibernate. This is especially true for the big brown bat. They need to find a dark and secluded place to hibernate and they are known to hibernate in close proximity to humans.
You might think that bats will only hibernate in holes of trees or in caves but bats are also known to hibernate in houses. The inside of your walls is also a safe and comfortable place to hibernate.
They can get into your homes through small openings of your walls. If you look at the small holes in your house you might find that it will have a dark oily patch around it. This residue forms as bats fly into it, the bats have this oily residue on their fur.
Safety:
You should get rid of them as soon as you think you have some in your house. You can also call pest control services to get rid of them before you accidentally come into contact with the guano.
Proceed with caution if you want to approach them, they are peaceful animals but they can infect you if they are sick.
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