Bat House Forum

[marius]

Has anyone had trouble with raccoons bothering bat houses, or rather with raccoons eating bats in bat houses?

I'm asking about this is because we want to hang a bat house on our chimney but the chimney is brick and pretty sure the raccoons could climb it. Even if they can't, the chimney intersects halfway up with a flat porch roof and the raccoons have been known to climb our drainspouts that lead to that roof. I've been awake when they've done this. One time it was baby raccoons and one caught a bird and was eating it. Since I've read that raccoons will eat bats, well ... don't want to be serving up bats as anyone's meals. Thoughts about this? Ideas?

[marius]

Well, spouse and I decided the risk of raccoons getting to our bats is not worth it so we have scrapped the idea of a bat house on the chimney. Instead we hung the third bat house close to the first. The second one stays put but I think it's too close to the tree. Will get pictures posted on here sometime.

In the meanwhile ... great news of the day! Spouse was doing yard work and passed by the first bat house, the one that ended up with 50 big browns by end of last summer. He said, "The bats are back! You should have heard them. They almost sounded like they were having a fight. I never knew they talked so much!"

We got a flashlight and it looks like only a few are here so far. (Going off now with silly smile on my face ... will be spending more time on this forum in months to come I think.)

[Terry Lobdell]

Marius, I've never had a problem with raccoons and I have tons of them here in NWPA........As long as your bat box is deep enough, the raccoons can't reach up inside to get the bats...........

A chimney is an excellent mounting spot for a bat box.........

[marius]

Terry, that is good news to hear. We figure we'll have to move the third bat house (too close to a tree) and the chimney would be great, for all the reasons you guys say, plus it will have morning sun and afternoon shade.

However ... what about squirrels? Our neighborhood is over-run with them, so much so that they chew on people's homes, on plastic flower boxes, on our picnic table, on everything and anything. They can easily access our roof and the chimney intersects with the roof about mid-point. Here's my idea for now: get spouse to take a photo of our chimney, post that photo here and see what you guys think.

[marius]

Okay ... We've decided to move the third bat house (which is too close to a tree) to the chimney. Surely the bats can figure out if the chimney house is a safe place to live. As spouse pointed out, "Bats have been roosting in trees, without baffles, for many, many years. They have apparently survived predation quite well."

Will post photos when we get the house moved. Am excited because, if the bats like the chimney house maybe they will move to it during the heat of summer. The house faces north/east and will have morning sun and then shade the rest of the day. Crossing fingers. Thanks for your thoughts Terry!