Bat House Forum

[JR0835]

I have a very old one chamber bathouse (about 13 years), full of bats that I want to replace with a new, very large, 9-chamber bathouse. They apparently intend to spend the winter here. (Deep south Texas near the Mexico border, semi-tropical area.) If I just take the old house down, distrub the bats, and install the new bat house immediately, will the bats come back to the new house? There are still baby bats in the old house.

[William Bagwell]

What I would do in your situation is to mount the new large box beside the old active bat house with out disturbing it if possible. Once bats start using the new house and seem fully committed to it, then consider taking the old one chamber down.

Your picture in the other thread shows a tiny natural finished bachelor pad box in front of the large painted bat box. This one I would try at the other end of your house near, but not directly above, the AC unit. A year or two down the road and if both new houses are being used and your old one chamber is still serviceable, move it to the end with the near the AC unit.

William

[JR0835]

Thanks, Wild Bill. That is a splendid idea. I will install the large bathouse next to the old one and the smaller one at the other end above the A/C unit, but about 10' to one side. I can do that because that bathouse is so small. (It was a gift.) I designed and built the larger one myself. Thanks for your input.
Jack, Deep south Texas

[William Bagwell]

Wild Bill? Wild!? How did you know

The tiny novelty house that are sold in birder supply stores are pretty near useless, but bachelor bats will use them just to be near the females. Since you already have an active colony I'm betting it will be one of the few that size that gets used enough to be worthwhile installing.