$1,596.75

[Draft Dodger]

that's the estimate I just received to remove the bats (plural) from our attic.

I will now cry.

[oliegirl]

Get a cat. We had something in my parents attic, but didn't know it. One night our cat was sitting under the attic door and wouldn't leave. She was making all kinds of weird noises. This went on for a couple nights...then it stopped. My dad had someone come look in the attic and he found an empty nest and saw where whatever it was had gotten in. The guy said the cat saved him over $1000 by scaring away whatever was up there.

[GrantDawg]

I'm in the wrong business.

[rkmsuf]

The mice in your house were seen rejoicing when they saw the bat guy.

[Samdari]

oliegirl has a point. get one that has front claws.

[cthomer5000]

Fuck that. Fishing nets, baseball bats, helmets, and some wood to plug up whatever holes you make in getting rid of them.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sounds like your prices are similar to those around here. (I was once quoted $500 per squirrell)

Suggestion #1 -- Do NOT use a shotgun to remove the bats. Roof repair isn't cheap either.

Suggestion #2 -- Shop around, shop around, shop around. That was the difference between getting the job done & not getting it done.

(The squirrels were eventually removed for $150 total. Bats, which we usually didn't discover until they made their way into the living areas, we usually removed ourselves. But if you've ended up with a full nest in the attic, you might find a roofer willing to tackle the project -- they often end up making the discovery themselves & have plenty of practice)

Suggestion #2 --

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

I'll come over with my bibi gun and take care of that bat problem for ya for the bargain price of $500.

[WSUCougar]

You might say that your batting 1000, DD.

*runs*

[hhiipp]

Be a man, go up there "Great Outdoors" style with a lamp shade on your head wielding a tennis racket.

[cthomer5000]

first thing yous should do is install a webcam in the attic so we can follow the escapades that ensue.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

first thing yous should do is install a webcam in the attic so we can follow the escapades that ensue.

next thing you should do is install a webcam......

you know the rest.

[Franklinnoble]

I'm thinking there must be a chemical or biological weapon you can use to solve this problem.

[rkmsuf]

get a super soaker. they hate that.

[hhiipp]

Do you have any bombs?

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

that's the estimate I just received to remove the bats (plural) from our attic.

I will now cry.

Is there some sort of automatic bat-removal cost calculation software out there that gives amounts to the penny? 1596.75 seems like a really odd estimate to give for something like this.

[Cringer]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

first thing yous should do is install a webcam in the attic so we can follow the escapades that ensue.

i second this motion! set up the web cam, and then get a helmet w/ face mask of some kind, maybe get some of Barry Bonds' body armor and his bat and have away at it......

[QuikSand]

Maybe you can sell one of your FOFC friends to pay for this? Purportedly, most of us are worth more than that.

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/for...ad.php?t=28867

Just a thought.

[bbor]

Them bats is smart....they use radar

[Ryche]

Better than a baseball bat, use an old tennis racket...larger surface area and the holes in it messes up their radar.

I actually managed to kill a bat flying around our house with a teddy bear when I was a child. I think it may have died of embarrassment at being taken down in that way though.

[Draft Dodger]

the inspectors don't know how many bats we have...they know it's "lots" - 75 was the rough number he gave. he also found evidence of mice and at least 1 flying squirrel. I was hesitant to share that number with my wife (we thought 3 or maybe 4).

note that we have 3 cats, all of which are too lazy (or inept) to chase a bat. the other day I had one in my family room - the big male cat ran away.

I don't really mind the bats being in my attic, but the bat scat (as they called it) is starting to literally pile up. and we are averaging about 2 per summer getting lost inside the house...and they are a PAIN to find when that happens. this last one that got in must have tussled with one of the lazy cats, because when we put our son to bed later that night, my wife found little specs of dried blood all over his wall. That was the final straw.

[Draft Dodger]

anyway, I am checking around. these guys seem very eco-friendly, which is a big plus for me. but I'd like to get at least one more estimate - that's a lot of money for us to be spending right now...

[rkmsuf]

What exactly is the evidence of a flying squirrel? Did he leave his business card behind?

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

the inspectors don't know how many bats we have...they know it's "lots" - 75 was the rough number he gave. he also found evidence of mice and at least 1 flying squirrel. I was hesitant to share that number with my wife (we thought 3 or maybe 4).

note that we have 3 cats, all of which are too lazy (or inept) to chase a bat. the other day I had one in my family room - the big male cat ran away.

I don't really mind the bats being in my attic, but the bat scat (as they called it) is starting to literally pile up. and we are averaging about 2 per summer getting lost inside the house...and they are a PAIN to find when that happens. this last one that got in must have tussled with one of the lazy cats, because when we put our son to bed later that night, my wife found little specs of dried blood all over his wall. That was the final straw.

75 bats? Damn Dracula, I was thinking 3 or 4.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

What exactly is the evidence of a flying squirrel? Did he leave his business card behind?

hair, actually - around an entrance hole. these guys spent almost 3 hours going over every inch of the house, outside and in. really a thorough job. found several entrypoints for the bats, and one for the squirrel.

I'm actually much more alarmed about the squirrel than the bat - I have heard horror stories about them.

[Easy Mac]

There was a moose nearby, so flying squirrel was obvious.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

the inspectors don't know how many bats we have...they know it's "lots" - 75 was the rough number he gave. he also found evidence of mice and at least 1 flying squirrel. I was hesitant to share that number with my wife (we thought 3 or maybe 4).

note that we have 3 cats, all of which are too lazy (or inept) to chase a bat. the other day I had one in my family room - the big male cat ran away.

I don't really mind the bats being in my attic, but the bat scat (as they called it) is starting to literally pile up. and we are averaging about 2 per summer getting lost inside the house...and they are a PAIN to find when that happens. this last one that got in must have tussled with one of the lazy cats, because when we put our son to bed later that night, my wife found little specs of dried blood all over his wall. That was the final straw.

I know they call home ice in hockey game "our barn"....But jeez DD you guys are taking it a bit far ..don't you think?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

hair, actually - around an entrance hole. these guys spent almost 3 hours going over every inch of the house, outside and in. really a thorough job. found several entrypoints for the bats, and one for the squirrel.

I'm actually much more alarmed about the squirrel than the bat - I have heard horror stories about them.

Ever seen Christmas Vacation? That squirrel couldn't even fly...

[Easy Mac]

why didn't they patch the holes for you. Then you can just go get about 20 cans of roach or fleaa killer (the fogger) and smoke them dead in a day.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

There was a moose nearby, so flying squirrel was obvious.

Gold.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by bbor

I know they call home ice in hockey game "our barn"....But jeez DD you guys are taking it a bit far ..don't you think?

interestingly, I'll always remember when the first bat came into our house - it was during the Blues/Avs series of the Avs Cup run of 2001. It was one of 2 games the entire playoffs I had to work for, and my wife called franticly during the game because there was a bat in the house. I had to go home and get the bugger out.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

why didn't they patch the holes for you. Then you can just go get about 20 cans of roach or fleaa killer (the fogger) and smoke them dead in a day.

by far, the biggest expense on the quote is the "patching the holes" part - about $1000. the seal up all the potential entryways, because otherwise the bats (or something else) will just find a new way in.

the extraction part is cheap - just under $200. ditto for trapping the squirrel.

[sachmo71]

I woulda told you "'bout a hundred bucks."

Good thing I'm not a pest man.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

interestingly, I'll always remember when the first bat came into our house - it was during the Blues/Avs series of the Avs Cup run of 2001. It was one of 2 games the entire playoffs I had to work for, and my wife called franticly during the game because there was a bat in the house. I had to go home and get the bugger out.

If she freaked out over one, how did the other 74 plus a flying squirrel get in?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

If she freaked out over one, how did the other 74 plus a flying squirrel get in?

by now, we've had 6 or 7 in the house over the last 4 years. she's still not excited about it, especially the one from a couple months ago (see http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/for...ad.php?t=27330), but she's a little over the initial fear. she almost gathered the courage to catch the one in the bathroom, but eventually did have to call me.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

I woulda told you "'bout a hundred bucks."

Good thing I'm not a pest man.

shit - for $100, I'll pay your airfare up here.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

by far, the biggest expense on the quote is the "patching the holes" part - about $1000. the seal up all the potential entryways, because otherwise the bats (or something else) will just find a new way in.

the extraction part is cheap - just under $200. ditto for trapping the squirrel.

Fuck that, just get a few pieces of wood and walk around the attic for a while with the lights off. If you see any light coming through from outside, put a board over it. If bats attack, bring some garlic.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Tip from a veteran bat-catcher -- fishing nets. Works like a charm (once you figure out where the bastard has decided to hide).

(No, not the big ass nets you drag behind a trawler, the handheld kind like you use to help get the sucker into the boat.)

[hhiipp]

75 . . . that's not an attic above your house, that's a damn bat motel.

[WSUCougar]

Damn, humor comes in the strangest threads. I've laughed more at this one than anything else today.

[WSUCougar]

dola

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

(No, not the big ass nets you drag behind a trawler, the handheld kind like you use to help get the sucker into the boat.)

I mean shit like this...that's just classic. Like DD is going to waltz up into his attic with a bat-grabbing trawler net. I'm laughing out loud as I type it...

[hhiipp]

Anyone know the going rate on guano? You could have a goldmine above your head.

Found this:

SC3001 High Nitrogen Bat Guano, 1 lb. (1.3#) $4.90
SC3002 High Nitrogen Bat Guano, 2.75 lb. (3#) $10.90
SC3003 High Nitrogen Bat Guano, 10 lb. (11#) $35.90
SC3004 High Nitrogen Bat Guano, 25 lb. (27#) $69.90

[Franklinnoble]

Wow... for $1,596.75 you could instead have a party with:

- Two hookers
- An eightball
- A case of scotch
- 40 mg of Cialis
- Three liters of Astroglide

Kinda puts that bat problem into perspective, doesn't it?

[Tom E]

You need to move out of the boons...

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Tom E

You need to move out of the boons...

I'm like half a mile from main street of a small town (but still 20,000+ people here). it's funny you say that though - it's been barely a week since the last bat was in the house and I made the appointment for the inspection. since then, one night I came home to find a possum in the driveway, and another night there was a skunk. I wont even count the nest of carpenter ants in the wall of a few years ago...and it's still like Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom here.

[Draft Dodger]

just had a semi-amusing call with our insurance company. wanted to find out if there was any chance the bat removal was covered. of course, we knew it wouldn't be, but it never hurts to ask.

anyways, it's not covered because the infestation is a gradual thing. this brief exchange ensued:

her: since the bats moved in over a gradual time frame, it's not covered.
me: so, if a herd of lemmings suddenly attacks the house and knocks down the door, THAT is covered?"
her: huh?
me: nevermind

turns out, the lemmings wouldn't be covered either, because it doesn't cover rodents or vermin. but if a herd of raccoons comes attacking...

[Samdari]

aren't raccoons rodents?

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Farrah Whitworth-Rahn

I'll come over with my bibi gun and take care of that bat problem for ya for the bargain price of $500.

Noooooooooooooooooooo..................alright......pics pls kthnx.

[KWhit]

Dude, just get your ghost to give them the once-over.

[cthomer5000]

Just invite like 20 FOFC'ers over with fishing nets, and you provide the beer when all is said and done.

And once again - webcam first.