Rats or bats?

P

paullieo

Joined
25 Aug 2023
Messages
55
Reaction score
1
Country
United Kingdom
Apologies in advance if this is the wrong subforum, but wondering if anyone can identify what droppings these are coming from?

loft1.jpg loft2.jpg

I think I've narrowed it down to rats or bats.

We've not heard any scurrying around in the loft and I've not seen any evidence of chewed wiring etc.
We do live in an area where we see bats flying around at dusk, but I've never seen any of them roosting in our loft despite spending quite a lot of time there topping up insulation and some boarding. However, the areas which the droppings are, line up with the uppermost ridge of the roof, which is where I'd assume they would roost.

Thanks!
 
I cannot give you a definitive answer. I have seen lots of mouse poo over the years, your samples look like mouse poo. That said I have never knowingly seen bat poo.

I have additionally worked in houses with rats.

I would not expect you to be able to hear a mouse running around.

Edit--- mouse poo has slight "creases" and is about 3mm long, rat poo is often longer but more uniform in shape, with smoother edges.
 
Last edited:
Mice droppings do not crumble as they contain moisture, bat droppings crumble as they're pretty dry and made up of insects.
 
Well I wouldn't say that's a definitive diagnosis, there are plenty of online guides to read and pretty sure you can send a sample off to be tested too somewhere if you search.
 
If it's bats kick the feckers out quietly and block up any holes so they cannot get back. It is against the law to get rid of them once they are in. The idiots expect us to live with the dirty stinking things. They are just flying rats.
 
They remind me of the bat droppings we used to get especially as they seem to be concentrated in areas below where the bats might have been hanging from.
 
If it is bats then you'll need to find out what species it is - some are protected.
 
The problems with evicting them and then blocking up the entry points are :-

1) They can re-enter through very small holes, 10mm is no problem for them

2) They will cluster close to the roof and be a clear indication that they used to live there,
 
bernardgreen said:
The problems with evicting them and then blocking up the entry points are :-

1) They can re-enter through very small holes, 10mm is no problem for them

2) They will cluster close to the roof and be a clear indication that they used to live there,
Click to expand...
They may also never return, ours did not appreciate the lodgings that were on offer.
 
When I was in my late teens and still living at home, we discovered we had bats. I used to come out on a morning and find the pellets on the roof of my car. They were nesting in the gable end box section above and were Pipistrelles - which are very small and can get through tiny gaps. I remember us standing at the end of our drive one evening at dusk and counting them as they left - and we gave up when we got to a hundred - but if it hadn't have been for the deposits on my car, we'd have never known they were there and they certainly don't cause the problems mice/rats/squirrels can. Ours just left of their own accord.
 
PS - I'm not convinced how effective ultrasonic pest deterrant devices are for some creatures, but bats communicate ultrasonically so it's reasonable to assume such devices might work better against them. That would still likely be classed as deliberately disturbing their roost though.

If you still can't be certain what you're dealing with, another way to confirm is you can also get bat detectors (some in relatively cheap kit form) which pick up the ultrasonic communication and present it as audible sounds. Bat banter I suppose you'd call it :giggle:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top