Bat Removal & Exclusion in Portland, CT – RF Wildlife

Bats in your Portland CT home or attic?

These protected bats frequently roost in older Portland homes, historic farm buildings, riverfront properties, and attics throughout town. They commonly enter near the Connecticut River, Arrigoni Bridge, Portland Riverside, Meshomasic State Forest, and even the Portland Golf Course area, where wooded edges and older structures provide perfect shelter.

They can squeeze through gaps as small as ⅜ of an inch, quickly turning your attic into a maternity roost. This leads to heavy guano buildup, strong ammonia odors, and serious health risks from Histoplasma fungus (histoplasmosis) when the droppings dry out and become airborne.

In Portland’s mix of historic homes and wooded neighborhoods, bats are active year-round. Maternity colonies typically form between May and August, making proper timing critical.

Important: The only legal and permanent way to get rid of bats in Connecticut is through professional humane bat exclusion. Trapping, poisoning, or “repellent” methods are either illegal, ineffective, or can make the problem much worse by trapping flightless pups inside your walls or attic.

Signs of Bats in Your Portland CT Attic or Home

Bats are quiet and nocturnal — signs often go unnoticed until a colony grows.

• Fluttering or scratching sounds at dusk/dawn
• Guano (droppings) piles under eaves, in attics, or on windows
• Grease marks or stains on walls from bat oils
• Strong ammonia odor from urine in enclosed spaces
• Single bat flying in living space (often a young one learning to fly)

In Portland’s historic neighborhoods and areas along the Connecticut River, bats enter small gaps in eaves, soffits, chimneys, or barn rafters — especially near the river or Meshomasic State Forest.

For a deep dive into our advanced exclusion techniques and state-wide bat conservation efforts, visit our dedicated specialist site: Connecticut Bat Removal & Exclusion.

Common Bats in Portland CT

Since White Nose Syndrome devastated little brown bat colonies across Connecticut, the big brown bat has become the species I most commonly deal with in homes. Big brown bats are roughly the size of a sparrow — stocky with a wingspan of about 13–16 inches.

Little brown bats, our former primary mosquito eaters, are much smaller — closer in size to a large butterfly with a wingspan of only 8–11 inches. White Nose Syndrome wiped out the vast majority of little brown bat populations in our area, which is why big brown bats now make up almost all of my residential bat work in Portland CT.

Local Health Department Contacts – Portland CT

If you have a possible bat exposure (especially if a bat was in a room with someone sleeping, a child, or an impaired adult), do not release the bat. Contact these local resources immediately for guidance on safe capture and testing:

• Chatham Health District — (860) 365-0884
• Portland-Specific Sanitarian: (860) 342-6718 (located at 33 East Main St, Portland)
• Portland Animal Control — (860) 342-6789
• CT Department of Public Health (Epidemiology) — (860) 509-7994 (business hours) or (860) 509-8000 (after hours)
• State Public Health Laboratory — (860) 920-6662 (rabies testing coordination)
• DEEP Wildlife Emergency Dispatch — (860) 424-3333 (24/7)
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You can print the official Request for Rabies Examination Form (OL-97A) ahead of time, but it is usually completed by the responding Animal Control Officer or health official.

Emergency: Bat in the House – What to Do Right Now

Bat in your Portland CT Home Right Now?

If a bat is found in a room with a sleeping person, a child, or an intoxicated/impaired adult, it must be tested. Do not let it out the windoW!

If a bat is flying indoors or you’re worried about possible contact (especially with kids, pets, or sleeping adults), get expert guidance immediately with my Emergency Video Consult — $125 live video call from your home. I’ll walk you through safe capture, rabies testing steps, and what to do next — no wait, no guesswork.

Book Emergency Video Consult – $125 Right Now

Don’t wait — call or text 860-510-6313 immediately for fast help and peace of mind. Texting is often quickest, even late at night.

A bat flying in your living space is stressful — here’s how to handle it safely:

• Stay calm — Most bats in homes are young learning to fly and not aggressive.
• Isolate it —If it has had No possible Contact with humans or pets, Close interior doors, open a window/door to outside (turn off lights inside).
• Do NOT touch with bare hands — Risk of bite/scratch (rabies concern).

DIY Guide on bat capture release or for rabies testing

• If the bat may have contacted a person (especially sleeping, child, or impaired adult) or pet.
• Capture safely (gloves, container, cardboard to slide over) — refrigerate (don’t freeze), contact local health department for testing.

When it’s OK to let it go: No possible contact — open window and let it fly out.

If unsure, call 860-510-6313 — I can guide you live or come out fast.

If a Bat May Have Contacted Someone (Rabies Testing)

If a bat has potentially contacted a person or pet, do not release it — it must be tested for rabies. Capture it safely, keep it cool (refrigerate), and contact the local health department immediately for pickup and testing.

Connecticut Rabies exposure and animal testing

The official paperwork for rabies exposure and animal testing in Connecticut is the Request for Rabies Examination (Form OL-97A). The health Department or whoever is picking up the bat will typically have this form. I tell people to print and fill out what you can ahead of time.

Direct Link to the Form (PDF)

Download CT Rabies Test Form OL-97A (PDF)

Don’t trust your home to an amateur. As a contributor to The Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, the national training standard for wildlife professionals, RF Wildlife uses field-tested, humane methods that most local ‘exterminators’ simply don’t know.

Accredited Contributor: Proud to be featured in the 3rd Edition of the national training manual, The Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook by Dr. Stephen M. Vantassel.

Ready to solve your bat problem safely and correctly?
Call or text me directly at 860-510-6313 today.
I personally handle every bat exclusion in Portland CT — fast response, full DEEP compliance, and a clean, permanent solution.

Call or Text 860-510-6313 Now

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