What would do that?

[MoodyChicken]

So for a while now I've heard what I thought were bats in our roof (in the crawl space, we don't have an attic). They've chosen a spot about 15-20 feet off the ground in a little overhang of the roof and somehow they squeeze into the roof into our living room (not actually into it, but there's just a few planks separating them and us). You can hear that little squeeky echolocation sound they make, and there's always poop on the deck (little pellets). A few weeks ago we started finding little fluff balls underneath their nesting area. My dad thinks it's old insulation that they're tearing out, but I think it's wool from a wool ball we've hung up for the birds to take and nest with. Today there's a ton of said fluff and now chicken feathers! No, a chicken wasn't killed, it's all feathers from different birds. Do bats nest like this? If it's not bats, what is it?

 

[sfw2]

Owls?

 

[Mrs.Puff]

Have you actually SEEN the bats? I think you might have flying squirrels instead. Bats do not build nests as far as I know.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Quote:
They'd be the smallest owls ever! But I wish it were.. that'd be cool. lol

 

[MoodyChicken]

Mrs.Puff :

Have you actually SEEN the bats? I think you might have flying squirrels instead. Bats do not build nests as far as I know.

Never seen them, just sort of assumed till they started building a nest. Are flying squirrels native to northern California?​

 

[Mrs.Puff]

Yep-- especially if you are in a wooded/partially wooded area. They make squeaky noises, and have little tiny poopies. If you watch the hole at dusk, you might get to see whatever it is. Do you hear things scratching around on the ceiling? Bats don't run around, you'd just hear squeaks.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Mrs.Puff :

Yep-- especially if you are in a wooded/partially wooded area. They make squeaky noises, and have little tiny poopies. If you watch the hole at dusk, you might get to see whatever it is. Do you hear things scratching around on the ceiling? Bats don't run around, you'd just hear squeaks.

No way! That'd be awesome if they were flying squirrels. We live in the boonies, so if they like the boonies of CA then I guess we fit. Yes, I do hear lots of rusling and busling up there. I just figured the bats were cramped. At night time they are gone and return in the morning, so it's definitely something nocturnal.​

 

[ChickenDogDuck]

Do you have any starlings hanging around your place? They like to make their nests in eaves that have air vent openings.

 

[sfw2]

Squirrels - flying or otherwise - do love to mess around with insulation, too. We had them in the roof of a house, once. Messy little boogers!

 

[ChickBond 007]

I lived in an 1895 house with a bat problem. They do not "nest" in a traditional sense. I would imagine that a raccoon, squirrel, or other rodent is homing with the bats, actually below the bats. Bats are difficult to get rid of, but I will tell you not to try to lock them out at this time of year. Now is the birthing season, and you will lock the babies in and mommies out and the smell will be brutal. The best way to be rid of the bats is the seal all holes with expanding foam except one. Put a flex drainpipe from the single hole down to a cage. In 5 days, they will crawl down the pipe in search of water.
Good luck.