Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Absolutely. Our bat houses are designed and tested with input from world reknowned bat expert/conservationist, Merlin Tuttle, to ensure they are a suitable habitat for bats, meeting and often exceeding the guidelines set by bat conservation organizations.
Yes you can hang them on vinyl. Here is a video showing the steps for how to do it!
Though there are a few things to keep in mind:
If your siding has a similar profile to clapboard siding, you'll want to be aware of where you place the mounting piece so that the cleats can slide onto the mounting piece without hitting the siding and prohibiting the cleat from working properly.
The mounting system is similar to a french cleat, so worse case, you can place another small piece of wood behind the mounting cleat to build it out away from the obstructions of the siding. The other thing to keep in mind is that tightening the mounting piece to a part of the unsupported vinyl profile may cause it to deform, so just keep this in mind when finding the right place to attach the mounting piece.
Whatever the material of the wall behind the vinyl, you'll want to be sure that you're adequately penetrating structural material so that the fasteners can support the weight of your BatBnB. If this requires longer fasteners than those included with your BatBnB, we would recommend purchasing the fasteners at the size and type that will work best for the materials of the wall you're mounting to.
The best way to put up your BatBnB up on a brick surface is to still use the mounting system that is included with your purchase. However, instead of using wood screws we recommend using Tapcon masonry fasteners such as these which you should be able to pick up at any big box hardware store. Use the pre-drilled holes on the mounting bracket as a template for pre-drilling into your masonry surface.
To be sure that the mounting bracket doesn't split when the tapcons are inserted, consider widening the pre-drilled holes slightly to accommodate the diameter of the fasteners you purchase. We would also caution against overtightening the fasteners, as this could also cause the bracket to split.
Check out our Installation Guide for more information.
Unfortunately, BatBnB is currently only sold online at batbnb.com and on Amazon.com, so it isn’t available for local pickup at this time. If you are interested in wholesale or affiliate opportunities with BatBnB, get in touch.
Guano is actually an amazing fertilizer, as it is high in potassium nitrate, which plants love. Consider placing the BatBnB above a low-traffic, non-edible garden bed and the guano will help the plants grow big and strong. Be mindful however, that if too much guano is accumulated it could burn the plant like too much of any fertilizer, too much nitrogen. Interestingly enough, the potassium nitrate can also be extracted and used in gunpowder and explosives; guano was an important resource for that purpose during the American Civil War. Bat guano has also been found to preserve fossils.
In most regions, bat houses are more of the summer home for bats. They will go elsewhere for the winter. There are some warmer climate regions where the bats will stay year-round.
We sell fully assembled bat houses. If you are interested in building your own bat house, check out Merlin Tuttle's Bat House Guide.
Our bat houses arrived fully assembled. If you are interested in building your own, check out Merlin Tuttle's Bat House Guide.
No, bats are wild animals and are not sold. However, there are 47 different species of bats in the USA and bats can be found in both rural and urban areas! Almost anywhere there are bugs, there will be bats. (Though oftentimes they are hard to spot!) Putting up a high quality bat house is the best way to attract bats to your property.
Visit BatBnB’s bat education zone to learn more about bats and the pests they eat!
We are currently shipping within the United States and Canada. Due to the size of our bat houses, they are expensive to ship internally. We hope to figure out a way to do this at a lower cost to you, our customers, in the future.
While there is no guarantee of what bats will do (because they're wild animals), it’s likely that if bats are already in the area and are already looking for the most suitable home, they will usually choose an attic if no bat house is provided. Providing a good bat house often does encourage bats to leave the attic or house and go into the bat house instead, because the bat houses are designed to perfectly meet the bat’s habitat needs . According to bat expert, Dr. Merlin Tuttle, the reverse happening has never been reported.
We're thrilled you're interested! You can start by educating yourself and others about the importance of bats, participating in local conservation projects, and supporting organizations dedicated to bat conservation. Don't forget, installing a bat house is a direct and personal step towards bat conservation! Read more about bat conservation efforts here.
If you haven't seen any bats flying around at dusk or during the night, you can check in with local wildlife experts to learn more about the status of the local bat populations. Your state agencies, or wildlife rescues are a great place to start.
BatBnBs should be hung anywhere from 15-20 feet from the ground. The entrance of the BatBnB should be a minimum of 12 feet high. This height helps bats have a clear space to drop to catch flight.
If your building is not tall enough, you can always consider hanging your BatBnB on a pole instead. See our hanging guide for more details!
It can vary significantly, ranging from a few weeks to a couple of years. Bats are cautious creatures and may take time to discover and trust a new house. Patience and following best practices for installation and location can increase your chances of attracting bats
The dual-chambered BatBnBs: the Seneca, Meramec, and Carlsbad all comfortably fit up to 120 bats. The single-chambered BatBnBs: the Cascade, Arroyo, and Sonora all comfortably fit up to 50 bats. The Mammoth comfortably fits up to 240 bats.
Visit BatBnB’s Bat Education Zone to learn more about bats and the pests they eat!
The single-chambered BatBnBs can comfortably accommodate between 40-50 bats and the dual-chambered BatBnBs can hold up to 120 bats. The Mammoth BatBnB can comfortably house up to 240 bats.
See here for a full list of BatBnB features that make them excellent bat homes.
The weight of BatBnB’s three models are as follows:
Single-chamber: 15 lbs
Dual-Chamber: 26 lbs
Mammoth: 36 lbs
All units can easily be installed on poles or walls by using the included quick-mounting system.
Thanks for your interest in helping save the bats! Watch the video here to learn more about what features make BatBnB’s excellent, expert-approved bat houses.
For our bat houses: Shipping for a single-chamber bat house is around $15.00. Shipping for a dual-chamber bat house is around $20, and the Mammoth design is $25.
Avoid touching or breathing in any guano personally, just as you would normally avoid any wild animal droppings. You’re actually more likely to get histoplasmosis from bird droppings than bat droppings, but nonetheless, steer clear of bat droppings and be safe. If you’re ever inclined to move your BatBnB or clean it up close during the winter after it’s already been occupied, then be sure to wear proper respiratory masks and goggles, and don’t breath in any dust. In general though, if you’ve never been overly concerned about bird poop in your life, then guano shouldn’t bother you.
Yes, it's safe. If you are not picking up or touch bats, the risk is almost non-existant. Having a bat house helps control the insect population, reducing the number of pests near your home. Bats help prevent the spread of more diseases than they themselves spread to humans. If you are worried about guano, watch this video.
Yes! Our bat houses all have a residential grade stain/seal applied. Read more about the features of our BatBnBs here.
BatBnBs mimic the natural habitat of a bat, which is the peeling bark on a tree, so they are designed to be naturally appealing to bats. While we can't be 100% sure that your BatBnB will become inhabited, if you follow our recommended guidelines for hanging, Merlin Tuttle (the bat expert we work with) suspects your BatBnB should have an 80% chance of occupancy within the first few seasons. Occupancy rates often depend on the specific placement of the unit, but we've had customers tell us of bats taking up residence in their BatBnB within a month of putting it up. Usually, once a bat finds an effective home, they keep coming back season after season. While there are some types of bat "bait", most of these products are not backed by research and so we don't recommend using them.
For more hanging tips, see our hanging guide
We recommend first considering hanging your BatBnB on a wall if that option is available. The wall helps retain heat which can help warm the back of the BatBnB, making it more appealing to bats.
If a wall is not an option, the second best option is to hang it on a pole. (Just ensure that the location gets ~6+ hours of sunlight). See our hanging guide for more details!
We caution against using trees, for two primary reasons. The first one is that the branches will shade the BatBnB and prevent it from getting 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day (the most important factor affecting occupation chances). The second one is that the branches will act as a perch for predators which can turn your BatBnB into a death trap for roosting bats once they exit the unit. I would thoroughly look into these two factors before placing on a tree if you have no other placement options.
Owls and hawks can be predators of bats, so we recommend hanging your BatBnB roughly 20 feet away from major tree branches where the predators can perch.
For more bat house placement tips, see our hanging guide!
If you can hang your bat house slightly away from areas with high traffic, that would be ideal! Also avoid hanging bat boxes above doorways to prevent bat droppings from getting on people's shoes.
See our hanging guide to help you choose the perfect location for your BatBnB!
Did you know that bats are highly resistant to cancer, arthritis, and many scary diseases lethal to humans. Learn dozens of other exciting facts about bats in the Bat Education Zone.
The single-chamber designs are roughly: 31" tall x 17" wide x 3" deep
The dual-chamber designs are roughtly: 36" tall x 19" wide x 4 3/4" deep
The Mammoths are: 30 3/4" tall x 37 3/4" wide x 4 3/4" deep
Our single-chamber designs are the smallest sizes recommended by experts.
With a BatBnB, you get a piece of craftsmanship that you’ll be proud to display in your yard for many years to come. BatBnB is made entirely of sustainably sourced Western Red Cedar & constructed in the USA. Its ergonomic design and handcrafted joinery utilize much fewer screws or nails than most other bat houses which means less danger for the inhabitants inside.
Mosquitoes, Sphynx, corn earworm and armyworm moths, green stink bugs, June beetles, cucumber beetles, grasshoppers, crickets and many more. They avoid a lot of the ‘good’ bugs such as bees or butterflies due to scheduling conflicts; bats are actually asleep during the day when these bugs are most active. Learn more about bats in the Bat Education Zone.
What should you do if you find a bat in your home? First, stay calm. Second, read this.
BatBnBs are a specially designed shelter that provides a safe and comfortable space for bats to live and raise their young. These houses are made to mimic the natural environments that bats inhabit, offering them a sanctuary often in areas where their natural habitats have been compromised. Our designs are expert-approved, built to last, and a stylish piece to add to your yard.
You can read through our full policy here.
If you'd prefer to install your bat house on a pole, you have some options to consider.
You want to make sure any pole you use is rated to hold 15-25 pounds.
4x6 treated lumber is a great option, or a round wooden pole. You can also use a steel pole, at least 2" diameter, a schedule-40 galvanized is ideal.
Local hardware stores or fencing companies are great places to look for a good pole.
Here is our guide for installing on a metal pole, and our guide for installing on a wooden pole.
Bat houses require minimal maintenance. However, an annual check is recommended to ensure the house is secure and has not been invaded by pests or damaged. Cleaning is not generally required, and disturbing the house less is often best for its inhabitants. We do recommend that the bat house is refinished/painted every 3-5 years to continue to protect it from the direct sunlight. All of this should be done in the springtime before the bats would move in, or in the fall once the bats have left for the winter.
There are 5 key features that all bat houses should have. Read about those features, and why BatBnB stands out, here.
Bats are far too intelligent to seek the company of anything as dangerous as humans! Bats are also incredible at maneuvering in flight and will avoid humans. The bats are most likely after the bugs that are drawn to us. In the extremely rare occasion that this might happen, examine yourself for any bites or scratches, and consult a medical professional if you’re concerned.
Visit BatBnB’s Bat Education Zone to learn more about the truth about bats!
We have three different design styles for our single-chamber bat houses, and three different design styles for our dual-chamber houses. All of the designs have the same bat-friendly features. The style you choose is up to you, and the different looks are purely aesthetic.
Finding a good location for your BatBnB requires weighing many factors against each other. Some factors will increase your chances of occupancy more than others, so the key to optimizing your occupancy chances is finding the location with the right combination of these factors.
As far as orientation, this is a less important factor than the duration of direct sunlight. 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day is ideal and will keep your BatBnB’s inhabitants warm and happy.
However, the orientation of South or East both have their benefits:
South-facing will keep your BatBnB warmer for longer as the colder seasons come and go and the sun’s path crosses lower in the sky.
East-facing will allow your BatBnB to be hit with the morning sun and will warm the unit shortly after bats have returned from hunting at night—keeping the BatBnB warmer for longer while they are present
West-facing is less ideal, as it would warm the box during the evening, only keeping it warm for a short while before the bats leave to go hunting).
Furthermore, if you mount your BatBnB on a pole, it may see less effect from orientation. A building completely blocks the back of the unit from receiving sun, while a pole only slightly blocks the sun.
Once again, receiving more direct sunlight would largely override the benefits gained by the orientation.
Installing a bat house helps promote environmental sustainability by providing bats with a habitat, which in turn aids in insect control, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Participate in wildlife conservation, and benefit from the natural insect control, a win-win!
Good news is that bats don't typically eat bees due to a scheduling difference. Since bats are nocturnal and bees are usually out during daytime, bees and bats typically coexist well together and both provide important ecosystem services!
Interested in getting a bat house for your yard? Visit BatBnB!
How hot is too hot? When it comes to bats and their ideal roosting temperatures, striking the right balance is crucial. We know that bats thrive in warm roosts, but what happens when their homes become excessively hot in areas where the temperature soars to 104°F or more during the summer? Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation found some intriguing patterns in Northern California. Read the details here.
As with every solution to Zika, there is no clear data for us to follow. What we do know is that health experts agree that controlling the disease requires controlling the Aedes Egypti mosquito populations and that’s exactly what bats in North America do.
Visit BatBnB’s Bat Education Zone to learn more about bats and the pests they eat!