Texas prison battles bat infestation in old warehouse

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is facing a unique challenge; one that involves hundreds of thousands of bats roosting in a decaying cotton warehouse across the street from the Huntsville prison unit.

TDCJ officials have spent more than a decade trying and failing to entice the colony to find other accommodation, so the building can be torn down.

• Have you seen any distressed or dead bats lately? Here’s why Texas officials want to know

KPRC 2 Investigator Robert Arnold first took you inside the condemned warehouse back in 2018. This week, he will return to Huntsville to check in on the prison system’s progress and any upcoming plans to make the warehouse bat-free.

• Texas agency trying to lure bat colony to new address

Watch Thursday, October 31 at 6:30 a.m. on KPRC 2 News Today. On the go? Download the KPRC 2+ app to watch or listen from anywhere.

If you ever encounter a bat, the Center for Disease Control says you should be aware that they may have rabies. Here are the signs:

• A bat that is active during the day.
• A bat that is found in unusual places (inside a home or on the ground).
• A bat that is unable to fly or is easily approached.

What to do if you encounter a bat

• Avoid touching bats. If you’re bitten or scratched by a bat, wash the wound with soap and water and get medical help right away. If bat saliva or brain material gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound, see a healthcare professional urgently.
• Bat bites can be tiny, so if you think you have been in contact with a bat, talk to a medical professional.
• If you find a bat in your home, contact animal control or a health professional to safely capture it for rabies testing. Do not release the bat until you talk with a public health expert.

Keeping bats out of your home

Bats can fit through tiny openings, even as small as ¼ inch, and they often find shelter in homes. You can contact an animal control or wildlife conservation agency for assistance with “bat-proofing” your home. You can also take steps to bat-proof on your own.

• Check for any openings that bats could use to get inside.
• Caulk any openings larger than a dime.
• Use screens, chimney caps, and draft guards to seal attic doors.
• Fill electrical and plumbing holes with steel wool or caulk.
• Ensure all doors to the outside close tightly.

If you have bats in your home

• Watch where they exit at dusk.
• Count approximately how many there are.
• Loosely hang plastic sheeting or bird netting over the exit hole(s).
• This prevents bats that exited from returning and allows the remaining bats to exit.
• Once all bats have exited, seal the opening(s).

How to safely capture a bat

1. Find a container like a box or jar large enough for the bat to fit in.
2. Locate a piece of cardboard large enough to cover the container opening.
3. Punch small air holes in the cardboard.
4. Put on leather work gloves.
5. When the bat lands, approach it slowly and put the container over it.
6. Slide the cardboard under the container to trap the bat inside.
7. Tape the cardboard to the container to secure the bat inside.