Silver Bullet Pest ControlBat Removal & Exclusion in North Haledon, NJ
A bat flying around the bedroom tonight, or a colony living in the attic? Silver Bullet Pest Control removes single bats from living spaces any time of day, and seals bats out of homes, churches, schools and businesses the legal way — during New Jersey's approved exclusion windows, with one-way devices and a 5-year warranty.
Licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife • NJ License 90568B • Over 15 years of experience • Hablamos español
Bat inside the living space? We can come any time. Colony in the attic? We'll inspect now and schedule the exclusion for the legal window.
- ✓ Same-day appointments often available
- ✓ Licensed & insured in NJ
- ✓ Homes & businesses
- ✓ English & Español
Can bats be removed from a house in New Jersey?
Yes — a single bat loose inside your living space can be removed any day of the year, but a colony living in the attic or walls can only be excluded during New Jersey's approved windows: April 1–30 and August 1–October 15. From May through July exclusion is not allowed because flightless pups would be trapped inside, and from mid-October through March it's restricted to protect hibernating bats. Bats are protected wildlife in New Jersey, so they're moved out with one-way devices — never killed or trapped. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife and backs bat exclusion with a 5-year warranty. Call 973-510-2585.
Which bat problem do you have?
Bat calls fall into three groups, and each one is handled differently under New Jersey rules.
A Bat Loose in the House
- A bat flying in a bedroom, hallway or living room
- A bat clinging to a curtain, wall or ceiling
- A bat found in the basement or a closet
A single bat inside your living space can be removed at any time of year — emergency bat removal is available 24/7. If anyone was sleeping in that room or might have touched the bat, read our bat and rabies guide before letting it go.
Bats Living in the Attic or Walls
- Bats streaming out of the roofline at dusk
- Scratching or squeaking in walls and ceilings
- Dark stains around a gap in the siding or trim
A roosting colony has to be excluded, not removed by hand. We inspect, seal the openings bats aren't using, and put one-way devices on the main exits during the legal window.
Droppings, Odor & Stained Insulation
- Piles of dark droppings that crumble to dust
- A sharp ammonia smell in the attic
- Stained ceilings or drywall below the roost
Once the bats are out and the building is sealed, guano and soiled insulation are removed and the attic sanitized.
New Jersey bat exclusion calendar
These dates come from the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife's bat exclusion guidance. We follow them on every job.
| When | Can a colony be excluded? | What we do in this period |
|---|---|---|
| January – March | Restricted. Bats may be hibernating. Allowed only if acoustic surveys over at least 3 straight weeks show no bats are present. | Inspections, exclusion plans, quotes, and booking April dates. Emergency removal of a bat in the living space. |
| April 1 – 30 | Allowed. | Spring exclusions: sealing secondary openings and installing one-way devices before pups are born. |
| May 1 – July 31 | Not allowed. Maternity season — flightless pups would be trapped inside. | Inspections, planning, sealing gaps bats aren't using, keeping bats out of the living space, and booking August dates. |
| August 1 – October 15 | Allowed. Pups are flying by now. | Our busiest exclusion season. One-way devices go up, then permanent sealing once all bats are out. |
| October 16 – December 31 | Restricted. Same rules as January – March. | Inspections, winter planning and booking April dates. Emergency removal of a bat in the living space. |
Not on this calendar: a bat that's loose inside your rooms. That's an emergency removal, and we handle it any day, any hour. For a month-by-month breakdown and what you can do in each season, see when bats can be removed in New Jersey.
Why bats are protected — and why we can't exclude them in summer
All native nongame wildlife in New Jersey, including bats, is protected under the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act. Killing or "taking" bats is illegal. That's why there's no such thing as legal bat poison, and why glue boards and fly paper can't be used anywhere bats can reach them. Bats are moved out of buildings with one-way devices, not trapped or killed.
Bats that roost in attics in summer are often mothers raising their young. The pups can't fly for their first weeks, so they stay in the roost while the mothers go out to feed at night. If someone seals the building or puts up one-way devices during that time, the adults get out but the pups stay behind and die — and the mothers often push in another way, sometimes into the living space. That's why the state does not allow exclusions from May 1 to July 31.
Found bats in June or July? You're not stuck waiting with nothing done. Call now and we'll get you ready for August.
What we do for you in the meantime:
- Inspect the building and find every opening bats are using, plus the gaps they could use next.
- Write the exclusion plan — which openings get one-way devices, which get sealed, and what the job involves.
- Seal gaps bats aren't using, especially the ones that lead into living space, like gaps around attic doors, ceiling fixtures and ductwork.
- Put you on the August schedule so the exclusion starts as soon as it's legal.
- Remove any bat that gets into your rooms — that's never on hold.
How a bat exclusion works
This is the method New Jersey's guidance describes, and it's how every Silver Bullet bat exclusion is done.
Inspection
We check the roofline, soffits, chimney, flashing, vents, siding and attic to find where bats go in and out.
Seal secondary openings
Gaps the bats aren't actively using are sealed first, so the colony is funneled toward the main exits.
One-way devices on main exits
Devices that let bats fly out at night but not come back in go over the main openings. They stay up at least one week.
Confirm they're gone
Before anything is closed for good, we confirm that all the bats have left the building.
Seal permanently
The one-way devices come off and the openings are sealed for good. Bat exclusion is backed by our 5-year warranty.
Signs you have bats, not squirrels or mice
Bats leaving at dusk
The surest sign. Watch the roofline, chimney and gable ends around sunset — bats drop out and fly off one after another.
Droppings under a gap
Bat droppings collect on sills, decks and the ground below the entry point. They crumble into dust when crushed — mouse droppings stay hard.
Dark rub marks
Body oils leave dark smudges around the opening bats use every night, often a gap in trim or behind a shutter.
Noise at dawn and dusk
Squeaking or light scratching in walls or the attic around sunrise and sunset. Squirrels are louder and busy during the day.
Not sure? Text a photo of the droppings or gap to 973-510-2585. We also handle squirrels, raccoons and mice and rats.
A bat in your house right now
A single bat in your living space is an emergency removal, not an exclusion, so it can be handled any day of the year. Emergency bat removal is available 24/7 — call 973-510-2585.
Before anything else, think about who was in the room:
If the bat was in a room with someone who was sleeping, an unattended child, or someone who can't say whether they were bitten — or if anyone touched it — do not let it go. Keep it contained and call your local health department or the NJ Department of Health. After hours or on weekends, call the police or animal control. Health officials decide whether the bat needs to be tested and whether anyone needs treatment. Bites can be too small to see.
If everyone was awake and no one touched the bat, simply being in a room or house with a flying bat is typically not considered an exposure. Close the interior doors, keep kids and pets out, open a window or outside door, turn off the lights and give it time to leave — or call us and we'll take it out.
For the full step-by-step version, including how to safely contain a bat, read Found a bat in your house? Rabies and what to do in NJ. A bat inside usually means there's a way in, so we'll also check whether a colony is living in the building.
Bat guano cleanup and attic restoration
A colony that's been in an attic for a few seasons leaves droppings, urine-soaked insulation, stains and a strong smell. Bat droppings can also grow a fungus that causes a lung infection called histoplasmosis when the dust is stirred up, so sweeping it out yourself is a bad idea.
- Cleanup comes after the exclusion. If the bats are still using the attic, it gets dirty again.
- Soiled insulation is removed, not just vacuumed on top.
- The area is sanitized and deodorized, then new insulation can go in.
More on the cleanup side: bat guano cleanup and sanitation · attic wildlife cleanup · insulation removal and replacement.
Bat exclusion for churches, schools and businesses
Older churches, schools and commercial buildings are some of the places we see bats most. Steeples, bell towers, slate roofs, decorative trim and big attics give a colony room and plenty of openings.
- Plan early. The August–October window lines up with the start of the school year and the fall church calendar. Inspect in spring or early summer so the work is ready to go on August 1.
- Lift access and high work on steeples, towers and parapets is part of the inspection plan.
- We work around your schedule — services, classes, events and building hours.
See church and school bat exclusion and commercial pest control.
More bat help from Silver Bullet
Book a Bat Inspection
Tell us the address and whether a bat is inside right now or living in the building. We'll call you back quickly.
Why people call us about bats
- A bat flying around inside the house
- Bats leaving the roofline or chimney at dusk
- Droppings piling up under a gap or on the attic floor
- A church, school or business with bats in the building
- Getting on the list for the next legal exclusion window
Request Service
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Bat Removal & Exclusion FAQ
When can bats be excluded in New Jersey?
April 1–30 and August 1–October 15. Exclusion isn't allowed May 1–July 31, and from October 16 to March 31 it's allowed only if acoustic surveys over at least 3 straight weeks show no bats are present.
Can you remove a bat that's inside my house in summer?
Yes. A single bat loose in your living space can be removed any time of year, and emergency bat removal is available 24/7. Only colony exclusion follows the seasonal calendar.
Why can't you get rid of the bats in my attic in June?
Because pups are in the roost and can't fly yet. Excluding them in May, June or July would trap the young inside, so the state doesn't allow it. We inspect, plan and book you for August instead.
Are bats protected in New Jersey?
Yes. Bats are protected under the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act, so killing or trapping them is illegal. They're removed with one-way devices that let them leave and not return.
What is a one-way device?
A device placed over the main bat exits that lets bats fly out at night but not get back in. It stays up at least a week, and once all the bats are gone the opening is sealed for good.
Do you offer a warranty on bat exclusion?
Yes. Bat exclusion from Silver Bullet Pest Control comes with a 5-year warranty.
Are you licensed to do bat work?
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife and holds NJ Pesticide License 90568B.
A bat was in my bedroom while I slept. What should I do?
Don't let the bat go. Keep it contained and call your local health department or the NJ Department of Health right away (police or animal control after hours), and talk to your doctor.
Do you clean up bat guano?
Yes. After the bats are out and the building is sealed, we remove droppings and soiled insulation and sanitize the attic.
¿Sacan murciélagos de la casa?
Sí. Hablamos español. Si hay un murciélago dentro de la casa, lo sacamos a cualquier hora; si hay una colonia en el ático, la excluimos en las fechas permitidas por el estado. Llame o mande texto al 973-510-2585.
Bat removal near you
Based in Garfield, we handle bat removal and bat exclusion across Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B