Is it possible for bats to chew on wires?

So you’ve discovered a bat (or maybe even a colony of bats) living inside your attic or around your property. As you’ve probably noticed by now, this is by no means a fun experience for anyone involved, and it’s quite likely that you’re worried about the damage bats can do to your property.

Well, fear not, for that is exactly what we are here to clear up for you. In dealing with bats, or any other type of wild intruder, really, it’s vital that you are well-informed on the dangers and possible risks of having such a creature on your property. This helps you take the appropriate protective measures so as to avoid this damage but also helps you act rationally since you know what can and can’t happen.

You probably know by now that bats are responsible for quite a bit of damage if they decide to make your home theirs. A common worry that many homeowners share is that the bat will chew, claw or in any other way damage their wires, pipes, insulation, and so on.

But can a bat do that?

The answer is no. Thankfully, bats will not chew, claw, or scratch their way through electric
wires or piping or through the structure of your home, even if they spend months living there. While their teeth and claws are sharp, they are used for self-defense and for catching prey, such as insects. Unlike other creatures, it is not in the bat’s nature to chew their way through your things because it serves no practical purpose for them.

Attic Wires; Bats Chew On Wires

So at least on this count, you can rest assured that bat invasions will not lead to this type of structural damage.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take immediate action to remove the bat from your property, because bats pose a range of other dangers to yourself and your property. First and foremost, bats carry diseases, such as Ebola or even coronavirus, maybe, so their presence puts you, your family, and your pets at risk.

Another really common issue with bat invasions is that although they do not actively work to damage your property/structure through clawing or chewing, they do end up doing just that through their droppings.

You see, the compounds inside bat droppings have a powerful corrosive effect and if left unremoved lead to guano, which then leads to corrosive damage to property, structure, insulation, and also poses a huge health risk, since the toxic particles inside the droppings become airborne.

So while you don’t have much to worry about from bats themselves, it is never a good idea to just leave them to fly about in your attic or on your property unchecked, as they can still cause considerable damage to it.

Bats Chew On Wires

So what should you do?

Ideally, you should call a wildlife removal company that specializes in bats and that can remove the bat from your property humanely and can also advise you on future prevention methods.