They're creatures of the night that can infest your home, possibly make you sick and you might not even realize it.

One house in Columbia County is full of thousands of bats. Jason Rehr is with Big Bear’s Trapping Service.

"It's got the Big Browns, Little Browns and the Mexican Fire Tails. We've got anywhere from ten to twenty thousand bats in this house, said Rehr.

Rehr went on to say, "They hear them literally going up and down the walls."

Rehr said it's the worst case he's seen in Augusta. It’s so bad, it's practically unlivable.

"We have quarantined the bathroom due to the fact that because of the urine and feces and the weight of the bats, the dry wall can collapse and you've got twenty thousand bats inside a house, said Rehr.

NBC Augusta went with Jason to the root of the problem...the attic.
The minute he pulled the attic door open, the smell of urine and feces was overwhelming.

Jason says over a period of time, bat feces can cause a respiratory disease known as Histoplasmosis which can cause lung infection. That's why these animals have to go.

So, he's put up bat doors which will allow the bats to leave, but prevent them from coming back in.

"It's cheaper and a lot less stressful to do a preventive than once the bats move in. Once the bats move in, you run into situations like this and next thing you know, in less than a month, you can't live in your own home, said Rehr.

Once the bats are out, it doesn't stop there, the whole attic will have to be repaired. It's a job that can cost thousands of dollars for the homeowner.

Trying to get bats out of a home is not only dangerous, but the animals are also protected under state law. So removing them is a job that should be left to professionals. For more information on bat removal, call Big Bear’s Trapping Service at (706) 627-4488.