BatCones Key To Successful Business

2007 - Volume #31, Issue #3, Page #08

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Bat-proofing houses is a business that Jim Dreisecker got into by accident. But he discovered quickly that there's a lot of demand.
"There are bats everywhere, and bat-proofing is a great business," he says. "Best of all, it's easy to get into. All you need is a ladder and some information."
With 24 years of experience trapping bats and keeping them out of all kinds of buildings, Dreisecker has learned a lot about bats. He got started as part of his animal control business. People wanted him to keep bats out. That usually meant sealing up homes at night when the bats were gone. Tiring of night work, he realized he needed something that would let bats out at night but keep them from returning.
His BatCone disposable plastic tubes are easily installed over bat exit points. Today he markets three different models through distributors. Prices range from $9.95 to $19.95. He also offers professional bat control seminars for $1,500. However, his main business remains bat-proofing.
"I charge from a few hundred dollars on up, depending on how many points of entry, how many bats and if there is bat guano to be cleaned up," says Dreisecker. "Anyone could use the BatCone themselves, but having to get up on a ladder limits the number of people who can use the product."
Dreisecker's website offers clear directions on how to install a BatCone and the materials needed. It also lists why exclusion is the preferred way to control bat populations and why he likes working with the flying mammal.
"Unlike rodents and other nuisance animals, bats can't chew their way back into their old home," explains Dreisecker. "They are fun to work with, beneficial to have around and easy to keep out."
In 24 years of working with bats, he says he has never been bitten. He does wear gloves and take precautions since they are known to carry rabies. However, he has had hundreds of them flying around his head in an attic without a single one touching him.
"In Connecticut, we have to have any bat caught in a home tested for rabies," he says. "Of the hundreds that I've tested over the years, only five or six have tested positive for the virus."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Westchester Wildlife, Inc., 2615 Carmel Ave., Brewster, N.Y. 10509 (ph 845 279-6220 or 888 743-2287; fax 845 278-5767; batcone@msn.com; www.batcone.com).

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BatCones Key To Successful Business 31-3-8 Bat-proofing houses is a business that Jim Dreisecker got into by accident. But he discovered quickly that there's a lot of demand. "There are bats everywhere, and bat-proofing is a great business," he says. "Best of all, it's easy to get into. All you need is a ladder and some information." With 24 years of experience trapping bats and keeping them out of all kinds of buildings, Dreisecker has learned a lot about bats. He got started as part of his animal control business. People wanted him to keep bats out. That usually meant sealing up homes at night when the bats were gone. Tiring of night work, he realized he needed something that would let bats out at night but keep them from returning. His BatCone disposable plastic tubes are easily installed over bat exit points. Today he markets three different models through distributors. Prices range from $9.95 to $19.95. He also offers professional bat control seminars for $1,500. However, his main business remains bat-proofing. "I charge from a few hundred dollars on up, depending on how many points of entry, how many bats and if there is bat guano to be cleaned up," says Dreisecker. "Anyone could use the BatCone themselves, but having to get up on a ladder limits the number of people who can use the product." Dreisecker's website offers clear directions on how to install a BatCone and the materials needed. It also lists why exclusion is the preferred way to control bat populations and why he likes working with the flying mammal. "Unlike rodents and other nuisance animals, bats can't chew their way back into their old home," explains Dreisecker. "They are fun to work with, beneficial to have around and easy to keep out." In 24 years of working with bats, he says he has never been bitten. He does wear gloves and take precautions since they are known to carry rabies. However, he has had hundreds of them flying around his head in an attic without a single one touching him. "In Connecticut, we have to have any bat caught in a home tested for rabies," he says. "Of the hundreds that I've tested over the years, only five or six have tested positive for the virus." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Westchester Wildlife, Inc., 2615 Carmel Ave., Brewster, N.Y. 10509 (ph 845 279-6220 or 888 743-2287; fax 845 278-5767; batcone@msn.com; www.batcone.com).

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