Residents of one hallway in WestCo have had several close encounters with bats within the last few weeks, all without leaving their own rooms.

WestCo Up 2 has seen the capture of three bats since the residents returned from spring beak, and several students have opted to get rabies shots and seek alternative sleeping arrangements on some nights. Residents first heard the bats in early February.

“I first heard it one morning in the column and ceiling, and I got really freaked out,” said Matthew Danzig ’09.

Danzig and other members of his hall all described screeching, scratching, and flapping noises coming from the ceiling and radiators. After an inspection, Physical Plant assured residents that it was impossible for bats to be in the ceiling.

“I called [Physical Plant], and [the man I talked to] was pretty condescending about it,” said Kevin Kromash ’08. “He said there was no evidence of a bat. They sent someone out and they didn’t find anything.”

Director of Physical Plant Clifford Ashton explained the situation in an e-mail to the residents.

“We inspected this room thoroughly and found no evidence of a bat or any obvious opening where it could have entered,” he wrote. “The same conclusion was drawn by the professional pest control company contracted by the University…[W]ith that said, a bat can enter a facility if doors or windows are left open.”

Physical Plant came back several times after more calls reporting bats.

“Someone from Physical Plant came into Joan’s [Bosco ’09] room with a flashlight, started shining it at the blinds, and then just walked out,” said Isaac Levy ’09, a friend of several Up 2 Residents.

Once again, Physical Plant found no evidence of bats, but suggested that mice could be present.

“I guess it could be mice,” Danzig said. “Mice that can fly, and look like bats, and are bats.”

Ashton explained that upon inspection, mice droppings were found in the radiator.

“A wildlife nuisance control officer determined it was not a colony [of bats],” Ashton said.

A few days later, residents had their first physical encounter with a bat.

“I taped over all the holes on the radiator, and soon I heard sounds of fur on tape,” said Yale Yng-Wong ’09, a resident of Up 2. “It was really disturbing. I got up and my first instinct was to take a picture. The bat shot out from under the bed… I screamed, dropped my phone, and ran out of the room.”

Courtney McGuire ’09 explained that doctors at the Health Center advised everyone who may have been exposed to the bats to get shots, as rabies is fatal. Most residents decided in favor of the rabies shots series.

“It wasn’t that bad,” said Courtney McGuire ’09. “There were just so many. The first day I had to get five shots.”

According to Davison Health Center Medical Director Dr. Davis Smith, bats are common in Connecticut, but getting rabies from them is rare. Rabies is fatal once symptoms appear, which is why he recommends anyone who may have come into contact with a bat to get rabies shots.

“In conjunction with ResLife, Public Safety and Physical Plant, I developed a bat response plan which has been in place since late March when the number of incidents began to spike,” Smith said. “We have recommended post exposure prophylaxis to a handful of students this year.”

Later that week, Allison McGrath ’08 was told by hallmate Josh Border ’08 that he had trapped a bat in his window, which he let out onto the balcony after it was presumably dead. Physical Plant and Grounds Manager Dave Hall responded to the call.

“Dave Hall showed up with a trash bag and a net,” Danzig said. “ He was really cool and knowledgeable. He talked about bats for a while and answered any questions we had.”

According to Danzig, the bat, which was apparently just stunned, awoke in the bag while Hall was talking to residents. Members of Physical Plant blocked up the radiators a few days later.

“We found a number of spots where we wanted to eliminate any possibility of bats entering, and we did some sealing for preventative measure,” Ashton said. “We are looking into other products, repellent type things.”

Ashton mentioned that of the bats that were caught and tested, none tested positive for rabies.

Tuesday, a third bat was found and captured in the hallway next to the electrical closet, and there has been no evidence of more bats as of yet.

“I don’t think they can get into our rooms now,” McGuire said.

Other residents were more skeptical, though they stressed that ResLife, Public Safety, and several members of Physical Plant have been doing a good job handling the situation.

The events of the past few weeks, however, are not unprecedented. Lauren Pellegrino ’08, the previous resident of Danzig’s room, had an encounter with a bat last year in the same room.

“I was sitting in my room with the doors and windows closed,” Pellegrino said. “I thought the heat was turning back on, but I kept hearing the scraping, and it got louder and more distinct. A bat flew out at me, and I was in hysterics. It hit my face. I’m not sure if it bit me, but there was definitely contact.”

Pellegrino opted to get the rabies shots as a precaution, as did Emily Klasson ’06, who was in contact with a bat in her house on Home Ave. earlier this year, and Amanda Leibenhaut ’08, a resident of Hewitt 10.

“The day I got back from spring break, I heard a really loud chirp,” Leibenhaut said. “I looked behind my refrigerator, and a bat was there dying.”

Hall stresses that, regardless of how the bats are getting in, students need to be sure not to leave their doors open.

“We’re very concerned about student safety,” he said.