What does a dead bat smell like?
Subsequently, one may also ask, what does a bat infestation smell like?
Odor. Most of the odor coming from a bat infestation is not produced by the guano, but by the bats themselves and their urine. As such, it has a musty, ammonia-type smell, and the larger the colony, the more pervasive and onerous the smell becomes.
In this way, what do you do if you find a dead bat?
Don't touch bats. Leave that bat alone. If you find a dead bat in a public place, call Public Health at 206-296-4774 or your city's animal control office. If you find a dead bat on your property, use heavy gloves (like leather work gloves), then pick it up or scoop it up with a dust pan or shovel.
Here's what the CDC says about what you SHOULD do with a dead bat: While rabies can be caused from nonbite exposures, such an occurrence is rare. Assuming the bat did not bite a person prior to its death, the risk of rabies from a dead bat is remote.