I rescued a bat

I found a bat at university today. He was a little smaller than a ping pong ball, curled up on the sidewalk. He was between two noisy construction areas on a frequently used sidewalk...I saw him there first on my way to class, so I moved him aside. I told myself that if he was still there when my class ended, I'd take him home--and he was. I picked him up really carefully, and he didn't try to bite or run away or fly or anything, and he was shaking like a leaf. I figured he was stressed from all the noise and activity. So I carried him to my car, put him in the backseat--it has cloth seats so he could hang on--kept the radio entirely off and the windows up, and drove home. I have an hour long drive from school to home, so I think it helped him calm down and de-stress, being that it was nearly silent.

This time when I went to pick him up, he was active, alert, and he clicked at me when I touched him, and I had to use the clean end of a match to make his teeny little claws let go of the cloth without hurting him, then held him in my shirt to go inside. I wanted to look at him and make sure he wasn't injured before letting go.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...363/Bat003.jpg

He huddled like that for a while, then started climbing up my shirt. I couldn't get him to let go, but luckily he obliged me and stretched his wings out while moving, so I could see that the bones looked straight and the membrane wasn't torn.

You can see how small he is in this pic

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...363/Bat004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...363/Bat008.jpg

Then we took him outside, and he climbed up to my shoulder.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...363/Bat010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...363/Bat011.jpg

And then he flew away on his own, before we could get him to grab onto a tree, and went towards the woods!

I took him with me because I figured he'd be better off someplace nice and quiet out in the country with acres and acres of woodlands around for him to get insects from. He certainly seemed more active and alert and calm; he wasn't curled into a ball and trembling, at least. I'm happy!

Awww, thats so cool! They're such an awesome little critter and they're great to have around. I forget the actual number but I remember reading or hearing somewhere that bats can eat their own body weight in bugs every night! I would have been kind of nervous taking it in though since they can carry rabies and other nasty diseases but it sounds like you did a great thing for the little guy :gj:

Good for you, :gj:
i love bats i wish i could have one.

How adorable! I'm so glad you rescued him. He might've been stepped on where he was at:gj:.

I'm glad you helped the little guy out, but you did take a big risk. It's completely not normal to see a bat out during the day like that, which to me would signal that there may be some illness involved. Rabies being the biggest fear. You both look like you were very lucky. :gj:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by anendeloflorien

I forget the actual number but I remember reading or hearing somewhere that bats can eat their own body weight in bugs every night! I would have been kind of nervous taking it in though since they can carry rabies and other nasty diseases but it sounds like you did a great thing for the little guy :gj:

---

My thoughts exactly, bats can harbor alot of diseases and viruses. They are a huge responsibility. But if you are game for the challenge, then Congrats!

Bats are awesome, they are one of my "other" favorite animals. I often have quite a few flying around my house at dusk. :D

Keep us updated on the lil guy will ya :)

Oh yes, I know...I picked him up using a handkerchief I keep in my backpack, so he wouldn't be able to bite me, and changed clothes and use hand sanitizer once he was gone. I definitely didn't want to get a rabies shot...but I figured that he had flown into the pole he was laying near, and judging by his shivering, I thought he was stressing over all the noise--there are buildings being built right by where he was, and there are always trucks running, cinderblocks falling, metal clanging, saws running, hammers...etc. etc. He wasn't shaking and was acting normal after an hour-long near silent car ride, and he flew away when I took him outside.

I had no intention of keeping him unless I found evidence of some illness or injury, and then would have taken him to a vet...but since he appeared to be healthy upon further inspection I took him outside, and he took off and flew away on his own.

But he was very cute, and I'm glad he wasn't injured, and that he didn't bite me. XD

Good job! Though you did take a huge risk, whats done is done so I see no point in people bringing it up since its already been addressed. Poor thing might have been killed:tears:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seneschal

But he was very cute, and I'm glad he wasn't injured, and that he didn't bite me. XD

---

From your description of his size and as small as he looked in the pictures, chances are he couldn't have bitten you if he'd wanted to. Except maybe your earlobe when he was on your shoulder. ;) Their mouths are small enough that they generally can't open them wide enough to bite a human.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by m00kfu

From your description of his size and as small as he looked in the pictures, chances are he couldn't have bitten you if he'd wanted to. Except maybe your earlobe when he was on your shoulder. ;) Their mouths are small enough that they generally can't open them wide enough to bite a human.

---

Oh! I didn't think of that. XD I was just like "o_o Please don't bite me." But now that I think about it, you're probably right. Unless I pinched some loose skin and stuck it in his mouth. Good to know!