ADULT BATS
Injured bats need specialized care from an experienced bat rehabilitator.
1. OBSERVE
A bat is in my house.
Never pick up a bat, or any wild animal, with bare hands. If a bat is found indoors, he most likely came from the attic. Do not attempt to catch a flying bat. If there is no chance the bat could have bitten anyone, and the bat was definitely not in the house overnight while people (especially children) were sleeping, then close off the room, open a window, and watch for the bat to fly out. Because of the confined space, the bat will have to fly in a U-shaped path, gaining altitude near the walls and losing altitude in the center of the room. A person standing in the middle of the room may feel attacked when actually the bat is only trying to stay airborne. Remain near a wall, stay calm and keep pets and children away.
- The Bat Can’t Fly Out
If the bat does not, or cannot go through an open window or door, wait until the bat lands. If the bat disappears before exiting, s/he probably has landed somewhere to hang, like behind curtains or upholstered furniture, on hanging clothes or in house plants. - When the Bat Lands…
Search and try to capture him/her in a butterfly net, if one is available. Otherwise, wearing gloves, cover the bat with a shoebox or coffee can and then slide a piece of cardboard underneath so the bat is fully contained. Bring the container outside at dusk, remove the covering and gently slide the bat onto a raised surface like a wall or tree branch, so s/he can fly off. - When the Bat Roosts…
If the bat is hanging on a vertical surface, carefully place a coffee jar or plastic container over him/her, and gently work a piece of cardboard between the container and the surface of the wall, trapping the bat inside.
Found a bat on the ground?
If a reddish, tan, yellowish or “frosted” colored baby bat is found outside on the ground, s/he is probably a tree-dwelling bat. Using a stick, gently touch the bat’s feet and s/he should cling to it. Place the bat on the highest limb that can be safely reached. If the bat panics when you touch his/her feet, call a wildlife rehabilitator. Never pick up a bat, or any wild animal, with bare hands.
Found a bat on the ground?
If a reddish, tan, yellowish or “frosted” colored baby bat is found outside on the ground, s/he is probably a tree-dwelling bat. Using a stick, gently touch the bat’s feet and s/he should cling to it. Place the bat on the highest limb that can be safely reached. If the bat panics when you touch his/her feet, call a wildlife rehabilitator. Never pick up a bat, or any wild animal, with bare hands.
2. CALL
You need help if:
Contact a wildlife rehabilitator or animal control officer if you cannot safely remove a bat from your home (has had no direct contact with people and pets), if the bat has white patches (on the muzzle, wings, ears and/or other exposed skin tissues) or if the bat is found outside grounded with attempts to put him/her in a tree have failed.
Something is wrong.
If a bat is exhibiting signs of mobility impairment, or any sort of nervous system disorder, is vocalizing constantly, or appears catatonic or agitated for no apparent reason, rabies is a consideration. Although less than 1 percent of bats carry the rabies virus, most cases of human rabies (1 to 3 on average per year in the United States), have been transmitted by bats. This is why health departments across the country have established strict protocols for dealing with bats. If a bat is found in a house and could have bitten a sleeping or intoxicated person (direct contact with people and pets), or a child, then the bat must be euthanized and tested for rabies by the local health department. Animal control officers are often willing to euthanize the bat and help transport it to the lab.
Displacement and climate change:
Bats across the eastern US and Canada are losing habitats to human activities and have also fallen prey to a fungal infection called White-Nose Syndrome. The fungus appears as white patches on the muzzles, wings, ears and other exposed skin tissues of hibernating bats, but not all bats exhibit this symptom. Infected bats sometimes emerge prematurely from torpor or hibernation, flying during daytime in winter for example. The abnormal behavior associated with this disease is thought to contribute to the premature consumption of fat reserves resulting in emaciation and death.
Signs of White Nose Syndrome:
If a bat is found with signs of White Nose Syndrome, such as having white patches on the muzzle, wings and ears and/or being active at the wrong time, such as during winter, then safely contain the animal. Contact a wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency for assistance. If an adult bat is found outside and is grounded, and any effort to safely move the bat to a higher platform (tree branch) has failed, call a wildlife rehabilitator. Never risk getting bitten by a bat under any circumstances.