Bats!!!

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:18 am

Jimmy The Butcher wrote:

Isn't the percentage of bats WITH rabies higher than that of bats WITHOUT rabies?

According to what I've read on the topic, only about one-half of one percent of free-range bat populations are infected with rabies. Additionally, the national average of rabies in bats submitted for testing runs around 5% and there are only 2 or 3 reported deaths per year in the U.S. attributable to rabid bats.

Bats are far more beneficial than any real or perceived threat to public health.

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:10 pm

Vegas Gamblers wrote:

Ask and you shall receive.

http://bertc.com/fruitbat.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/central/stories/s685711.htm[/url]

That looks good. I'll try it soon. Not tonight though. Tonight the menu is poodle and noodles. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:44 pm

Vegas Gamblers wrote:

Ask and you shall receive.

http://bertc.com/fruitbat.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/central/stories/s685711.htm[/url]

That is just so wrong!! Laughing

Okay, Bat Man aka Ken B. of Bat Conservation of Wisconsin Inc. came over to take little Bella (I changed the spelling of the name a little, as I learned that it was a she bat) to her new winter home.

He gave me the full presentation on this bat -- a large brown bat -- anatomy, bone structure, how they fly, all that stuff. It was really pretty cool.

Bella will go live in a cage with a few other rescue bats, where she will have food and warmth, until she is released back to the wild (I believe, in the spring.)

And yes, perhaps my trapping the bat wasn't the smartest thing in the world (I don't always do smart things). But my heart feels good about it.

Want to learn more? Go to Bat Conservation of Wisconsin

Bec

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:04 pm

Bec, you may not of done the smart thing. But it was the right thing. You should be proud of yourself.

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:22 pm

[quote="elfdoctors"]The health recommendations are pretty specific. Minimal contact with bats qualifies for rabies prophylaxis (partially because their bites tend to be so small that some people don't even realize they were bitten). There have been extremely rare fatal cases of rabies associated with merely sleeping in a room with a bat flying around.

The only rabid animal of any species identified in Burnett County during the past 16 years (as long as I have been the medical adviser for our county) was a bat (just last year). That animal bit one of my patients and learned to regret it.

While I am aware of these recommendations, I have rescued bats myself (wearing gloves) and have never used prophylaxis for myself as I believe the recommendations are probably too conservative and not particularly realistic to rural living. Otherwise, nearly everyone in this county should have to get vaccinated.

So now do I need to worry about going to the cabin in the north woods in the summer? We get a bat or two inside a couple of times a year and I never worried about them. Or the mice for that fact. If it's just me, they don't bother me. If the kids and wife are with me, I open the door and try to persuade them with a broom or butterfly net towards the door.

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 8:50 am

furfool wrote:

So now do I need to worry about going to the cabin in the north woods in the summer? We get a bat or two inside a couple of times a year.

Most places up here get bats inside occasionally. I only begin to worry if the bat is acting unusually or if a bite or scratch has occurred. Flying around during the daytime (without having been disturbed) is the most common behavior I've seen that has concerned me.

I have a bat house hanging in my yard (my "batchelor pad"). I agree that bats are far more beneficial than harmful. [/b]

Joined: 2002-02-18 Posts: 3399 Location: West Allis, Wi

greyhounder wrote:

Bella will go live in a cage with a few other rescue bats, where she will have food and warmth, until she is released back to the wild (I believe, in the spring.)

Bec

Bella will live in a cage until spring, then return to her home.... with Bec Smile

I like bats, but the outdoor variety. I'm not sure I would do the right thing either. My first thought would be to snipe it with my pellet gun, but then I might have a bleeding rabid bat spraying blood around the room. I think the shop vac would be my second choice Smile

Joined: 2002-02-18 Posts: 3399 Location: West Allis, Wi

greyhounder wrote:

Bella will go live in a cage with a few other rescue bats, where she will have food and warmth, until she is released back to the wild (I believe, in the spring.)

Bec

Bella will live in a cage until spring, then return to her home.... with Bec Smile

I like bats, but the outdoor variety. I'm not sure I would do the right thing either. My first thought would be to snipe it with my pellet gun, but then I might have a bleeding rabid bat spraying blood around the room. I think the shop vac would be my second choice. Hornet and wasp killer does a number on anthing that flies! Smile

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:45 pm

Here's a pretty funny post-script to my bat adventure.

Over the past weekend I was sharing my bat story with LightningBugs Mum. I seemed to recall that she had done some volunteer work for an wildlife rescue organization. Guess what? It was Wildlife In Need -- one of the places that I called. And in fact, she was one of the volunteers that they were trying to reach to help get my bat!!

How funny would it have been if they had told her about the crazy lady with a bat on the porch at my address!!

Bec

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:16 pm

Yeah, now I have guilt. But I think it turned out for the best with the Bat Conservation guy. He was able to give Bec a whole little nature lesson about it. No way I would have been able to tell it was a girl or anything.