I found a bat and have no idea what to do.

[Laize]

Not even kidding.

Here he is.

So I seriously require help in what I should do. I'm no animal expert and I have no idea if he's hurt or what. He doesn't seem capable of flight though he's certainly able to scurry around on the ground.

Right now I have him under a blanket in my bathroom but his breathing is very rapid. The local bat rescue doesn't have a 24/7 800 number (It seems to just be a residence) and the world isn't exactly swarming with bat lovers who know what to do when they find one on the ground that I can ask.

[Deleted]

Errrrrrrrr Put it in a dark place and let nature take its course? I dunno.. What do bats even eat?

[Reg]

Wrap it up and release it outside.

[Xanjori]

Strange one but: make sure its got water, maybe mix some honey into the water, is their any visible injuries?

[Orbitus]

Errrrrrrrr Put it in a dark place and let nature take its course? I dunno.. What do bats even eat?

Depends on the bat. It could be fruit, bugs, or blood. Yes bats do eat blood but from animals like chickens and cows.

[Laize]

Wrap it up and release it outside.

Releasing it outside is a death sentence this time of year. I'm a big fan of bats so I know a few basics about catching and releasing them and I know winter is not the time to do it. Besides that, he can't fly. If he could I wouldn't have found him on the ground. Chances are good something woke him up from hibernation (I keep bat houses on the property) and he's either disoriented or injured (maybe a stray cat?) but I'm no expert.

I was hoping at least someone would know what to do. I've caught many bats in my house and released them without a problem but this is the first time I've seen one in winter.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Bring it to a cave and build a little base in the cave. >.>

[Reg]

Releasing it outside is a death sentence this time of year. I'm a big fan of bats so I know a few basics about catching and releasing them and I know winter is not the time to do it. Besides that, he can't fly. If he could I wouldn't have found him on the ground.

Well bats are overall great to have around because they eat all the other nasty shit, but unless you want him living in your house, you need to let nature run its course.

[Simmias]

it's simple.

You kill the bat....man.

[KOMO1211]

The first concern many people have about bats is rabies. Like most mammals, bats can contract rabies. However, less than one half of one percent of bats actually catch the disease. Additionally, sick bats do not seek people out for attack; they generally search for a secluded spot to die quietly. According to the Center for Disease Control, people cannot get rabies from just seeing a bat in an attic, in a cave or at a distance. In addition, people cannot get rabies from having contact with bat guano (feces), blood, or urine or from touching a bat on its fur (even though bats should never be handled).

However, if you are bitten by a bat, or if saliva from a bat gets into your eyes, nose or mouth, seek medical attention immediately. Whenever possible, the bat should be captured and sent to a laboratory for testing. In addition, bats that are found in a room with a person who cannot reliably rule out physical contact (for example a sleeping person, a child, a mentally disabled person or an intoxicated person) will need to be tested for rabies. If contact has occurred or is suspected call your personal physician or local health department immediately. If contact has not occurred please proceed to the links above to obtain step-by-step directions on how to safely rescue the bat.

A BAT FOUND FOUND INDOORS
A bat that is found indoors is most likely to be a crevice-dwelling species. Although the fur color of crevice-dwelling bats varies, it is usually a shade of gray or brown. These bats are often lost youngsters or migrating bats. Oftentimes they will find their way out through an open window after dark, if the room the bat occupies is closed off from the rest of the house. If this is not an option, and if you feel confident that you can move the animal without physically touching it or injuring it, proceed to step one. Otherwise, proceed to step five.

1. Wait until the animal is motionless. A bat that is flying is almost impossible to catch, and you have a greater chance of injuring the bat if you attempt to capture it while it is airborne. In addition, bats that are caught while flying frequently panic and attempt to bite. Be patient. Wait until the bat lands and is still, and then proceed to step 2.

2. Contain the bat. Quietly approach the bat, and wearing thick gloves or using a thick towel, gather the bat up (holding it securely but not tightly) and place it into a box or similar container with a lid. Or instead, simply place a box, waste can, coffee can or similar object over the bat where it has landed. Then, take a piece of cardboard and gently slide it between the box and the surface the bat is on (i.e. floor, wall or ceiling). Keeping the cardboard in place, gently turn the container right side up. If the bat is captured during the day, proceed to step 5. If the bat is captured at night, proceed to step
Important note!: Do not place the bat in a bird cage or container with small openings. Bats are very intelligent and can easily squeeze through a 1/4 x 1/2 inch crack.

3. Release the bat outdoors at nightfall. Once the bat has been captured, take the container outdoors. Take a flashlight and a towel or gloves with you in case the bat has problems flying away. Find an elevated area (such as a deck or ladder), lift the box over your head, and tilt it to the side so the bat can fly out (the bat will not be able to fly out of a grounded container in a vertical position). Proceed to step 4. (Note: Do not release the bat during the day or during cold or bad weather. Instead, proceed to step 5).

4. Watch it leave. Use the flashlight to watch the bat fly away. If the bat does not fly away, or attempts to fly but seems unable to, it is likely that is has an injury or illness. It may be a disoriented juvenile, or it may simply be dehydrated or starved from being trapped indoors. If this is the case, use the towel or gloves (not bare hands) to gather the bat up. Keep the bat in the closed container and put it in a safe place that is free of children, pets, fire ants or other hazards, and proceed to step 5.

Note: It is not safe to attempt care for the bat on your own – bats should only be cared for by trained, vaccinated individuals. Furthermore, in order to survive, bats in this condition may need injections of electrolytes in addition to specialized food and caging.

5. Call a local wildlife rehabilitator for assistance. Please see LOCATE A RESCUER.

Note: The information contained in this text regarding health and/or safety precautions may not be adequate for all individuals and/or situations. It is the readers obligation to comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

[Whiteboard]

Uh, from the pic, that bat's wet? Does it have any wounds? Do not touch it barehanded. If you get bitten, even a 'small bite', immediately go to the ER, bats can be rabies carriers, and once you show symptoms there's no hope for you. Weigh carefully the risk of lethal illness versus helping the bat. If you have a cat carrier, or a high walled box, put a towel in the carrier and the bat- don't touch it barehanded - and close it up, then send the bat rescue place an email if you can, or call when they're open. Bats are tiny, so it'll seem like they're hyperventilating when they're just breathing normally. Do not keep it in your house unless it is terribly cold outside. It's still a wild animal.

Edit: plus all that stuff the guy ahead of me posted. :T

[Wynnyelle]

Would it be possible for you to keep it overnight in a box or something until you can take it to the bat rescue during the day? I've done that with injured birds before and they've made it. Not sure if you're comfortable keeping it in your house, but if it can't fly I don't see it causing any trouble.

[jahasafrat]

Death sentence or not, you definately should get it out of your residence.

[prankstar]

if you have a box put the bat in there use gloves bats are a known carrier of rabies add some air holes then add kitchen paper to the box and add some water a bottle cap full will do then place the box in w warm dry place dont try to feed it their are too many kinds of bats and their food sources differ a lot

[Laize]

Uh, from the pic, that bat's wet? Does it have any wounds? Do not touch it barehanded. If you get bitten, even a 'small bite', immediately go to the ER, bats can be rabies carriers, and once you show symptoms there's no hope for you. Weigh carefully the risk of lethal illness versus helping the bat. If you have a cat carrier, or a high walled box, put a towel in the carrier and the bat- don't touch it barehanded - and close it up, then send the bat rescue place an email if you can, or call when they're open. Bats are tiny, so it'll seem like they're hyperventilating when they're just breathing normally. Do not keep it in your house unless it is terribly cold outside. It's still a wild animal.

Edit: plus all that stuff the guy ahead of me posted. :T

Like I said, I know the dos and don'ts of catching/releasing bats indoors. I know not to touch it directly.

Right now he's under a cloth in a cat bed in the dark bathroom.

Yes, he's wet. When I found him he was lying belly-up in the grass (It's been raining) and when I got him righted his back was covered in sticks and leaves. I cleared them off, draped the blanket over him and put him in the cat bed in the bathroom. I suppose he'll have to just spend the night there until I can get a hold of someone. I just don't want him dying.

[DEATHETERNAL]

You got two options.

1: Confine it, figure out what species it is (you can probably do that on Google), feed it some of whatever it eats if you can, and get in contact with someone who is stupid enough to dedicate his live to helping animals like this one instead of putting them down.

2: Kill it as quickly and painlessly as is possible and toss it.

Bring it to a cave and build a little base in the cave. >.>

Thread winning post ^

[Kaleredar]

According to the Center for Disease Control, people cannot get rabies from just seeing a bat in an attic, in a cave or at a distance

so bats can't telepathically give you rabies... good to know...


Anyway, if I had to guess the species, I'd say it's a mexican free tailed bat (though your general location might rule that out if you live in england or something,) meaning that it eats primarily insects... I suppose you could try feeding it crickets, but I would limit your direct contact with the bat to avoid diseases/it biting you

[Laize]

Would it be possible for you to keep it overnight in a box or something until you can take it to the bat rescue during the day? I've done that with injured birds before and they've made it. Not sure if you're comfortable keeping it in your house, but if it can't fly I don't see it causing any trouble.

I have no problem with bats in my house. I don't really have a high-walled box to keep it in, however.

[shaak]

Put a mask of a man on it, dress him up in man clothes, find a man cave for him with a man-mobile and a butler in it.
I'm Manbat.

[Harry Botter]

Has anyone made an Ozzy Osbourne joke yet? No? I will. Call Ozzy, he has lots of experience with these types of situations.