FAUNA RESCUE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC.

Basic Care & Handling of Insectivorous Bats

Rescue

Insectivorous bats have sharp teeth so handle with care. Handlers must wear gloves as this prevents any bites.
Some bats can carry a virus called lyssavirus. This virus can be fatal to humans so great care must always be taken when handling bats.
Bats can be transported in small calico bags or a container with a secure lid with air holes. Bats are great escape artists so be sure that there are no small gaps for them to escape from.

Assessment

Most bats come into care have severe wing injuries and will need to be assessed by a vet. Most wing injuries are not treatable so consideration to euthanasia must be considered as a bat that cannot have 100% use of its wings cannot be released.
Bats do not survive well in captivity and do not make good pets. Many bats die from the stress of coming into captivity
Things to check:
Look for any signs of broken bones e.g. protruding bones, droopy wings. Check wing and tail membranes for any tears.

Check body weight.

Look for swelling, grazes, puncture wounds, bad coordination.

Severe swelling can take 24-48 hours to become visible.

Check the bat for mites, gently extend the wings as well as they are more visible on the wings.

Look for spider web entanglements. Remove web using a moist cotton bud.

If after checking you find any problems contact your vet or bat coordinator.

Feeding

Food for an insectivorous bat can be a real challenge if it is going to be long term care as they only eat insects. For short term care the most accessible food is mealworms. Bats love them but they are not to be fed as a sole food long term. Some bats will devour them straight away. I remove the heads of the mealworms as they can bite the lips of the bat and deter the bat from feeding. You should keep your mealworms in a medium of small carnivore mix or insectivore mix. If a bat is unwilling to feed then remove the head of the mealworm and squeeze the insides of the mealworm onto the lips of the bat. This will encourage the bat to lick and get the taste for them. For a long term diet seek further advice from a bat carer. Baby bats requiring milk feeding require a specially designed formula for bats. Never feed cows milk.
Bats must be warmed up prior to feeding. This is very important. A bat will not feed when it is cold. You must also keep the bat warm after feeding long enough for it to digest its food. This can be done by holding in your hands for a while or sitting the bat on a towel on a hot water bottle.

Release

The bat must be released in the same area as it was found. If you did not rescue the bat yourself then find out the exact location from the rescuers that gave it to you. They must me released after dark. Choose a fine night as bats do not like wind and rain. Contact an experienced bat carer for further advice regarding release.

These are very basic guidelines as to the care of insectivorous bats. There is much more information you will need to care for them.

I have cared for bats for many years and feel it a great privilege to do so. It can be very heartbreaking as well due to the severe injuries that we see. But it also can be a great feeling to see the bat fly off into the night back where it belongs.

Baby Insectivorous Bat