Strange question?

ealizard

Member
I happened to rescue a little brown Bat. has anyone ever had one or took care of one?? it seemed to be skinny when I found him/her. but it has been eating crickets, at least 3 a night? and looking plump now. I put it in extra Chameleon cage, I made a Bat house for outside, but it is cold up here in Mich. and not sure it will survive? so any help will be great. Thanks.
 
I happened to rescue a little brown Bat. has anyone ever had one or took care of one?? it seemed to be skinny when I found him/her. but it has been eating crickets, at least 3 a night? and looking plump now. I put it in extra Chameleon cage, I made a Bat house for outside, but it is cold up here in Mich. and not sure it will survive? so any help will be great. Thanks.

I've rehabbed a little brown bat before. If you found it recently, something probably woke it out of its winter torpor and you will need to feed it until there are insects available in spring. It will need a LOT more food and supplements every day and their nutrition is critical, as it burned a lot of body fat reserves in waking up. If it is outdoors you'll need to bring it indoors. A single bat won't be able to maintain its waking body temp well enough outdoors during winter, and it won't be able to forage. If it will eat live insects use small mealworms (gutloaded well just as you would for your chams), crickets, moths, anything you can get. It will need to eat a dozen or so mealworms or small crix every evening. Getting it to drink is critical too, but don't force it. Offer water in a shallow deli cup lid so it can't drown or get soaked. Drinking actively from a dish is unnatural but something it will need to learn on its own. Bats are very intelligent and can live over 20 years.

I'd really suggest locating a bat rehabber to take over its care. A lot can go wrong nutritionally, and the state will not issue you a permit to care for it without their cooperation. There is also the risk of spreading White Nose Syndrome (a fungal disease) to other bat colonies upon release. WNS has wiped out millions of bats and many bat roosts in the east and midwest and is spreading. Solitary bats suffer quite a bit emotionally which can also cause health problems such as hair loss and stress related organ failure. A good rehabber can release it in spring in good condition which I know you would like.

Here's a source for bat rehabbers by region as well as lots of other info. I've worked with them before and they are the best!

http://batworld.org/local-rescue/
 
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Thanks that is a little more info then I could find ,it is indoors and is eating gutloaded , I just dont have the fling room for it and I did hear of a placesort of close, to take it to, and thanks again.. Eric
 
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