Help! I Found a Bat!

Bats are a Rabies Vector Species (RVS). Any mammal (including humans) can get rabies, but cases are most commonly reported from Rabies Vector Species like foxes, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs and bats, as well as stray cats and dogs. You should avoid handling an RVS, but if it is absolutely necessary, always handle it with caution by wearing thick gloves. An RVS cannot be relocated in Pennsylvania if trapping. Please understand that an RVS does not mean it automatically is carrying rabies.

Remember: Remember: It is illegal to keep and raise wildlife

Myth: A bat always has rabies if it’s flying during the day instead of at night

If You Find a Bat That:

  • Is unable to fly

  • Is not fully furred

  • Is awake from September to May

  • Appears sick or injured

  • Has been in a dog or cat’s mouth

  • Has parasites, including fly eggs (look like little grains of rice)

This is an emergency. Receive immediate support here or contact your local wildlife rehabilitator.

If You Find a Bat That:

  • Is flying during the day in spring or summer

  • Is roosting inside a building

This is okay! Bats will sometimes leave their roosts during the day due to a disturbance at the roost or heat stress. It is not unusual for bats to fly during this time. For more solutions to common problems with bats in human spaces, visit this page.

How To Save Baby and Juvenile Bats

Bat pups are completely dependent on their mother’s for the first six weeks of their lives. They’re born hairless with eyes and ears closed. Until a bat can fly, it will not leave the roost. Pups that fall while in the roost may sometimes be retrieved by their mother. Most bat species have one or two pups at the beginning of spring during May and June. Any bat pup found on the ground and unable to fly is an emergency!

How To Save Adult Bats

Adult bats are often smaller than you may think. The largest bat species in Pennsylvania (Hoary Bats) will only grow to 5.9 inches in length. Pennsylvania’s bats are nocturnal insectivores, meaning they prey on insects and are typically active during evenings and overnight. For more solutions to common problems with bats in human spaces, visit this page.

Any adult bat found on the ground or unable to fly is an emergency!

Do you still have questions after reading the information above? Contact us or a local wildlife rehabilitator!

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Resources

  • Answering the Call of the Wild by Erin Luther. Toronto Wildlife Centre