Got a baby bat

[Birdy]

These kids came up to the skate park with 3 baby bats and gave me one. I wanna keep it so bad, but after reading on the internet it's illegal to have them as pets, they can contract rabies easily, and that it could possibly die in my care, I thiiiiiiiiink i'm going to take it to a local wild life center and get them to take care of it.

I'm gonna take some pictures of it though for everyone. It's tiny right now, the size of an oreo cookie almost. Oh and I know some of you will be like OH DON'T TOUCH IT. I read that you can only get it from the saliva, but it hasn't bitten me or anything like that and I've washed my hands about a million times since handling it. But I wish the little bugger luck after I take him in.....although I really don't want to.

 

[finn]

So are you keeping it?

 

[Birdy]

I'm thinking about it. My friend has it right now, and the fuckin wild life sanctuary by my house doesn't take bats! The lady told me there's a rehibilitator around here, but I didn't get a chance to write down the number.

Last night he was squeaking and it was sooo high pitched. It sounded really cool. I'm pretty sure he's old enough to be released into the wild since he can almost fly, has sonar and fur.

 

[LovelyAcorns]

Though I got to object to the fact people are walking around skateparks handing out baby bats, you don't have that much to worry about. The bats-rabies things is typical "If you don't obey us, you will die" bullshit. Something like 98% of human rabies cases are from dogs, and only 40 people have died from rabies from bats in the past 50 years. Least of your worries. Or just get gloves and be completely safe.

What are you feeding the bat?

 

[moe]

you should record this squeaking sound, and show it. i think i'd like to hear it.=]

and yeah, what do you feed it?

 

[Birdy]

Yeah that's what I was thinking about the whole rabies thing lol
The kids actually want to give me the other two bats. I don't want them because my dad would kill me if he found out I had one, but I feel bad because I don't know how well they're taking care of them.

My friend who is taking care of it right now is feeding it milk and little moths. It's a very sweet bat actually and it's even had some tea (although I didn't agree with it being fed tea.....it's a bat for christs sake)
I'm probably going to get him back soon and hope to take more pictures of him =)
For now here's a few;

I know what you're thinking on this one,
"He must be absolutely miserable in the light, are you dumb?"
He was miserable, and I had him in a black tank top most of the time. He loved it in there lol.

He's so cute

 

[wartomods]

is he blind

 

[moe]

it is cute.
same things i've been thnking about when i wanted a pet mouse or rat, or one of those warm little furballs.

 

[finn]

Cute little bugger, though you know you shouldn't keep him.

 

[madewithpaint]

that's so adorable! I can understand you not wanting to give it up. I'd probably do the same thing, even though it's kind of irresponsible.

 

[Birdy]

I can't say it loud enough, take it to a animal refuge or a wild animal place. I am not a tree hugging animal PETA fuck, but you are setting your self up for heart ache when it dies, and what kind of life is it getting living in an environment that is not it's natural space.... You can't possibly keep that thing with out the right food, bedding, cage....(Sorry, I just had this talk with my 12 yr old about a wild bunny she tried to bring home...)

BUT DAMN,he IS cute huh...

Way ahead of you Arrow. I called the local animal place the first day, they are wild cats only =/ so honestly unless I drive all the way out to a different town, or I can find a rehibilitator closer, keeping him is the only thing I feel is right, but he's still doing fine and he's already pretty good at surviving lol so hopefully soon he can go back into the wild soon......if I can coax my friend to give him up. I know exactly what you mean with it not being in the right enviorment. As soon as I brought it home I was like shit.....I wanna just put it in a tree, but I don't know how well it'd go with all the huge owls we have. I'm so torn because at least if it's with me or one of my friends I'd know we did the best we could to keep it alive by feeding it milk and little bugs (it's an evening bat because that's what's commonly in our area at least thats what I'm guessing at) I know I sound really irresponsible, but I just can't help it. I guess if I let it go and it dies it's just a part of life.
I'll talk to my friend and see how it goes.

 

[Birdy]

is he blind

That's a myth lol. Bats aren't completely blind, they just have REALLY bad eyesight. He's got cute golden/green eyes about the size of a mini felt tip marker.

 

[Angela]

I probably wouldn't just leave him anywhere until he can fly on his own. But even though he's cute and your getting attached to him, as soon as he can fly he will most likely take off on his own and not make you have to make the decision. When he's old enough to be up flying around the house at night, it's time to leave the door open and let him go, although if you have an attic he may take up residence nearby.

 

[moe]

do they get ugly and mean whenthey're grown?

 

[ianfernite]

HOLY SHIT.
SO.
CUTE.
I almost can't handle it.


You should keep it and train it to do something awesome.
But, realistically speaking, you should listen to Arrow. Haha.

 

[Birdy]

Well, I only had it for a night, and one of my friends was taking care of it(the best he could) he was even teaching it how to fly.

I just found out the other day it died :/
They really should have more rehabilitators around. I still don't even know how it died! Agh.

 

[Matt Derrick]

shitty! im curious to know how it died as well...