Last Monday morning, just after I had taken Nolan for his bath, and I was finally getting my cuppa, the phone rang. The concerned voice on the other end of the line told me she had found a microbat in her bathroom, deposited there by her cat who was trying very hard to look innocent. She had carefully picked up the bat with a piece of paper towelling, and placed it in a shoebox, and then covered it with a tea towel. I arranged to call at her place and pick it up after I had picked Nolan up from his bath, and got the appropriate directions to her home.
When I got to her address, I asked her had she been bitten or scratched by the bat. Thankfully she said no. A tiny percentage of microbats and fruit bats (flying foxes) carry a nasty disease called Lyssa Virus, related to rabies. People who regularly handle bats of any sort have a series of preventative injections, and where at all possible, they are the only ones to handle the animals. As I have not had the injections, I had to take this bat into care without actually touching it. I knew there was very little chance of my catching anything from it, but I wasn’t really interested in taking the risk….specially with my daughter’s wedding coming up! I would be in big trouble if anything stopped me getting there….
I had a quick look at the bat and he seemed very agitated. This wasn’t really surprising; after all he had been carted round in the mouth of a cat. The cat had inflicted some injuries, and I was hoping they were only superficial, but the shock alone could kill him. He was only a tiny little fellow….with his wings folded, he was round the size of a small mouse. Also, this was his bedtime, and he just wanted to find a dark place and have a snooze. Instead there were people looking at him, and very soon would be transferring him from box to box. Oh the indignity! So I decided I’d better do this as quickly and quietly as possible, and let him get on with his sleep….
I removed the teatowel from the top of the box he was in. I reckoned with holes in his wings he wouldn’t be going far anyway. He was hiding under a piece of paper, so I placed my box over that, made sure I had covered him too, and upended both boxes. I removed his “old” box, and saw him now sitting on top of the paper, and I’m sure I saw some steam coming out of his ears as well! So I covered him with a face washer that I had with me, put the lid on the box, and took him home, quick smart.
Then I started ringing round to find a “Bat Person”. My usual bat lady was away, so I rang the vet and asked for any suggestions. They suggested a gentleman from another caring group, but that didn’t worry me, I just wanted to get his little guy assessed, and into care. I knew I didn’t have the expertise to care for him for long. I rang his number, and he answered; I explained the situation and I agreed he would stay at my place overnight, in his box, in a safe place. He said in his opinion he might not last the night, because of the bacteria introduced to his system by the cat.
Night came and I “secured” his box against his possible escape, and put it in the spare bedroom. I reckoned if he DID escape, I wouldn’t have to search the whole house to find him. The next morning came, and I went in to check him. He was still alive, and looked reasonably chirpy. This was hopeful! I rang the “Bat Man” and he was agreeably surprised too, and we arranged the “pickup”. He called after lunch, and gave him the once over. He had tears in both wings, but he thought he would recover well. He held him in various positions examining while I took photos…..of course….
The little bat started to get a bit agitated again, and showed us his lovely needlelike teeth. He didn’t actually bite, but it was a warning….so we put him back to bed in his box, while the “Bat Man” continued explaining what would happen, if all went well. He would catch him some moths for food that night, and over ensuing days would move him to an enclosure where he could exercise his wings. Then he would put a light in his enclosure to attract the insects, and he could start catching his own tucker. Once he felt he was completely healed and ready to go, he would take him to where he was to be released, and sit him on his hand. Once the bat realised he was free, he would start vibrating like a mobile phone: he would start echolocating. Then he would fly away.
Mamaroo's Diary 