Bat House Forum

[angelacarter]

I love all animals, including this adorable little brown bat.  I know better than to touch him, but I have been talking to him, and named him Dick Clark (since he showed up on New Year's Eve).  Poor Clark hasn't moved for 3 days.  I'm afraid he is sick.  Is he hibernating?  When I talk to him, he will move his head and look at me, but he makes no effort to eat the bugs near the porch light at night, although he is inches from them.  I very carefully took my sponge mop and lightly brushed him on the back once today to see if he would fly off, but he just crouched down farther, so I just left him alone.  Is there anything I can do for him?  We live in North Carolina, and the temperatures have been in the low 30s at night.  I want to help.  Please give me some advice if you've had experience with bats.  Thanks & God bless. 

[IowaNate]

 The best thing to do is just leave him be. If he is healthy, he will fly away when the time is right for him. Given the cold nights, he might just be in a state of torpor and will wake back up fully once the temperature outside increases more.

[angelacarter]

Thank you for the reply.  I will let him be.  He is safe there, so I'll wait and see what he does.  He is near the porch light.  Do you think he'd prefer the heat from leaving it on during the night, or the darkness of turning it off?  I usually turn it off, but if you think he needs the warmth, I will leave it on.  I don't know about the habitat preferneces of these creatures.

[Erik]

Angela, if you usually turn of the porch light you can turn it of now as well. With temperatures just above or abut 30 F is very likely the bat is hibernating there. he choose the spot himself so do the same things you usually do. Turn of the light when you want to and leave the bat hibernating there.
When it gets too cold or too hot the for him to hibernate he will choose a better spot to hibernate.  I think it is better to leave the bat a little bit to himself. Talking to it, shining on it with a flashlight and touching it lightly will disturb the bat. Because it is in torpor it will then move its body very slowly, giving the impression that is a weak bat. But every time it is disturbed it needs to take energy from its fat-reserves to be able to move and react. So leaving it alone is probably the best thing to do.

When you really keep worrying about teh bat, maybe there is bat specialist in you area which you can call. There are mostly very happy to come and check out the situation. (At least where I live, which is quite a small country...:D).

[Joe Spencer]

Hi Angela!  Indeed if you disturb him he'll waste his fat reserves which will tax him through the lean winter months.  Hopefully he isn't exposed to any outdoor cats nearby as well.  Please do update us on what the bat does.  Really great to see your appreciaton of bats and wildlife.

[Bat World Sanctuary]

Thank you for your concern about the bat. If he looks thin, scruffy or in trouble pease visit http://www.batworld.org and click on Local Rescue to find a map of the US. Then click on NC to find a list of bat workers in your state.

Amanda

[Joe Spencer]

Thanks Amanda and it is great to hear from you!  BHF members, in addition to her fantastic informational site above, Amanda is the author of one of the finest books I've ever read called "The Bat in my pocket".  Amanda's dedication to saving bats is amazing and if I ever get to Texas I'll certainly put Bat World and the sanctuary on the priority list for me and my family. 

The following is information on orphaned big/brown/evening bat pups from her site:

 http://www.batworld.org/orphan_rescue/orphaned_big.littlebrowns.html

[angelacarter]

Thank you all for the great advice!  The little fellow has flown away now.  We just left him be, as you advised, but he must have gotten tired of all the comings and goings, since he chose the front door entrance.  We haven't seen him in a few weeks, but he looked healthy just before he left.  Thank you again & may God bless you.  Kindest regards,  Angela

[angelacarter]

PS - I'm going to get your book, Amanda.  What a treat for a respected author to reply to my request for help.  You must really have a heart for these little creatures.  :)    Thank you ever so kindly.  Angela