Pet Vet Articles (Published Weekly in the Northern Territory News)

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Baby Bats
Dr Stephen Cutter B.V.Sc(hons)

It s baby bat season at the moment, and we are seeing quite a few of the helpless little creatures being bought into the clinic. These beautiful babies are like monkeys in many ways and are very responsive to people. Sadly barb wire fences are still a major cause of bat deaths, and I personally couldn’t imagine the trauma of being trapped on barbed wire. In the Territory bats are recognised as one of the amazing creatures that we live with, wether we find them amazing or wether we find them a nuisance bats up close are spectacular creatures. Their wings have a special digit that holds and moves much like a finger, and their ability to climb and manoeuvre themselves through the tree tops is fascinating to watch. Baby bats cling to their mothers not only in the tree tops but while their mother is in flight. As they get older their mum leaves them in the nursery tree when she goes out feeding and then returns to feed and care for her baby.

There are a lot of different types of bats in the territory ranging from tiny little insectivore and blossom bats through to the larger red flying fox and fruit bats. It is always worth remembering though that bats can carry Lyssa virus (a type of rabies) and need to be treated with caution. Bat handling should be done by experienced and vaccinated carers. Even baby bats can give scratches and bites. If you are scratched or bitten by a bat you need to seek medical attention, even if you think that the injury is insignificant.

There are ways of lessening the damage done by the bats nightly fly over, taking the washing of the line before dark, covering the car or parking under cover, and moving items out of direct flight paths.

If you find a bat in need call Wildlife Rescue on 040908040.

Copyright © 2005-2013 Dr Stephen M Cutter
May not be reproduced without written permission from the author.