Captive Care and Medical Reference for the Rehabilitation of Insectivorous Bats

A bat found flying inside a building is a very common occurrence during certain times of the year in parts of the United States. Rehabilitators often receive calls from hysterical homeowners who find a bat flying in their house. If unable to reliably rule out the possibility of human contact, the animal should be reported to public health authorities. There are simple techniques that rehabilitators share with people who can reliably rule out the possibility of having had any contact with the bat.

First, isolate the bat in a single room by closing the doors to other rooms behind it as the bat flies around (the bat will commonly begin flying around at night). If there is a door or window in the room in which the bat is finally isolated, open the window or door, wait quietly in a corner of the room, and watch the animal.

Although it may take a while, the bat will often find its way out through the open window or door on its own. If not, wait until the bat lands on the ceiling or wall and remains quiet for a short time. (You will be unlikely to safely capture a flying bat.) Approach it quietly with a small container like a small wastepaper basket or coffee can. The container can be placed over the animal where it is roosting on the wall or ceiling, and then a heavy piece of paper or cardboard slid between the container and the wall or ceiling. Scoot the bat into the waste basket and take it outside, the remove the cardboard, and allow the bat to fly away.

If the bat disappears from sight inside your house before you've had the opportunity to evict it, check behind curtains and wall hangings. If it lands on the floor, place the waste basket over it, and again, slide a piece of cardboard underneath, scooting the bat into the container. If the bat is captured at night, the container can be taken out-of-doors and placed on its side at a height of at least four feet' above the ground, and the bat allowed to fly away. If the bat is captured during daylight hours, the rehabilitator should retrieve it so that it can be secured until nighttime when it can be released.

If the bat does not fly away, it is likely to have an injury or illness (it may simply be dehydrated or starved from being trapped inside) that prevents it from doing so. Replace the cardboard over the opening to the container and put it in a safe place (away from people, domestic pets, or other hazards like fire ants) until a wildlife rescuer arrives.

Barbara French, Bat Authority, answers questions.