Why do people call bats Rodents?

Question

Why do so many people consider bats rodents when they are not? New studies have shown them to reside in the Carnivoran and Ungulate families.

On a lesser degree, why are so many people afraid of bats? There is nothing to fear about them, the majority of the species of bats eat fruit and insects.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat

Answer 1

Many bats look pretty similar to a rodent with wings, and to someone who doesn't know better, or perhaps care enough to learn about them, it's pretty easy to consider them rodents. As far as being afraid of them, people are naturally afraid of what they don't understand, and bats are pretty amazing creatures. Not only that, but they're perfectly adapted to life in the dark, and I think that strikes a lot of people as somewhat sinister, especially since humans really don't operate that well in the dark, and bats can navigate amazingly well with zero visibility. Add the legends, myths, horror movies, and the fear of rabies to that, and it's pretty easy to turn a harmless, non-aggresive animal into a monster.

Answer 2

New studies? I have NEVER known bats to be classified as Rodentia!! Ungulates??? Those are hoofed mammals!! Anyway, people tend to be afraid of things they don't understand, and most people don't know much about bats. Movies portray them as scary creatures and blood suckers, and people get scared of getting rabies from them. They can indeed carry rabies and should not be handled unless you have a rabies vaccination, BUT it is not all that common for a person to contract rabies from bats.

Answer 3

Because not all people keep up with new studies. (including me) And I don't why people are afraid of bats. That one I don't understand. Maybe because you only see bats in dark places, and when somethings flying around in a dark place, people get scared.

Answer 4

People often group them in with rodents because of the similarities in appearance- small eyes, brown fur, larger ears, small clawed feet, etc.

People are afraid of bats for the same reason they are afraid of rodents- misunderstanding of the species and because they were brought up to fear them.

Answer 5

Bats are essentially, rats with wings.