I'm not concerned about the well being of the bats.
A bat got into my house last night and after a few minutes of screaming ( yes, i know) I got my neighbor to get it out.
Is rabies a valid concern of mine? What other things do I have to be concerned with if those flying rodents get into my house again?
2007-08-13 15:03:12 · 6 answers · asked by Pretty_Trini_Rican 5 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Bats are actually very cool creatures. And believe or not, they aren't rodents. Yes, bats can get rabies, but so can humans, dogs, cats, mice, rats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, etc. But bats are not automatic carriers of the disease.
Less than 1/2 of 1% of bats have rabies at any given time, so you're probably not at risk. If you are concerned, see your doctor to put your mind at ease. Only about 2 people per year in the US die of rabies from bat bites, and out of 304 million people that's not a bad risk.
You cannot get rabies just from being near a bat or seeing one in your house. In addition you can't even get rabies from touching his fur, his feces or his blood!
Since the rat flew in at night he was probably acting normally. If he had come in during the day you might have reason to be concerned that he was ill. He probably entered the house by accident and was certainly as sorry as you were that it happened. During the summer months young bats are just learning to fly so it may be that you met a young bat who didn't have great control over where he was going.
If you touched the bat or especially if he bit you, it would be very important to wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and to seek medical attention to be sure you didn't get anything from the bat, but it doesn't sound like that happened with you.
All in all, bats are beneficial creatures. You shouldn't touch them (and I can tell you're doing what you can to avoid that!) but
2007-08-13 15:20:21 · answer #1 · answered by Behaviorist 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Flying Bats- are NO problem. They're just doing what bats DO (hunting bugs & mosquitos). It's the bat you see limping across the ground- that's dangerous, cuz THOSE are the ones that could be rabid. Contracting rabies from ANY kind of animal is pretty unlikely- & you can reduce THAT possibility by over 95% when it comes to bats. SO, stop worrying about it- and see if you can find out how that bat got IN- so you can make SURE you don't scare another one to death & give your neighbor a heart attack- to boot! :)
2007-08-13 15:18:24 · answer #2 · answered by Joseph, II 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There was a girl from Indiana that died of rabies from a bat bite but that was only due to the fact that she was not treated in time.I wouldn't worry about it too much,though.Another answerer put it best when they said that flying bats are usually harmless.But do try to keep them out of your house because if they got in, then whole lot of other creatures can get in too.Alot of vermin,like raccoons,can carry rabies and spread it through saliva,without showing any signs of being ill. I like critters but they can't come in my house.
2007-08-13 15:27:37 · answer #3 · answered by chris99 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When animals come into the house like that they probably panic just as much as you and want out . I would open all the doors and windows , if it will not leave on its own , quide it gently with a broom a direction you want it to go. Just don't panic. They are good for the environment by eating insects, eating fruit during the night, spreading the seeds through their poop and pollenate plants. The doodoo is a great fertilizer as well. All this came from the animal channel. Mostly they wont hurt you.
2007-08-13 15:21:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
bats are used in ball games
2016-12-15 22:33:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you weren't bitten you're good.
2016-08-13 10:01:03 · answer #6 · answered by Cato Pestcontrol 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋