Did you say puppy? Yes, baby bats are called pups. Spring time temperatures bring the migrating bats home or welcome them back to life from hibernation. They are hungry from a long winter’s nap and are active in the evening searching for food. Soon they will have mouths to feed.
Tell me more about bat pups.
This may sound very odd, but bat pups are super cute! When the female bats have their pups all together in a colony, it looks like a ‘bat puddle.’
- Bat pups are hairless and tiny.
- Bats have been known to have twins, but usually there is only one pup.
- Red bats can have up to 4 or 5 babies!
- Since bats are mammals, pups nurse from their mother for the first few weeks of life.
- The female bats form a ‘mom colony’ and nurse their babies safely as a group.
- Bat pups begin to fend for themselves at about 6 weeks.
The mother bat’s goal is to get the pups strong and healthy and hunting for themselves. Learning to fly can be a challenge and a number of the pups don’t survive their first flight attempt.
Bats can be dangerous, but they do provide a great service.
According to an online article from IFL Science:
“….it seems that bats also carry more human pathogens than other animals. Why is this? Bats like to live close to one another, snuggling up as they roost, giving plenty of opportunity for pathogens to spread between the bats.
Now you may be thinking- how do the viruses survive in the bats, then? Once again, it’s back to flight. Viruses are totally dependent on the host to replicate, unlike bacteria, and consequently they require quite specific conditions. When bats fly, their internal temperatures are ramped up to around 40oC (104oF), which is too hot for many viruses. This will kill off a lot of the viruses in the bats, leaving only those hardy viruses that have evolved tolerance mechanisms. Unfortunately for us, this also means they can tolerate a burning human fever.
But don’t go hating on bats because of this- they’re incredibly important pollinators and they also eat mosquitoes. You win some, you lose some.”
Bats do serve a purpose outside of your home. They are voracious bug eaters! Indoors, they are not welcomed guests, and may have found your home by accident looking for a safe and warm environment.
How do I get rid of bats in my house?
As experts in pest control and removal, we cannot stress enough, do not touch, or catch a bat with your bare hands! If you find them in a small room, close the door and barricade the bottom of the door. They can fit through the smallest of spaces as small as a 1/2 inch.
April brings a rebirth after a long winter. If you find a bat pup outside, let us know as we often use rehabilitators for injured animals.
Please contact us if you are unsure if you have bats in your home of office. We can perform a complimentary inspection and review exclusion options as well as other available treatment programs.
Interested in a bat house for your yard? Email us for more information.
