That is downright scary! Last week we were at the in-laws in town and I heard a thump....a light brown bat fell out of a tree onto the hood of the truck. FIL said he had seen them before around the house. I poked it with a stick and it flew away.

I always wonder about people who say to encourage them.

I think they live in that dead tree at edge of my property line.
The one the woodpeckers live in now.
Have seen them all summer just about sundown flying over by big street light (that is set back from the road).
They always scare me.
Bonnie

I would definitely get a rabies shot if a bat or wild animal bit me. I can see why the man didn't because it would be natural for a scared wild animal to bite. It is worse because he was bit on the head I think. At least that was what the Dr. told my mother when I got bit by a dog when I was ten. I overheard this and then the relatives we were visiting told stories of a person years ago who had to be locked in building because he went mad. I was scared of dogs for years.

Ok, bear with me as I regale you with my bat story.

A couple of years ago, beautiful April afternoon, I was hiking in the Wilderness of the Ouachita National Forest, looking to photograph some ladys' slipper orchids and various other spring wildflowers. I was bushwacking up a small creek digging on the waterfalls and such. Ducking under a small tree, I started hearing tiny squeeky sounds from my hat. A really cute red bat floppped off of my hat onto my arm. I promptly swiped him off of my arm and he flopped onto the ground. I got a good look at him. Really handsome red ruffled fur, the color of an Irish Setter. I thought about taking him home so he could work on my mosquito population, but decided he belonged in the wilderness next to a waterfall.

That night, I looked him up in my wonderful book, "The Mammals of Missouri" and saw that indeed he was a red bat, and perfectly belonged on a tree sleeping the day away. I also noticed 2 very small dots on my arm where he landed. As I mulled it over, I decided that he did bite me, ever so slightly.

The next day, I called my Dr. and they had to order the serium and I had to pay for it up front...$800! The insurance and the pharm insurance both decided that they didn't need to pay. I went round and round with them, getting a different answer every time. I even got a check from the pharm company for $0.00. Finally, the state insurance regulators made the pharm company pay up. I got all but $50 back.

The treatment: 2 tiny shots in my arse, no pain, nothing at all. It looks like there was maybe a 5% chance that the bat was rabid, but I guess now I'm immune to just about any critter.

As for bats, I love the little guys. An amazing set of evolution, being able to fly in the dark, and find bugs by sending out waves of sound and sensing how the sound returns to him. They are really good at eating lots of bugs, and don't want to mess with us. I wouldn't want them roosting in my attic or eaves, but most seem to want to hang out in trees/shrubs.

By the way, there are a few endangered bats in the Ozarks. Most of them hibernate in caves, and will die if disturbed in winter. There are lots of caves closed due to this fact. Even if there's no gate on a cave, if there's a sign saying "Don't Enter" then DO NOT ENTER. Most of these caves have motion sensors and cameras in case people ignore the signs. The fine is something like $20,000 per violation.

It is good to know the rabies shot is not so bad. The price being high is another story. I am glad you were wise enough to take the precaution.

I guess it was a red bat that hit the truck.

William, that is good to know about the serum...and the insurance company. Thanks.

Well, my experience was different, due to the times, I imagine.It was in the mid to late fifties, I think.
We had a beautiful Dalmation, that one morning, was acting as if he has a bone caught in his throat.Naturally, hubby and I worked with him, before taking to the Vet. He wouldnt even take him out of the station wagon--said take him home, tie him up, and in a day or two, when he died, send his head off.
We did--two weeks later, he's sitting looking at us so pitiful, and it started to snow. Hubby dispatched him, and we took Rabies shots-cant remember if it was 15 shots, or more, had to be put in stomach muscles. Since I was using a machine at the time, prohibited shots there, so they went up my back, along spine. Later years, I find out he most certainly did not have rabies. They told us we could never take the shots again, and the protection was only for a brief period. I do know some vet's take a shot a year now.

We have bats that fly over our house and Hubby wants to build a bat house. Well, that idea has gone south. No way am I having one now.

I have a friend that works for the forestry department and her job is to go into caves and do research on bats. They catch some of them and take blood to check for rabies and other disease and she does a population calculation. She has to take a rabies shot for prevention. She wanted me to go with her, but I did not want to take the shot. Some of her team is made up of volunteers. The caves she enters are prohibited for people to visit, and it is a large fine if you are caught going into one.
Ann

glenda- you might tell that to pauln.

i have had 2 bites. one from a redhead and one from a brunette. no serum was required!

william

And if you ever see a bat acting funny in your front yard and it falls out of a tree, do not DO NOT pick it up wearing dishwashing rubber gloves. That's what my father did and the tiny little teeth went right through the glove. So Dad had Mom bring something to contain the thing and took it to the vet who confirmed rabies and Dad took the shots. Too bad the man who contracted rabies didn't go immediately to the vet with the animal. He would still be alive.

What a sad story. I guess it would be hard to believe that something so horrible could happen from a tiny bite that you can barely feel. I remember a boy dying a few years ago, I think in Tennessee, that had handled a bat, but they didn't have him get shots because they were just sure that he hadn't been bitten.
That's heartbreaking about your dog Ceresone. Makes me think of the Old Yeller movie. sniff