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You Found a Bat

South Carolina has 15 species of bats. These are the Big brown bat, Brazilian free-tailed bat, Eastern red bat, Eastern small-footed bat, Evening bat, Gray bat, Hoary bat, Little brown bat, Northern long-eared bat, Northern yellow bat, Rafinesque's big-eared bat, Silver-haired bat, Southeastern bat, Seminole bat, and the Tricolored bat. 

big brown bat.jpg
evening bat.jpg

Signs of Illness:
If you notice any of these, call PWRR immediately

  • Cold and lethargic

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  • Covered in fleas, ants, ticks, or flies/flystrike (looks like small clusters of rice anywhere on the animal)

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  • Dehydrated

  • Has been in a cat's or dog's mouth

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  • Broken limbs, cuts, or bruises

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  • Has been fed any kind of formula or food

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  • Weather is below 50 degrees F

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  • Head tilt

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  • Bleeding

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  • Unable to stand or move without falling over

What You Can Do

Steps to Catch: 

1: Wait until bat is motionless (sometimes they will panic and defend themselves by spreading their wings in mock attack and make loud hissing or clicking sounds). 

2. Contain the bat (do NOT place bat in birdcage or container with small openings, they can easily squeeze through a 1/4 inch crack). The easiest way to do this is to dangle a towel/blanket/cloth in front of the bats face, wearing thick leather gloves. The bat should grab the cloth, allowing you to move the cloth into a bag, box, or container with a lid. If the bat will not grab the cloth, wearing thick leather gloves scoop bat up with cloth and place in container. 

3. Contact PWRR.

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How to Transport:

1. You can place a box, waste can, or similar object over the bat. Then take a piece of cardboard and gently slide it under the box to take the bat outside to release it. Place the bat a minimum of four to five feet up on the side of a tree, they need swoop-down room to fly, they can't lift fly out of a grounded container in a vertical position. 

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