Bat Rescue

Occasionally, overheating causes a colony to jostle for the coolest spots and pups get dislodged and fall out, or a predator gets in and causes a disruption. In ‘natural’ colony spaces, pups can climb back into the colony and reunite with mothers. However, building and bat box colonies often leave no way for fallen pups to return. If you find pups down under a known colony you can return them using a pool skimmer. If pups continue to fall, pup catchers often solve the problem.

But sometimes a mother bat does not return to the colony. Pups that are thin and dehydrated or that are found wandering are probably orphans and can be rehabilitated by trained wildlife rehabilitators.

Adult bats can get in trouble and sometimes need rescue. Grounded bats are not always sick—they get hit by cars, blown into walls, dropped by predators, get too cold or wet, get torn or broken wings, get trapped in buildings, etc., etc. If no one has been bitten and if potential rabies exposure is ruled out, injured and displaced bats can also go to qualified rehabilitators. Visit Bat World Sanctuary’s list to find rescue help in your area.

If you find a bat in need of help in the Northern Virginia area, please call us at 703-973-3157.

At the Save Lucy headquarters we rescue and rehabilitate orphaned and injured bats too! If you need help in Northern Virginia, please call us at 703-973-3157. For more information on bat rehabilitation and to support a wonderful organization, please visit Bat World Sanctuary at www.batworld.org.

Safely Containing a Bat

If you have found a bat that you think needs help and that has not bitten or scratched a person or domestic snimal, please watch this video to learn how to safely contain it for transport to a wildlife rehabilitator.