Bat Basics: Getting Started with bats

NWRA Symposium 2020

Laura Stastny, Executive Director Nebraska Wildlife Rehab Objectives

• Species identification • Basic Anatomy • Intake protocols & Rabies Considerations • Housing • Diet • Common Injuries & Illnesses • Hibernation as a Resource • Considerations for release

*These are the basics! Bats are complex and unique. I encourage you to learn more if you intend to rehabilitate bats, particularly if you are caring for infants or hibernating bats. What Do Nebraskans Know About Bats?

Nebraska Wildlife Rehab (NWR) rehabilitates over 500 bats annually.

Our organization sees 8 species of bats regularly (Big brown bat, little brown bat, northern long-eared myotis, tri-colored bat, evening bat, silver-haired bat, eastern red bat, hoary bat), and occasionally a straggler (or hitchhiker?) of another species (Mexican free-tailed bat).

We’ve developed our bat protocols over the past 19 years in collaboration with other rehabilitators, bat biologists, and, well, bats! Before we go any further…

Bats are cool, but, we do not recommend you rehabilitate bats unless: • You have your pre-exposure rabies vaccines. • You have your rabies titer checked regularly. • You are very familiar with CDC guidelines on rabies exposure in bats, shamelessly educate people about them, and NEVER ignore them. https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/index.html Identify the Species

Why is species important? They’re all bats, right?

To ID a species: Know your anatomy Use objective data and a key Get comfortable weighing bats; measuring forearm length (mm) and tragus length; and identifying the calcar (keeled or unkeeled)

Recognize Individuality

By species By region By individual Do they hibernate? Migrate?

*Natural history is critical* Bat Anatomy – Quick Overview How Do Bats in North America Winter?

• Hibernate Definition: A state of inactivity and metabolic depression in endotherms. Hibernation refers to a season of heterothermy characterized by low body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate, and low metabolic rate. (aka “torpor”)

• Migrate Definition: The seasonal movement of a complete population of animals from one area to another. Migration is usually a response to changes in temperature, food supply, or the amount of daylight. Which common bat species hibernate?

Which common bat species migrate?

IN GENERAL EXCEPTIONS Communal bats in northern climes hibernate Migrators hibernating in leaf litter (brief periods of torpor?) These bats are crevice dwellers Hibernators migrating shorter distances to hibernate Solitary bats/non-crevice dwellers migrate

The vast majority of rehab bats in the U.S. are communal, crevice dwellers. WHY? Intake Protocols

• Intake Form – Consider customizing for your rehabilitators and/or bat anatomy • Rabies Release Form (The one we use is or will be available on the site.) • What is an exposure? If a person is unable to reliably report a bite, a bat must be tested: Young, old, asleep, drunk, intoxicated, otherwise mentally altered Know your best resource for testing. • Do a thorough physical exam. Physical Exam

• Body Condition Body condition and weight vary by species, region, sex, age, time of year. Females are larger than males. Hibernators in the fall and winter should be heavier than in the summer. There is much less seasonal variation in migrator weights.

In addition to body condition scoring, look (feel) for a fat pad on hibernators in the fall and winter. Intake Protocols

• Check hydration • Check for injuries – Rehydrate with subcutaneous NaCl • Check for ectoparasites (mites, or or LRS . Temperature is important! bat bugs) Do not give cold SQ fluids to a bat. Administer Revolution if ectoparasites are – Bats will drink from dishes with no present (or physically remove the training BUT that is after they are parasites) properly hydrated. – Many of our bats are either trapped in houses or downed in the sun. Dehydration is the rule.

©batsintheattic.com Housing – Crevice Dwellers

• Intended for short to medium term housing

• Give them a place to hang

• Give them a place to hide

• Keep dishes within reach

• Keep them warm (unless hibernating) Housing – Crevice Dwellers Roosting In Hibernaculum Housing Housing – Foliage Roosters

• Give them a place to hang (natural or artificial foliage)

• Keep them warm

• Keep them in a quiet space

• Keep (shallow) water dish within reach Diet -Mealworms

• Mealworms as primary/sole diet source • Mealworm substrate (See Handout) • Dusting mealworms • Tricks to help get bats to eat • Teaching to dish feed • Some species dish feed well, others do not.

Photo © Bat World Sanctuary Diet –Other Diets

• Blended Diet – Cleanliness is key

• Baby formula and feeding tools ©BatWorld Sanctuary – Formulas are species specific – Feeding tools

Emergency formula = GME 2 parts water : 1 part powder No more than the first 48 hours Infant Formulas

Crevice Bats Tree Bats • 3.5 ounces (100ml) canned • Fox Valley 32/40, 13.7g (7 Meyenberg evaporated goats teaspoons) milk, reconstituted • Fox Valley Ultraboost, 5.74g • 2 scoops Similac Expert Care (2.5 teaspoons) • Neosure Baby Formula Body Boost Colostrum Plus (or similar brand), 1.24g (3/4 • 1.0 ml organic or unrefined corn teaspoon) oil • 1 Lactaid tablet [9,000 FCC Modified from Bat World Sanctuary Lactase units] (.27g), crushed to a fine powder • 3.5 ounces (100ml) water Common Injuries - Presenting

Wing Tears Fractures (arm, leg, fingers, foot) Common Injuries - Presenting

Mouth issues

Sticky Traps Common Injuries – Acquired in Care

Joint swelling, foot issues

Bloat White Nose Syndrome

What is it? Know species affected in your area Know symptoms Blacklight (366–385 nm) Test? Quarantine

Photo © Dr. Jeremy White Hibernation as a winter alternative

Which bats should you hibernate? Why hibernate? • Hibernators • Mimic natural behavior • Healthy and uninjured • Saves time • Of the correct weight to safely • Saves $ hibernate • Minimizes fat loss Keep Awake

Which bats should you keep awake? Why keep bats awake? • Non-hibernators • Monitoring • Injured or ill • Healing • Under hibernating weight • WNS suspect Wine Cellar

Various options – We use a EuroCave Pure L (purchased from Wine Enthusiast - $4,600)

Pros: Consistent temperature & humidity Built in monitoring Water reservoir Quiet (minimizing stress)

Cons: Cost If you get a lot of bats, a single might be too small! Another Consideration

Weight is no substitute for body condition – it should be used in conjunction with a BCS.

Bats are individuals – there is weight variation based on gender, age, and region.

Ensure that your bats have a quality fat pad before placing into hibernation, particularly if you will be hibernating longer than 1- 2 months. Considerations for Release

• Flight agility • Body Condition • Time of year • Natural behavior of species

Depends on location Insect populations MUST be ample The same species must be active in area (check with biologists) Good weather forecast Recommendations

• Collaborate with other rehabilitators in your region – share data! • Do your own data collection • Ask questions! References

Captive Care and Medical Reference for the Rehabilitation of Insectivorous Bats -Lollar & French 1998

Standards and Medical Management for Captive Insectivorous Bats - Lollar 2010

U.S. Eastern Bats, A Dichotomous Key Bat Survey Solutions batsurveysolutions.com/batmanagement.com

Bat World Sanctuary – http://www.batworld.org

CDC Rabies Information - https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/index.html Questions? Laura Stastny 402-960-4366 [email protected]