Feeding Adult Insectivorous Bats

Home , Hawaiian hoary bat, Western mastiff bat

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PLANTS INSECTS BATS

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Alfalfa,asparagus,bean,beet,broccoli,cabͲ Beetarmyworm BrazilianfreeͲtailedbat bage,cauliflower,celery,chickpea,corn,cotton,cowpea, (T.brasiliensis) eggplant,lettuce,onion,pea,peanuts,pepper,potato,radͲ ish,safflower,sorghum,soybean,spinach,sugarbeet,sweet potatoes,tobacco,tomato,andturnip

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Alfalfa,apple,barley,Bermudagrass,buckͲ Fallarmyworm BrazilianfreeͲtailedbat wheat,cotton,clover,corn,grape,oat,orange,millet,paͲ (T.brasiliensis) paya,peach,peanut,rice,ryegrass,sorghum,strawberry, sugarbeet,Sudangrass,soybean,sugarcane,timothy,toͲ bacco,andwheat

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Pecantrees. Hickoryshuck BrazilianfreeͲtailedbat worm (T.brasiliensis)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Tomatoesandgrapeleaves Sphinxmoths CalifornialeafͲnosedbat (M.californicus)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Corn,spinach,soybeansandvariousvine Cucumber Bigbrownbat(E.fuscus) plants.Note:Thegreatestimpactisbythelarvae(cornrootͲ beetles worms)whichdamagecorncrops.Inonesummerseason, 150batsofanaveragematernitycolonycaneat38,000cuͲ Cornrootworms cumberbeetleswhichmeansapproximately18millionrootͲ (larvae) wormsarenotproduced

FOODS/PRODUCTS:BroadͲleafedwoodyandherbaceousplants Leafhoppers Underwood’sbonnetedbat ofmanyfamilies,sedgesandconifers (E.underwoodi)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Timber Bark Northernyellowbat(L.intermedius), beetles Seminolebat(L.seminolus)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Orchardsandsoybeans Green Bigbrownbat(E.fuscus),bigfreeͲtailed Stinkbugs, bat(N.macrotis),pocketedfreeͲtailed Brownstinkbugs bat(N.femorasaccus)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Alfalfa,broadͲleafedwoodyandherbaͲ Beet Bigbrownbat(E.fuscus),pallidbat(A. ceousplants,conifers,soybeans,sedges,sugarbeets,tomaͲ leafhopper pallidus),easternredbat(L.borealis), toes,andvineyards Yumamyotis(Myotisyumanensis),triͲ Potato coloredbat(P.subflavus),canyonbat leafhopper (P.hesperus),Underwood’sbonneted bat(E.underwoodi),bigfreeͲtailedbat (N.macrotis),pocketedfreeͲtailedbat (N.femorasaccus),BrazilianfreeͲtailed bat(T.brasiliensis)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Timber Spittlebugs Pallidbats(A.pallidus),Yumamyotis (Myotisyumanensis),eveningbat(N. humeralis),bigfreeͲtailedbat(N. macrotis),pocketedfreeͲtailedbat(N. femorasaccus)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Tobaccoandtomato Stiltbugs Canyonbat(P.hesperus)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Sedges,broadͲleafedwoodyandherbaͲ Leaf Underwood’sbonnetedbat(E.underͲ ceousplantsofmanyfamilies,andconifers hoppers woodi)

The70 RehabilitationandCaptiveCareofInsectivorousBatsThe Rehabilitation and Captive Care of Insectivorous Bats70

PLANTS INSECTS BATS

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Pineandsprucetree Sawflies Townsend’sbigͲearedbat(P.townsendii)

FOODS/PRODUCTS:Damagemanyplantsbycausingthe Midges Littlebrownbat formationofplantgallsinwhichthelarvaelive (Myotislucifugus)

Mosquitoes Littlebrownbat(M.lucifugus),BrazilianfreeͲtailed bat(T.brasiliensis),northernyellowbat (L.intermedius),southeasternmyotis(M.austroriͲ parius) Roaches Allen’sbigͲearedbat(I.Phyllotis)

Termites Hawaiianhoarybat(L.c.semotus),bigbrownbats (E.fuscus) Mayflies Littlebrownbat(M.lucifugus),graybat(M.grisesͲ cens) Crickets Pallidbat(A.pallidus),Seminolebat(L.seminolus), westernmastiffbat(E.perotis),bigfreeͲtailedbat (N.macrotis),pocketedfreeͲtailedbat(N.femoͲ rasaccus)

Mealworms Thestandarddietformostinsectivorousbatsincaptivityconsistsoflivemealworms.Othervitamin,mineral, andfattyacidsupplementsarealsonecessaryandareaddedtomealwormsandthecompletesoftfooddiet describedonpage76.Itisnotadvisabletoexceedtheauthors’recommendationsforvitaminormineralsupͲ plementsasthiscanresultinseriousdisorders. Mealwormsarethelarvaeofthedarklingbeetle(Tenebriomolitor).(FornutritionalcontentseeFinke,2002.) Thisdietmaybesupplementedwithcrickets(Achetadomestica)forsomebatspeciessuchaspallidbats(A. pallidus)andbigbrownbats(E.fuscus).Unlessthebat’steetharecleanedonaweeklybasis,itisnotagood ideatofeedwaxmothlarvae(Galleriamellonella)exceptinsoftfoodmixturesbecausetheoutertissuelayer ofthelarvaecanbecomeembeddedinthegumsofabat’steeth,resultinginguminfectionsandsubsequent toothlossoveraperiodoftime(Lollar,1994).Donotfeedcaptivebatsnetsweepings(liveinsectscaughtoutͲ doors)inareaswheremosquitofoggingtakesplacebecausetheinsectsmaycontainpesticideresiduesthat couldadverselyaffectbats. Althoughmealwormsandcricketsareoftenavailableatpetstores,theymaybepurchasedingreaterquantiͲ tiesatreducedpricesfromseveralcommercialdistributors.Mealwormsmaybepurchasedinsmall,medium, large,andgiantsizes.Thesmallerwormsarebestforbatsweighing3gto6g.MediumandlargeͲsizedworms maybebestforspeciesweighingmorethan6g.LargeorgiantͲsizedmealwormsaremoresimpletousewhen feedingabatthatisonlyabletoeattheviscera(i.e.,insides)ofthemealworm.Thismightbethecaseforabat withverywornteethoraguminfectionthatmakesitimpossiblefortheanimaltochewtheharder,chitinous outerportionoftheworm.Batsneedfiberintheirdiet,whichcanbefoundinthechitinofmealworms.Fiberis providedinthesoftfooddietbyblendingthemealwormswithotherfoods,asdescribedfurther. MEALWORMMEDIUM Mealwormscommonlyarrivepackagedinaclothbagfilledwithcrumpledorshreddednewspaper.UponarriͲ val,theyshouldbeplacedimmediatelyintothenutritionalmealwormmediumlistedonthefollowingpage.

TheTheRehabilitation Rehabilitationand andCaptive CaptiveCare Careof ofInsectivorous InsectivorousBats Bats71 x Organicchickstarter.UseablenderonahighͲspeedsettingtoturnthegranulesintopowder. x Wheatbran x Calciumcarbonatepowder (Approximately60%powderedchickstarter,38.5%wheatbran,and1.5%calciumcarbonatebyvolume.) Allowmealwormstoremainatroomtemperaturefortwodaysbeforeplacingthecontainerintherefrigerator. Thisinitialperiodallowsthewormsto“plumpup”considerablyandreachoptimumcalciumlevels.Duringthis time,providemoistureformealwormsbyplacingthinlysliced“moisturefood”ontopofthemedium.UsenuͲ tritiousfruitsandvegetablessuchasapple,cornonthecob,sweetpotato,squash,carrot,organicgreens,kale andfreshgreenbeans.Avoidfoodswhichareoverlyjuicyorstickysuchascucumberorbanana,aswellasbitͲ terfoodssuchasbananapeel. Onthesecondday,refrigeratethewormsandmediuminaventilatedcontainer.MealwormsdevelopintopuͲ pae, which subsequently develop into beetles. Remove any beetles that develop in the medium containing adultworms.Thebeetleslayeggsintheappleorpotatoskins,andlarvae(mealworms)hatchfromtheeggs. Refrigerationslowsdowntheprocessandhelpspreventcontaminationbyparasitessuchasgrainmites. Mealwormmediumshouldbediscardedandreplacedwithfreshpreparationseveryonetotwoweeks.Itis particularlyimportantthatyoudonotkeepmealwormsinawarm,moistenvironmentsuchasalaundryroom. Anexceptionallyhumidenvironmentwillspeedupthelifecycle(i.e.,developmentintothebeetle)andwill frequentlyresultinthedevelopmentofmoldwhichcouldbefataliffedtobats.

PreparingMealwormsforSelfͲfeedingBats Nutrientvalues(drywt)ofmealwormsraisedonthismedium* Protein38.1%;Fat26.3%;Crudefiber4.2%;Ash7.5%;Calcium1.77%;Phosphorus1.38%;Magnesium0.21%;Sodium 0.20%;Potassium0.89%;Iron187mg/kg;Zinc106mg/kg;Manganese33mg/kg;Copper22mg/kg. *ͲAllvaluesrepresenttheaverageofchemicalanalysisoftwodifferentbatchesof“gutͲloaded”mealworms.

Early in the day, remove mealworms that will be used for the eveningfeedingfromtherefrigerator.Theuseofasifter,aspicͲ turedontheright,greatlyreducesthetimeͲconsumingprocess ofremovingmealwormsfromthemediumatfeedingtime.Itis importantthatnograinsadheretowormsfedtothebats. MealwormscanbeeasilysiftedoutofthemixturewithalargeͲ holed strainer (Figure 7Ͳ1), then placed under light so they will “selfͲclean.”Siftthewormsuntiltheyarefreeofwheatbranand otherdebris,thenplacethesiftedwormsintoashallowpan. Tilt the pan so that all the worms slide to one end of the pan Figure7Ͳ1.Siftingmealwormsfrommedium. PhotobyL.Crittenden. (Figure7Ͳ2A).Then,placethepanunderalightsource.Withina few minutes the majority of clean worms will gravitate toward theoppositeendofthepan,leavingdebrisbehind(Figure7Ͳ2B).Thismethodofsortingwormssaveshoursa dayonmealpreparationforinsectivorousbats. Afterthewormshavebeensortedinapanandarecompletelyclean,placethecleanwormsintoanotherpan, thenplacenutritiousmoisturefoodsuchascornonthecob,carrot,organicgreens,freshgreenbeans,orthinly sliced apple, sweet potato or squash on top of the worms (Figure 7Ͳ2C). Mazui Better Bug® Gut Loading Dietmayalsobeaddedtothewormsforadditionalnutrition(KateRugroden,pers.comm.).Placethepanin anareaawayfrombrightlightsandallowmealwormstofeedonthemoisturefoodthroughouttheday.MealͲ wormsfrequentlytakeonthecolorationofthefruits,grains,andvegetablesonwhichtheyhavefedandsubͲ sequentlytastedifferent,addingvarietyandmorenutritiontoacaptivebat’sdiet.

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Intheevening,removeanyleftovervegetaͲ bles and fruit from the pan of clean mealͲ worms. Uneaten vegetables or fruit can be stored in the refrigerator and reused, or addedtothemealwormmedium.Afterthe fruitorvegetableshavebeenremoved,sift mealworms in a strainer to remove worm feces.Place the sifted mealworms into a panandsprinklewiththefollowingsuppleͲ ments per every two cups of clean mealͲ worms: A B x 2 teaspoons of Missing Link®or 2 teaͲ Figure7Ͳ2.A:Siftedwormsarebunchedupatoneendofthepan ® andplacedunderalightsource.B: Withinminutes,cleanworms spoons of Vionate powder (Alternate movetotheoppositeendofthepan,leavingdebrisbehind.Photo thesetwosupplementsonanightlybaͲ byA.Lollar. sis.) x 1/4tsporganicspirulina Gently toss the worms with your fingers to thoroughlycoatthewormswiththesuppleͲ ments. If necessary, sift the mealworms to removeexcesspowderedsupplements.The excesspowdercanbesavedandreusedthe followingnight.

HandͲfeedingAdultBats The number of mealworms a bat will conͲ C sume in captivity depends on a variety of factors including the species, the general C: A pan of clean mealworms feeding on carrots. These worms are health and condition of the individual aniͲ intended for the evening feeding. Photo by A. Lollar. mal,itsnightlyactivity(i.e.,isitflying),the season,andtheambienttemperature.Bats thatarenotselfͲfeedingshouldbefedtwice aday,onceinthemorningandagaininthe evening.Feedingtimesshouldberoughly12 hoursapart. Speciesweighingbetween10g to20gtypicallyeatanywherefrom10to20 oneͲinchmealwormsateachfeeding,while smallerspeciesweighingbetween3gto10g may only eat 5 to 10 mealworms at each feeding. Large species weighing 30g to 70g can eat 5 to 10 giant mealworms at each feeding. Feedabatasmanywormsasitwillaccept ateachfeedingtwiceadayforthefirstcouͲ pleofdays.ItisimportanttocheckthedisͲ D tentionoftheabdominalareaperiodicallyas D: Adding vitamin supplements just before feeding time. Photo by thebatfeeds.Theareaontheundersideof L. Crittenden..

TheTheRehabilitation Rehabilitationand andCaptive CaptiveCare Careof ofInsectivorous InsectivorousBats Bats73 thebatjustbetweenthelegsshouldnotbesunkeninasthisisasignthatthebathasgonewithoutfoodfor toolong.Aflatabdomenmeansthebathasnotyethadenoughtoeat.Anoverlydistendedabdomenmeans thebathasbeenallowedtoconsumetoomuchfood. TeachingAdultBatstoSelfͲfeed Somewildbatscanbetemptedtoeatwhenfirstreceivedbyofferingthemalivemealworm.Allowthebatto hangheaddownonthesideofitscage(treebats)ortoresthorizontallyinsidearoostingpouch(crevicebats), and,usingforceps, gentlyrunamealwormalong thebat’sjawline.Thisusually causes thebat toopenits mouth,allowingthemealwormtobeplacedinside.Abatwilloftenclampdownontheworm,recognizeitas food,andcontinuetoeat.Ifthebatwillnoteatamealwormwhole,tryofferingitadecapitatedworm.Pinch off the head of the mealworm, and, using forceps, squeezeoutasmallamountoftheviscera(i.e.,insides) intothebat’smouth. Somebatswillimmediatelyopentheirmouthsandbare theirteeth,tastingthevisceraintheprocessandproͲ viding an opportunity to again place a worm in their mouth. However, some bats will shy away from food offered in this manner and must be held gently but firmlyinthehandwiththeheadsomewhatlowerthan the rest of the body. Mealworm viscera can then be offered as described above. If a bat still appears too fearfultoeatmealworms,softfoodshouldbeoffered. The length of time it takes for a bat to learn to feed fromtraysordishesvariesfromspeciestospeciesand fromindividualtoindividual.BatspeciesthatgleaninͲ sectsfromsurfacesorforageforinsectsontheground maylearntoeatfromatrayplacedonthebottomofa A cage more quickly than species that feed mainly in flight. Molossid bats can be difficult to teach to selfͲ feed.Thefacialstructureofthesebatsappearstomake itdifficultforthemtograspamovinginsectfromaflat surface,althoughmanycanbetaughttoselfͲfeedover time(Lollar,1994).Somespecies,suchasM.lucifugus, willfeedfromtraysofmealwormsontheirownwithͲ out ever being taught. Some bats never learn to selfͲ feedandmustbehandͲfedtwicedaily(Figure7Ͳ3Aand B). Bats should be accustomed to eating handͲfed mealͲ wormsbeforetrainingisinitiated.Whenfirsttraininga bat to selfͲfeed, hold the animal over a small tray of mealworms(crevicebats)orallowittohangfreelyon thesideofacageanddirectlyoverthedish(treebats). B Thetrayshouldbeshallowbutlargeenoughforthebat toclimbinandoutwithoutallowingthemealwormsto Figure7Ͳ3.A:A4gP.hesperusappearstoenjoyahandͲ escape and heavy enough so the bat can’t tip it over. fed,smallͲsizedmealworm.PhotobyD.Hyatt.B:A60g Mealwormscaneasilyclimbonroughenedsurfaces,so E.perotisbeinghandͲfedagiantͲsizedmealwormwhile useatraywithasmoothsurface.Removemealworms hanging in her roost. Photo by A. Lollar. Both species fromthetraywithbluntforceps,andofferthemtothe typicallyrequirebeinghandͲfedincaptivity. batonebyone.Holdthebatclosetothetrayordishso

The74 RehabilitationandCaptiveCareofInsectivorousBatsThe Rehabilitation and Captive Care of Insectivorous Bats74

itcanwatch asyoupick upeach mealworm (Figure 7Ͳ4A). HandͲfeed it several mealͲ worms until it begins reaching into the tray on its own. Once the bat has taken a few wormsfromthedishcompletelyonitsown, do not continue to use the forceps to help thebat.TodosowillhinderthetrainingprocͲ ess and may result in the bat becoming deͲ pendentonthecaretaker’shelpduringeach meal. Thetrainingprocesswillbuildtrustbetween the caretaker and the bat, and should be a pleasant experience for the bat. Teaching batstoselfͲfeedcanbefrustrating;itisvery important to stay calm even when things aren't going well. Always end a training sesͲ sioninapositivemanner.Ifthebatappears stressedduringthetrainingprocess,giveita “treat”ofviscera,thenputitawayandallow ittocalmbeforetryingagain.Itisimportant Figure7Ͳ4.A:TrainingafreeͲtailedbattoselfͲfeedonmealͲ torememberthatsomebatsmayneverlearn worms.T.brasiliensis.BatWorldfacility.PhotobyJ.Waltz. to selfͲfeed. These bats should be fed the completesoftͲfooddietdiscussedlaterinthis section. CreviceBats Afteracrevicebathastakenmealwormsfromadishonitsownwhilebeingheldinthehand,dishescanbe addedtothecagetoencourageselfͲfeeding.Aftertraining,mostbatsbegineatingfromthedishthefirstnight. Coverthebottomofthetrayordishwithmealworms(seeMealwormDishesforphotosofdishesfilledwith theproperamountofmealworms).Alternately,aMultipetTreeHouseisanexcellentdevicefortrainingbats toselfͲfeedaswellasprovidingahidingplaceforshycrevicebatstoselfͲfeed(seeMealwormDishes).Place traysagainstthewallstoallowbatstocrawldownthesideofthecageandfeedfromatraywhilestillhanging headdown.BesurethatmealwormsplacedintraysforselfͲfeedingarefreeofmedium,shedskin,piecesof worms,anddeadworms. In the morning, remove guano, dead worms, and mealworm feces,thenplacetheremaininglivewormsbackintothemealͲ worm medium in the refrigerator. Bats should never be fed deadmealworms.WashthedishinantibacterialdetergentafͲ tereachuse,andrinsewell. TreeBats Asageneralrule,treebatsthathavebeentaughttoselfͲfeed frommealwormtraysdonotfindthemealwormsleftintheir cagesforselfͲfeeding.Moreimportantly,duetothetendency of tree bats to overfeed, leaving trays of mealworms in their enclosures can be dangerous. Instead, hang the bat over the dishsoitcanselfͲfeed(Figure7Ͳ4B),thenremovethebatfive totenminuteslater,whenthebatappearsfull.CheckthedisͲ tensionoftheabdomen,andifthebatappearsfull,removethe B:AhoarybatlearningtoselfͲfeedonmealͲ trayofmealworms. worms.L.cinerus.BatWorldfacility.Photoby A.Lollar.

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BesurethatmealwormsplacedintraysforselfͲfeedingarefreeofmedium,shedskin,piecesofworms,and deadworms.Alwaysofferwaterbyhandtotreebats,allowingthemtodrinktheirfill.BesuretowipeanydeͲ brisandmoisturefromthebat’sfaceandneckusingacottonswaborsoftpieceofgauze,thenreturnthebat toitsnormalroostingplace. Removethedishafterthebathasbeenfed.Removeguano,deadworms,andmealwormfeces,thenplacethe remaininglivewormsbackintothemealwormmediumintherefrigerator.Washthedishindetergentafter eachuse. AdditionalNotes x Nitrilefingercotswornonthethumbandindexfingerwillpreventstainingofthefingersfrommealworms. x MealwormsshouldneverbeleftinenclosureswithseverelydebilitatedbatsorwithbatsthathavesusͲ tainedbackorotherinjuriesthatseriouslyimpedeterrestrialmovementbecausetheycanbeovercome andeatenbythemealworms.Onthecontrary,traysordishesoffreshmealwormsshouldbeleftinencloͲ suresbothdayandnightwhenlargecoloniesofhealthycrevicebatsarebeingmaintained. x UponfirstlearningtoselfͲfeed,somebatswillovereat.Thisistrueofbigbrownbats(E.fuscus)inparticuͲ lar.However,theauthorhasfoundthatbatsofseveraldifferentspeciesincludingbigbrownbats(E.fusͲ cus),BrazilianfreeͲtailedbats(T.brasiliensis),cavebats(M.velifer),eveningbats(N.humeralis),andpallid bats (A. pallidus) will in fact regulate their consumption within a period of approximately two to three months and remain within appropriate ranges for the species, despite initial (and sometimes dramatic) weight gains. It should be noted, however, that because some bats initially become obese when given unlimitedaccesstofood,batsintendedforfuturereleasemayneedtobehandͲfedthecompletesoftfood diet. x IfabatallowedtoselfͲfeedhasexceededtheupperendoftheweightrangeforthespecies,itsdietcanbe carefullyadjustedbyreducingeachfeedingbyonlytwoorthreemealwormsuntilthedesiredweightis attained.Manycaptivebatswillalsoincreasetheirconsumptionandbodyweightnaturallyinthefallin preparationformigrationorhibernation(seeHibernation). x BatsthatdonotlearntoselfͲfeedwillneedtobehandͲfedforthedurationoftheircaptivelives.CaretakͲ erswhoarenotpreparedtocareforabatinthismannershouldplacethebatinanaccreditedsanctuary. FeedingCrickets Crickets(Achetadomesticus)constituteapartofthenormaldietinthewildforspeciessuchaspallidbats(A. pallidus),andbigbrownbats(E.fuscus).Housecricketsareavailablefromseveralinsectsupplyhouses.These insectsarelessnutritiousthanthemealwormdietsbecausecricketsaremoreselectiveintheirfeedinghabits andcannotbeprovidedwithsupplementalnutrientsaseasilyasmealwormscan,whichiswhytheyareonly usedasasupplementtotraditionaldiets.Informationregardingthecareandfeedingofcricketsisprovidedby PatriciaWintersasfollows: Itisbesttorefrigeratecricketsimmediatelyonarrivalforabout30minutesinordertoreducetheiractivity level,makingthetransferfromthedeliverycarton toastoragecontainer muchsimpler.Donotrefrigerate themforanylongerastheymaydiewithinjustafewhoursofinitialrefrigeration.CricketsshouldbemainͲ tainedinalargeaquariumorplasticstoragecontainercoveredwithascreenedtop.PlacerabbitͲfoodpellets, greens,andcarrotsonthebottomofthestoragecontainerandaddasmalldishofwaterfilledwithsmallpebͲ bles to prevent the crickets from drowning. Then place the crickets in the container and cover with the screenedlid.Keepthestoragecontainerwithcricketsinadryenvironmentatabout70°Fahrenheit.Dampness

The76 RehabilitationandCaptiveCareofInsectivorousBatsThe Rehabilitation and Captive Care of Insectivorous Bats76

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AdditionalNotes Addinganicecubetothefrozenmealwormsduringtheblendingprocesswillhelpthefoodtoremaincold whileblending,whichwillpreventspoiling. Ifnotblendedforasufficientperiodoftime,softfoodmayhaveagrainyconsistencyandmaycontainchunks ofwormsorsoftenedwormskinsthatbatswillnotaccept.Themixtureshouldflowfreelythroughthetipofa 3mlsyringe.Checktomakecertainitisthoroughlyblendedbydrawingthemixtureintoa3mlsyringewhileitis stillintheblender.Iftheentire3mldoesnotflowfreelybackoutofthesyringewhentheplungerispushedin (i.e.,ifitclogsthesyringe),continueblendinguntilitwill. Checkthetemperatureofthesidesoftheblenderthroughouttheblendingprocess.Theyshouldremaincool. Ifoverheated,themixturewillspoil,andbatswillnoteatit.Thisiswhyfrozenmealwormsmustbeused. Softfoodthatisturningrancidwilldeveloptinyairbubblesthatareeasilynoticedwhenthefoodisdrawninto asyringe.Rancidfood(orfoodthatisevenquestionable)shouldbediscarded. Oncethesyringeisfilledwithsoftfood,itshouldbeplacedinabowlofwarmwater.Beforefeeding,thetemͲ peratureofthemixtureshouldbetestedbyplacingasmallamountontheinsideofthewrist;thefoodshould bemoderatelywarm(neverhot).Itisveryimportantthatthemixturenotbeoverheatedwhenwarmingit priortofeeding.Ifoverheated,moisturewillbedrawnoutofthemixtureanditwilltakeonalumpyconsisͲ tencythatmostbatswillnotaccept. Ifabatisarousingfromdailytorpor,itwillshiverasitwarmsup.Itneedstobesufficientlywarmedbefore feedingsothatitcandigestitsfood.Abatisalsomorelikelytoaspirateorchokeonfoodifforcedtofeed while it is shivering. You can speed up the arousal process by holding the bat in your hand. When it has stoppedshivering,holditsothattheheadisparalleltoitsbody,andplaceasmalldropofthesoftfoodinthe bat’smouth.NeverholdthebatinaheadͲuppositionwhenfeedinganykindoffood. WhenfeedingspeciesofthefamilyVespertilionidae,pointthesyringetowardsthechinortoonesideofthe mouthtoavoidgettingsoftfoodinthebat’snostrils.Molossidbatsmayrequiremorepromptingtogetthem tobegineating.Gentlyforcethelowerjawdownwardwiththetipofthesyringeagainstthetopofthelower teeth,andthenplaceasmallamountoffooddirectlyinthebat’smouth,asshownonthefollowingpage.AlͲ though many weak bats cannot be forced to eat live mealworms or even mealworm viscera, most can be coaxedintoeatingsoftfood. Itmaytakeafewminutesforthebattobegineating.Batsthatareveryweakwillswallowthefoodplacedin theirmouthsveryslowly,andpatienceisneededtoinsureadequatefoodintakeandapositiveexperiencefor thebat.Allowthemtotaketheirtimewitheachmouthful.Evenforbatsthatreadilyacceptsoftfood,itiscritiͲ callyimportanttowaitafewsecondsbetweenmouthfulstomakecertaintheyhaveswallowedallofthefood beforeofferingmore.SomebatsmaytoeattofastandwillaspirateifnotforcedtowaitafewsecondsbeͲ tweenmouthfuls. Feedsoftfoodmixturestwiceadaytobatsunabletoeatlivemealworms,onceintheearlymorningandagain intheevening,approximately12hoursapart.Batsweighing10gto20gwilltypicallyeat1.0mlto2.0mlofa softfoodateachfeeding.Batsweighing20gto35gmayeatasmuchas3.0mlperfeeding.Smallerspeciesmay onlyeat0.5mlto0.75mlperfeeding.EventhesmallestofbatspeciesintheUnitedStates(i.e.,a3gbat)should befedatotalofatleast1.0mlperday(0.5mlperfeeding).Withtheexceptionofnewlyvolantjuvenilebats,it isnotadvisabletoexceedthesequantitieswhenfeedingbatssoftfoodmixtures.

The78 RehabilitationandCaptiveCareofInsectivorousBatsThe Rehabilitation and Captive Care of Insectivorous Bats78

Table7Ͳ2 BatWorldSanctuaryCompleteSoftFoodDiet NutritionalAnalysis

AscorbicAcid(VitaminC)(mg/100g) <1.00/100g Ash 1.11% Calcium 0.41% Copper(ppm) 4.06 CrudeFiber 1.46% CrudeProtein(%) 9.41% Fat(acidhydrolysis) 10.33% Iron(ppm) 35.8 Magnesium 0.038% Manganese(ppm) 6.36 Moisture 77.03% Phosphorus(ppm) 1,714 Potassium 0.23% Sodium 0.26% VitaminA(asRetinolonly)(IU/100g) 5,395.58 Zinc(ppm) 10.61

AminoAcidAnalysis Alanine 0.72% Arginine 0.44% AsparticAcid 0.61% Cystine 0.12% GlutamicAcid 1.57% Glycine 0.46% Histidine 0.24% Isoleucine 0.22% Leucine 0.87% Lysine 0.30% Methionine 0.08% Phenylalanine 0.51% Proline 0.75% Serine 0.33% Threonine 0.50% Tryptophan 0.09% Tyrosine 0.26% Valine 0.59%

TheTheRehabilitation Rehabilitationand andCaptive CaptiveCare Careof ofInsectivorous InsectivorousBats Bats79

ProperFeedingTechnique,CreviceBats

A B Figure7Ͳ5.A:Gentlyforcethelowerjawdownwardwiththetipofthesyringe,andthenplaceasmall amountoffooddirectlyinthebat’smouth.B:Asthebatchews,slowlydispensemorefoodintothe mouth,beingsuretowaitseveralsecondsbetweenmouthfulstomakesurethebathasswallowedallof thefoodbeforeofferingmore.T.brasiliensis.PhotosbyM.Kreb.

C D

Figure7Ͳ5.C:Afterthebatisfull,useadamppaper towelorgauzetowipeanyfoodthathascollected on your hand beneath the bat. Be sure to clean yourhandfirst(notthebat)asanythingremaining onyourhandwilllikelyenduponthebatasyou putthebataway.D:Afteryourhandisclean,genͲ tlywipethebat’sfaceandchinwithadampened papertowelorgauze.Besuretocheckthethroat andcleanthatareaifneeded.Ifnecessary,usean interdental brush to clean the fur as described in BathingandGroomingProcedures.Besuretodry anyfurthatbecomeswet.E:Afterfeeding,thisbat iscleanandreadytobereturnedtoherroost.The totaltimespentfeedingandcleaningthisbatwas E approximatelyfourminutes.T.brasiliensis.Photos byM.Kreb.

The80 RehabilitationandCaptiveCareofInsectivorousBatsThe Rehabilitation and Captive Care of Insectivorous Bats80

ProperFeedingTechnique,TreeBats Thesoftfooddietshouldbefedtotreebatsusingamethodthatprevents foodfromaccumulatingonthefur.Onetechniqueinvolvesholdingthebat withitsheadtiltedinadownwardpositionsoitlaysproneagainstyourfinͲ gers, with its head extending past your fingertips. Rest your thumb on the shoulderbladestosecurethebatinyourhand.Dispensethefoodamouthful atatime.Asthebatchews,slowlydispensemorefoodintothemouth,being suretowaitseveralsecondsbetweenmouthfulstoensurethebathasswalͲ A lowedallofthefoodbeforeofferingmore. Figure 7Ͳ6. A: An injured hoary Another technique is to allow the bat to hang from the side of a cage or bat being fed as she roosts BatHut while being fed soft food (Figure 7Ͳ6A). This method is particularly within her cage. L. cinerus. Bat beneficial when minimal handling and disturbance of the bat is necessary, WorldLoneStarfacility.Photoby suchasforalactatingtreebatwithpupsattachedtoherbody,orbatsthat D.Hyatt. arehealingfrominjuries.

ImproperFeedingTechniques Whileglovesmaybenecessaryforsafelyhandlingbats duringinitialexaminations,theuseofglovesandface maskswillgreatlyimpairacaretaker’sabilitytopropͲ erly feed insectivorous bats. Masks reduce the careͲ taker’svisibilitywhenlookingdown,andmayalsodeͲ A B creasethebat’sabilitytoreachalevelofcomfortand visualfamiliaritywithitshandler(Figure7Ͳ7A).Gloves increasethelikelihoodthatmealwormvisceraandsoft foodwilladheretothebatsfurbecausethehandleris unabletofeelthatthebatisgettingwetuntilthebat’s neckandthroatbecomesaturated(Figure7Ͳ7B). Foodmustneverbeallowedtocollectunderthechin andneckofthebat.Allowingthebattobecomesoiled withsoftfoodormealwormviscerawillresultinlossof furandsubsequentskininfections(Figure7Ͳ7C).These infectionscanbecomesystemicifnotproperlytreated, resultingindeath.Batswithdensefurareparticularly pronetoinfectionswhenimproperfeedingtechniques areused. Paycloseattentiontoboththeface,aswellasventral surfaces as you are feeding soft food to a bat, and theseproblemsareeasilyavoided.Placinggauzeunder thebat’schin,inbibͲlikefashion,orholdingthebatso thatexcessfooddripsoffthechinandawayfromthe bat,ratherthanonthecaretaker’shand,willkeepthe Figure7Ͳ7.A:Useofmasksandglovesimpedeproper batcleanduringthehandͲfeedingprocess.Neverputa feedingtechniques,causingabattobecomesoiledwith batawaywithfoodadheringtoitscoatasinfectionwill food.B:Batsshouldneverbehelduprightand/orforce result.Useaninterdentalbrushdippedinwarmwater fed.C:Ulcerativedermatitisresultingfromtheimproper feedingtechniquesdescribedinAandB,occurringatthe togentlyandthoroughlybrushfoodfromthefur,payͲ SmithsonianNationalZoo.Thisbatdidnotsurvivedueto ingcloseattentiontotheareaunderthechinandneck infection.C.townsendiivirginianus.PhotosbyM.SingleͲ (seeBathingandGrooming). ton.

TheTheRehabilitation Rehabilitationand andCaptive CaptiveCare Careof ofInsectivorous InsectivorousBats Bats81

Table7Ͳ3 AverageWeightsofInsectivorousBats (ingrams)

FamilyMormoopidae Myotiscalifornicus(1) 3Ͳ5 Mormoopsmegalophylla(1) 13Ͳ19 Myotisciliolabrum(1) 4Ͳ5 Myotisevotis(4,2,2) 4.2Ͳ8.5 FamilyPhyllostomidae Myotisgrisescens (7,2,2) 7.9Ͳ13.5 Choeronycterismexicana(1) 10Ͳ25 Myotiskeenii(4,2,2) 4.0Ͳ5.9 Leptonycterisyerbabuenae(3,2,3) 18Ͳ30 Myotisleibii(7,2,2) 4.1Ͳ5.5 Leptonycterisnivalis(1) 24 Myotislucifugus(1) 7Ͳ9 Macrotiscalifornicus(3,2,3) 12Ͳ20 Myotisseptentrionalis(1) 5Ͳ9 Myotissodalis(7,2,2) 7.1Ͳ7.5 Myotisthysanodes(1) 6Ͳ11 FamilyVespertilionidae Myotisvelifer(1) 15 AntrozousPallidus(1) 12Ͳ17 Myotisvolans(1) 5Ͳ9 Corynorhinusrafinesquii(1) 7Ͳ13 Myotisyumanensis(1) 4Ͳ6 Corynorhinustownsendii(1) 7Ͳ12 Nycticeiushumeralis(1) 5Ͳ7 Eudermamaculatum(1) 16Ͳ20 Parastrellushesperus(1) 3Ͳ6 Eptesicusfuscus(1) 13Ͳ20 Perimyotissubflavus(1) 4Ͳ6 Idionycterisphyllotis(3,2,2,) 8Ͳ16 Lasionycterisnoctivagans(1) 8Ͳ12 FamilyMolossidae Lasiurusblossevillii(1) 10Ͳ15 Eumopsfloridanus(7,2,2) 30.2Ͳ46.6 Lasiurusborealis(1) 10Ͳ15 Eumopsperotis(1) 65 Lasiuruscinereus(1) 20Ͳ35 Eumopsunderwoodi(1) 53Ͳ61 Lasiurusega(1) 10Ͳ15 Molossusmolossus(5,5) 12Ͳ15 Lasiurusintermedius(1) 18Ͳ24 Nyctinomopsfemorosaccus(1) 10Ͳ14 Lasiurusseminolus(1) 10Ͳ15 Nyctinomopsmacrotis(1) 24Ͳ30 Lasiurusxanthinus(2,2) 10Ͳ15 Tadaridabrasiliensis(1) 11Ͳ14 Myotisauriculus(2,2) Unknown Myotisaustroriparius(1) 5Ͳ7

Informationwasderivedfromadiversityofsourcesincludingregionaldata.ForbatsfoundininthestateofTexas,inforͲ mationwastakenfrom1Schmidly,1991.ForbatsnotfoundinthestateofTexas,informationwastakenfrom:2Barbour andDavis,1969;3Norwalk,1994;4NagorsenandBrigham,1993;5Emmons,1990;6Eisenberg,1989;7MammalianSpeͲ ciesAccount.