Bats

Anyone selling Bats?

I've got a Louisville slugger I could let go for cheap.


Seriously though, good luck finding a seller. Lots of places have restrictions against private ownership of bats.

The problem is that bats can transmitt rabies.

Originally Posted by The BoidSmith

The problem is that bats can transmitt rabies.

Exactly. There is some type of classification for this type of animal that I can't think of off the top of my head right now which makes them not available for private sale.

Ohhhhh okay, so thats what it is . I was always told it was because a lot of bats were endangered, but some species like the egyptian fruit bat and straw colored fruit bat (which are the ones you usually see in captivity anyway) aren't, so that makes more sense than what they were saying. Can't all mammals transmit rabies though? Or is there just a higher instance of rabies from bats than other mammals -I'm always hearing varying sides of the argument on that one-? Or is this just another example of one of those silly government-type legislation dealies to keep novice teenagers from having them and then releasing them outside when they dont want to take care of them anymore and they end up starting colonies in peoples garages?

Originally Posted by crford1

Can't all mammals transmit rabies though? Or is there just a higher instance of rabies from bats than other mammals

Yes. All mammals can transmit rabies. There may be a higher incidence in bats because they fly from place to place and thus the possibility of exposure may be increased but if they were in captivity that would not happen. I do not know if there are statutory limits on keeping bats.

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats.html

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/kidsr...ls/animals.htm

Bats are awesome! Dogs can carry rabies too, so I don't know why the fact that bats can carry it is so important. Feral cats are found positive for rabies, as are racoons. Those aren't illegil either.
It might have to do with whether or not bats can be VACCINATED against rabies. There's a GREAT bat place in gainesville florida, although I haven't yet managed to go see the public part of it.
Luvs bats.

ahhh, gotcha well again to engraver, good luck in finding them. I have seen them for sale on a rare occasion and they aren't cheap (which is what put me off of them, <$1,000 for one no bigger than a hand... sheesh), but maybe you'll have better luck.

I know that there are some statutes prohibbiting the sale of bats, but I don't know if it is everywhere. As for rabies, bats can get rabies just like any other mammal. There is actually a better chance of you getting bit by a ferral cat or raccon with rabies than bats. About 1/2 of all bats throughtout the world are endangered, but egyptian fruit bats and straw colored fruit bats are not. I too have seen them for sale from time to time. Well thanks for the comments.

You can thank the CDC and their flawed statistics for the problem.
The CDC claims that over half of all the human rabies cases in the U.S that were fatal were due to bats. Sounds bad but when you see what the real number is instead of the percentage, it paints a diffirent story. Only 2 human deaths have occurred in the U.S. since 1998 due to rabies. That means only 1 case was attributed to a bat (the other was due to a german shephard but they won't highlight a dog caused it).
The restrictions against bats is not based on scientific evidence because if it was, it would show bats are less likely to carry rabies than cats, dogs, squirrels, skunks, etc.
Another case of restricting and "unliked" animal.