Bats

[engraver30]

Anyone selling Bats?

 

[SPJ]

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 BoidSmith]

The problem is that bats can transmitt rabies.

 

[SPJ]

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.

 

[crford1]

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?

 

[Lucille]

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/kidsrabies/Animals/animals.htm

 

[Wolfy-hound]

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.

 

[crford1]

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.

 

[engraver30]

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.

 

[SPJ]

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.

 

[kellysballs]

Incredible Pets in Melbourne FL had Bats last time I was there. I dont dislike them I just never thought of keeping them so I dont know what kind or how much they are.

 

[Lucille]

it would show bats are less likely to carry rabies

No matter how likely or unlikely an animal is to carry rabies, if you buy a healthy, vaccinated one it is just like buying a dog: if it is kept in captivity it has very little chance at exposure.

 

[SPJ]

No matter how likely or unlikely an animal is to carry rabies, if you buy a healthy, vaccinated one it is just like buying a dog: if it is kept in captivity it has very little chance at exposure.

You hit it right on the head.
A bat would most likely be kept inside with no access to wild animals and would most likely recieve regular vet care.
The risk of contracting rabies is so minimal but, once again, the government has decided what is "best" for people.

 

[Lee Watson]

Oh the lowly bat.

I have been in the exotic and domestic animal business for 49 years. Providing animals for movies, TV and commercials. Rabies has been a threat to animal owners across the nation. Not the threat of the animals having or catching rabies, but the fear of government rule. There are a few animals that cannot be tested. Bats and skunks being the 2 that we hear about. When an animal can't be tested it is given an automatic positive. In our state if you have an exotic animal bite, scratch or just be accused of it they are destroyed and their head sent in for testing.
Other then bats and skunks completely misleading tests
I deify anyone to show me a rabid animal.
Getting to the bats themselves, the govt does not allow them to cross state lines. They may become invasive animals if turned loose.
Lee Watson

 

[The BoidSmith]

In our state if you have an exotic animal bite, scratch or just be accused of it they are destroyed and their head sent in for testing.

And you will be given the anti-rabies serum.

Regards

 

[Jim O]

I deify anyone to show me a rabid animal.

Lee, I assume you meant to type "defy". Perhaps you don't recall the rabies epizootic that went across the northeast US and into Canada in the 1980's and 1990's. Living in the northeast I saw many rabid raccoons. They were easy to spot because they were out during daylight hours. Same thing with red foxes. I saw several of those including one on a golf course where I was playing. Animal control came immediately and shot the animal who was obviously impaired and near the end.

 

[The BoidSmith]

They were easy to spot because they were out during daylight hours.

Exactly, that's the first sign to look for, abnormal behavior. Nocturnal animals seem to loose the ability to discern between daylight or nighttime (rabies affects the CNS). Skunks wandering in plain daylight? You better walk the other way...no matter how friendly they look.

Regards.

 

[Cat_72]

I deify anyone to show me a rabid animal.

You're free to come on over and look out in my grove by the "burn pile"....we shot a raccoon day before yesterday, out wandering around in the middle of my yard, right behind my car, in the middle of the day....walking in circles and looking generally confused and screwed up. My other half walked right out there with the 12 gauge, and the thing didn't even run. I've seen enough coon around to know that one just wasn't right, and my vet agreed it was probably rabid.

You're welcome to take it in for testing, it's certainly been frozen out there in the snowbank.

 

[dzoo]

Sick racoons seen wandering in daylight are more likely to be suffering from Distemper than rabies, but of course there is no way to tell without clinical exam .... Distemper is very easily transmitted since it is an airborne virus wheras Rabies must be transmited through close contact, fighting etc.

I believe that bats were banned due to the fact that most were imported and there was concern that they could bring in foreign diseases that might affect agriculture, fruit bats are natural hosts of both Nipah and Hendra viruses among others.

I still remember the first reptile show I went to, around 1989 - 1990 and there was a vendor selling Egyptian Fruit Bats in little wire barred boxes that looked like what they must have been imported in, they looked very sad.....

 

[Jim O]

Sick racoons seen wandering in daylight are more likely to be suffering from Distemper than rabies

This perhaps is so in general, but doubtful during an epizootic. In the early to mid-1990's raccoon populations decreased substantially in our town in northwest Middlesex County in Massachusetts at a time when the epizootic hit. I recall precisely because I lived in that house from 1992-1996. That was the only time I recall seeing significant numbers of raccoons in daylight. If most of them were not rabid I would be surprised. Of samples tested in the Massachusetts State Lab during the decade of 1992-2002, 42% of all raccoons tested were positive for rabies (2136/5107). Over that same decade 5% of bats tested were positive (253/468). As you can see in www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/epii/rabies/1992_2002rabies_summary.doc, the peak representing nearly half of the total cases was 1992-1995, with a somewhat smaller peak in 1998.

Based on these data, in those years (1992-1995) a sick raccoon out during daylight was extremely likely to be rabid.