Bat at home care and maintenance. Feeding insectivorous bat pups

Bats are natural hunters. In nature, they bravely fight with prey, sometimes larger than the weight of the animal. Some species of bats feed on rodents, frogs, birds, scorpions, spiders and even fish, which they deftly pick up right from the surface of the water with the help of sharp claws and a tail membrane. However, in America there are species of bats that feed on flower nectar and fruits, as well as real vampires that drink the blood of large animals.

Russian bats feed on insects. Their diet may consist of mosquitoes, worms, midges, caterpillars, beetles, crickets, wood grubs, flies, grasshoppers, ants and cockroaches. Thus, they provide benefits by eliminating pests.

However, it happens that winged animals, getting injured or waking up during hibernation, fall under the temporary care of humans. And while caring for adults is relatively simple, feeding orphaned babies requires special skills and diet. What to feed a rescued bat during wintering or rehabilitation, how to prepare a mixture for the cubs - this will be discussed further.

Determination of age. To begin with, it is important to determine the approximate age of the winged patient. So, in adult animals the fur is thick and fluffy, while in babies it is short, silky or completely absent. Thus, cubs up to three weeks of age require an exclusively milk diet, up to six weeks - the inclusion of a small amount of a mixture of mealworms, up to seven - both previous types of food and an introduction to live food, and after that - food consisting entirely of insects.

(Fig. 1) Baby bat

(Fig. 2) Adult bat

Water. Whatever the age of your ward, there should always be a container of water in the cage or incubator, which must be changed daily. Optimal diameter –

no more than 5 cm, depth - no more than 2 cm, so that if an animal gets into a bowl, it can easily get out of there. Observe and make sure that the winged patient actually drinks water. If for some reason he cannot do this on his own, at first you will need to feed him from a syringe without a needle or, in case of severe dehydration, replenish the fluid subcutaneously with saline. For the first option, use a 1 ml tuberculin syringe without a nozzle or with a flexible elastomer cannula. Special feeding tubes for feeding rodents are also perfect. Photo 3 shows the author of the article feeding a bat from a syringe through a cannula.

(Fig. 3) Water supply through a syringe with a flexible cannula

Correct position. Pay attention to the position of the animal in Fig. 3: vertically, “sitting” on the ring finger of the hand, the back rests against the middle and index fingers, and the thumb fixes the animal on the chest under the chin. In this case, the ward is wrapped in a fabric roll up to neck level. This position is the most comfortable and safe for both you and the animal, and most importantly, it helps to avoid its release and protect you from bites. If you are not vaccinated against rabies, wear gloves as well.

Adult diet. For adult animals temporarily kept in captivity, live food such as mealworms, zoobass and crickets is suitable. However, it is important to decapitate the zofobas first to avoid its bites. If the bat does not feed on its own, tweezer feeding will be required at first. You can also squeeze out some of the insides of the zoophobass so that the animal can smell it and taste the food. Teach your child to eat on his own: place several mealworms in a wide container with low sides, and then each time bring the tweezers with the food closer and closer to the bowl, gradually lowering it to its bottom. Soon the animal will get used to finding food in it without your help. Do not forget to feed live food with fresh vegetables so that your winged ward receives the necessary vitamins along with it.

You need to feed the bat during its active period - in the evening, preferably after dark. The approximate norm for an adult animal is 4-8 zofobas or 6-12 mealworms. But look at its physical condition: for example, bats that wake up in winter need energy replenishment and weight gain, and therefore their norm can be significantly increased. And, conversely, well-fed animals preparing to return to the wild should not gain excess body weight, as otherwise this will affect their ability to fly. Ideal physical shape is an area of the abdomen and chest that is equal in width. Additionally, one-time or in a course, you can give a micro-drop (at the tip of a thin food tube) of calcium in the form of syrup.

Feeding orphaned babies. As mentioned above, cubs up to seven weeks of age require a milk diet. However, regular milk is not suitable, since bats only digest soy or goat milk well. Use any soy or goat milk based infant formula. So, it could be “Infasa”, “Fitalakt”, “Nutrilak-soy” or their other analogues. It is good to add fresh goat milk to the mixture. The recipe is as follows:

· 1.5 scoops of infant formula

· 100 ml goat milk (if available)

· 2 tsp. egg powder or 1 white

· A quarter teaspoon of human baby probiotic in powder form

· 2 ml of veterinary food supplement, for example, Megaderm or analogues (preferably)

The finished mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day. Before each feeding, it must be heated in a water bath (in a container over hot water). It is given from a syringe through a thin plastic cannula/feeding tube or dripped onto a sponge applicator, the tip of which is placed in the baby’s mouth. The tip of an eyeshadow applicator is ideal.

The main risk when feeding is the danger of overfeeding. Babies at this age do not yet have a “stop signal,” so it is important to visually control the amount they drink. The stomach should not resemble a ball and exceed the volume of the chest; ideally, it is good that it is slightly rounded.

The feeding regimen of baby bats differs from that of flying foxes in that they require formula as their stomachs empty. In cubs without fur, food remains are visible even in the light; in older ones, you can carefully feel them. If you are not sure, just stick to an interval of 4-5 hours or listen to your ward: accustomed to people and the regime in captivity, they themselves begin to make sounds when they are hungry, asking for food.

After feeding, gently move a piece of toilet paper or tissue over your pet's genital area to help him go to the toilet.

Diet from 2-3 weeks. As soon as the baby begins to actively grow fur, begin to accustom him to more adult food. The mealworm mix is prepared as follows:

· Half a cup of frozen mealworms or zoobasa

1/6 cup cold water

· 1/3 baby formula based on soy or goat milk

· Half a teaspoon of any vitamin supplement for animals - in powder form

· 1 tsp. veterinary mineral supplement – for example, “Missing Link” or equivalent

· 1/6 tsp. veterinary dental liquid - for example, “Petkin Liquid Oral Care” or equivalent. The fact is that dark plaque on the teeth of bats is not uncommon; it occurs when they begin feeding on an insectivorous diet, and therefore it is better to use such a means of protection. Instead, you can later apply a micro-amount of dental gel for cats and dogs directly to the mealworm.

All ingredients are ground in a blender to a puree consistency. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Before each feeding, take out a cube (or more, depending on the number of animals) and defrost it in a container placed in another with hot water. The defrosted mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days; it cannot be re-frozen.

From the age of six weeks, the mix is given from a syringe without a needle in an amount of approximately 0.6-0.9 ml (depending on the size of the animal. It is most convenient to use a tuberculin volume of 1 ml. At the same time, do not forget to monitor the volume of the abdomen to prevent overfeeding. (Fig. 4).

After feeding by hand, be sure to wipe the area around the animal's mouth and chest with a piece of toilet paper or a napkin to prevent fungal infections (Fig. 5).

Before this, the main diet should be formula milk, and the mixture described above is used only as an additive in very small quantities, gradually increasing them. Later you can alternate the menu.

(Fig. 4) Syringe feeding a mixture of mealworms with additives

(Fig. 5) Hygiene after feeding

Diet from 4-6 weeks. From this age, you can begin to add live food to feeding with formula milk and mealworm mix. In the first days of getting to know it, it is better to offer worms cut into two or three parts, after which - whole ones; for starters, you can offer them non-living, thawed ones, gradually accustoming them to living ones. A headless zoobass would also work.

From the age of 7 weeks, the animal should be completely switched to live food.

Feed storage. Mealworms and zofobas can be bred in captivity. You can find enough information on how to organize this process on the Internet. In any case, since sometimes, especially in small towns, live food can be difficult to find, it is better to always have frozen food in reserve. The worms are defrosted in containers filled with a small amount of cold water. (Fig. 6). This will take no more than 10 minutes. Do not add warm or hot water, otherwise the heat will “cook” them. Thawed food should not be re-frozen.

(Fig. 6) Defrosting zofobas

Important: always warm the animal before feeding. To do this, hold it in your hand, wrapped in cloth, for 2-5 minutes. The vibration of his muscles will tell you about the warming process. When it stops, the animal is ready to eat.

Bon appetit and quick rehabilitation to your flying charges!

Keeping an exotic pet, such as a bat, at home is a troublesome task; they need to create special conditions. In addition, you should find out in advance what to feed the bat. These animals are mostly predators; fruit-eating individuals live only in the tropics. Think very carefully about whether you can provide proper care for such a complex pet.

What to feed a bat at home?

What to feed a bat at home

Chiropterans live in warm areas. It is important for them that the daytime temperature is high in the summer, and the winter is mild and short.

The main food in the natural environment is:

beetles;
larvae;
worms;
cockroaches;
other small insects.

Some large individuals are capable of eating small rodents and birds.

If you find a freezing or weakened bat in winter, then saving the animal will certainly be a good deed. However, remember that these are the mammals that carry rabies. First of all, show the animal to the veterinarian.

At home, place the bat in a cage; this is necessary to avoid panic and injury to the animal. In the first days, feed them milk mixed with yolk. Then, if you decide to keep your exotic pet, you will have to provide it with live natural food.

Suitable food in captivity:

mealworms;
cockroaches;
adult beetles and their larvae;
maggots;
zoophobas (zoophobus);
small pieces of lean cooked meat.

If you don’t want to grow live food yourself, then you can easily find it in fishing stores. In addition, you can give baby meat puree and high-quality cat food.

Be sure to keep several drinking bowls with clean water in the enclosure. This is important not only for drinking, but also for creating a sufficient level of humidity.

How to feed your pet bat

In order for your pet bat to live long enough, you need to follow a certain feeding regimen and rules. Wild animals that find themselves in conditions of abundant food often begin to overeat. This is a survival mechanism in the wild, but it can put your pet's life and health at risk.

Adhere to the following feeding rules.

Give food late in the evening. Bats are nocturnal hunters. The optimal feeding time is 11 pm.
For one feeding, a strictly defined amount of food is given. This is approximately 10-15 worms and 3-4 cockroaches. You can give some cat food or baby puree.
After feeding, you need to increase the room temperature to at least 30°C. Chiropterans need this for digestion, otherwise the food in the stomach is not digested and eventually the mouse dies from poisoning.

Be especially careful when feeding wild animals. They can be aggressive and infect humans with dangerous diseases through their bite.

The bat is a surprisingly loyal and affectionate pet. However, keeping and feeding such a pet is very troublesome. Soberly assess your capabilities before getting an exotic.

A bat is a mammal that belongs to the placental mammals, a species of chiroptera, and is rightfully considered the most mysterious animal. On the one hand, the bat is the only mammal that can move through the air; Based on this ability, they claimed that it was a bird. But, on the other hand, they are viviparous; they feed their young with milk, which birds do not do.

The nocturnal lifestyle of these animals and their frightening appearance have created many legends around them, and some are absolutely convinced that the small animals sleeping in secluded places upside down are real vampires who hunt people and animals to drink their blood. Not everything in these legends is fiction.

The name “bat” itself appeared in Russian only at the beginning of the 17th century, thanks to the translation of a German book. This literary variant caught on, and this is how the animals of the order Chiroptera began to be called.

In Russia, other names were also found: pipistrelle, kozhan, noctule, nocturnal bat, horseshoe bat, long eared bat, arrow-eared bat, tubebill and others. All reflect the external characteristics of these mammals or the features of their way of life.

The same thing is observed in the modern name. Animals that have no family connection with the order of rodents closely resemble them in appearance. And the sound of a bat is similar to the squeak of rodents, and the ability to fly adds a definition that has become the name of the order Chiroptera.

What do bats look like?

It is believed that every fourth mammal on earth belongs to the order Chiroptera. Despite the species differences, they all have common external features.

Wings

The main distinguishing feature of these animals is their wings. It was precisely because of its presence that the debate continued for a long time: a bat is still a bird or an animal.

The wings are thin membranes that are stretched between the fore and hind limbs. Unlike birds, bats do not have feathers, and membranes are attached to the very long fingers of the forelimbs.

The wingspan, depending on the type, can vary from 16 cm to 1.5 m. Despite their apparent fragility, they are able to withstand significant loads and reach flight speeds of up to 20 km/h.

Flight is not the only purpose of wings. During sleep, bats wrap themselves in them, and thus retain their warmth.

Bat skeleton

The animals' body is relatively small: the spine is much shorter than the modified forelimbs with five fingers with sharp claws. The animal does not have strong limbs, the humerus are shortened, so its movement on the ground is minimal, the main thing for them is flight.

The skull is round in shape with a shortened anterior part in some species and an elongated one in others. If you look at bats, the body is practically invisible. They appear to consist of a head and wings.

Animals have a tail that is not covered with hair. For most, it serves as a device for maneuvers during flight.

Ears

Ears play an important role in the life of an animal that does not have acute vision. In almost all species they are of enormous size.

Numerous networks of blood vessels nourish the ears, since their participation in the life of bats provides them with the ability to move and hunt.

Animals make subtle sounds that bounce off objects and return. This method of orientation in the world is called echolocation. The ability to quickly catch even the quietest sounds helps bats fly at night and hear the movement of potential prey.

Disturbances in the functioning of the hearing organs most often lead to the death of the animal.

Eyes

Chiropterans are nocturnal, which in the process of evolution also affected their vision. In almost all species, small eyes are located in the front part of the muzzle.

The animals of this detachment see everything in black and white. Since the bat sleeps in shelters during the day, its eyes react very poorly to sunlight.

But these animals also have their exceptions. Thus, the California leaf-nosed bat sometimes relies more on sight than hearing when hunting.

If a bat lives as a pet, then you have noticed that it rarely flies into a room in which the light is on, and to catch it, it is enough to turn on the light bulb, and the animal immediately stops flying.

Teeth

Absolutely all chiropterans have teeth: in the jaw you can see incisors, molars and premolars, and fangs. But their number, size and structure depend solely on what bats eat in their natural environment.

Those bats whose diet consists of insects have up to 38 teeth, and the length of their fangs can also vary. Blood-sucking mice typically have 20 teeth in their jaws, and they are not as large or developed as their insectivorous counterparts.

The shape of the teeth is adapted to what bats eat in the wild. So, in insectivorous animals, the teeth resemble mortars that grind rough food. But only those who feed on blood have long fangs.

Wool

Most species of bats have a dull color: brown, gray, dark gray. This is due to the need to remain unnoticed during night hunting. But even among these animals there are real fashionistas: the species of Mexican piscivores has bright orange or yellow fur. There are bats in which there are light tones: fawn, light yellow.

The Honduran white bat boasts a white coat and bright yellow ears and nose.

The quality of the coating may also vary. There are animals with thick and sparse fur, long and short hair.

Types of bats (insectivores and herbivores)

Studying the life of bats is complicated by their secrecy, but scientists have been able to establish that currently about 700 species of these animals have been recorded. We will tell you about some of them in more detail.

The habitat of representatives of this species is almost all countries of Eurasia. You can also find it on the territory of Russia, from Southern Siberia to the western borders. They live in mountains, forests, and steppes. Some animals of this species easily inhabit even the attics of houses in large cities.

The body length of these bats is up to 6.5 cm, and the wingspan is 33 cm. Moreover, they weigh up to 23 grams. These dimensions allow us to say that the two-color leather is a fairly large bat.

The original coloring of the animal determined its name: the ears, muzzle and wings are almost black, the back is dark brown, and the belly is light gray or white.

Two-color leatherbacks feed on nocturnal insects.

These bats live in the European part. The giant noctule is the largest bat living in Russia. Its body length reaches 11 cm, weight – 70-80 grams, and wingspan – 45-50 cm.

The animal does not have a bright color: they are usually brown or reddish-brown, the belly is noticeably lighter than the back. But it is quite difficult not to notice the flight of these creatures, since their size is impressive.

Observing the life of the noctule bat, it was established that these bats eat large insects. In Russia they prefer beetles and butterflies.

They most often settle in tree hollows. Since low temperatures are possible in their habitats, animals migrate during the cold season, choosing warmer regions.

The white bat got its name for its original appearance: their fur is white with slight gray patches on the abdomen. But the nose and ears of representatives of this species are bright yellow, and their shape resembles leaves. It seems that the animal has stuck autumn leaves on itself.

This is one of the small representatives of bats: the body size is no more than 4-5 cm, and the weight is only 7 grams. It is so small that sometimes it seems like it is a bird.

This white miracle lives in South and Central America, Honduras, and Panama. To live, they choose evergreen forests, where they always find food - ficuses and fruits.

The original appearance of the animal attracts attention, which is why bats are becoming more common at home.

Representatives of this species are rightfully considered the smallest: their weight does not exceed 2 grams, their body length is 3-5 cm. Sometimes they are confused with bumblebees.

They got their name from their original nose, reminiscent of a pig's snout. The usual color is dark brown, sometimes grayish-brown. The fur on the belly is a lighter shade.

The pig-nosed bat lives in the southwest of Thailand and on some nearby islands. They are not common in other places, so they are rightfully considered endemic to the area.

A special feature of these animals is their cooperative hunting: they usually gather in small flocks and fly out together in search of small insects.

Small bats are difficult to see with the naked eye, making their lives very difficult to observe.

The limited habitat has made the population of these animals extremely small. Currently this species is listed in the Red Book.

These animals live in the territory from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, as well as the Bahamas and Antilles.

The great harelip is a large bat: its weight sometimes reaches 80 grams, its body size is up to 13.5 cm.

The animals have an interesting coloring feature: males are bright red, sometimes even fiery red, but females are very faded, grayish-brown.

These bats received their second name - fish-eating bat - due to their feeding habits. Animals prefer to live near bodies of water. Scientists have found that the harelip eats not only insects, like many chiropterans, but also small fish, small crayfish and frogs.

By the way, they can also fly out to hunt, unlike many representatives of their squad, during the day.

The life of representatives of this species was described in detail by the French scientist Daubanton. It was in honor of him that these animals received their second name - Dobanton's bats.

Relatively small animals (weight up to 15 grams, wingspan - no more than 27 cm, and body length - 5.5 cm) prefer to hunt near bodies of water, preferring mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects as food.

Small-sized bats have a fairly wide habitat: in Russia they can be found in the lower reaches of the Volga, in the Ussuri Territory, on Sakhalin, Kamchatka, in the Primorsky Territory; They also live in other countries: Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Mongolia, Italy.

Unprepossessing in appearance (usually their fur is dark brown), they are excellent hunters, destroying entire hordes of insects.

The decline in the population of water bats contributes to the spread of livestock diseases transmitted through insect bites.

The most noticeable part of these bats is their huge ears. With a weight of no more than 12 grams and a body size of 5 cm, the ears are sometimes larger than the body. But they cannot boast of their original coloring: their gray-brown fur is very inconspicuous.

Long-eared bats are found in almost all countries of Eurasia, northern Africa, and China.

They adapt almost any place for their homes: caves, buildings, trees. Most often they fly away to warmer regions for the winter, but they always return to their old homes.

Huge ears allow her to hunt even in complete darkness.

It is rightfully considered the smallest representative of the order of bats living in Europe. Its body is up to 4 cm long and weighs 6 g. Representatives of this species have a fairly long tail - up to 3.5 cm.

The color of the animal depends on the region where it lives: in animals living in Asia, it is pale, grayish; in Europeans it is brown.

Bats settle near human habitation, often choosing the attics of houses and barns.

Representatives of this species prefer small insects as food, which helps a lot by exterminating thousands of mosquitoes and midges.

Types of bats (blood-sucking)

Observing representatives of the order Chiroptera, we found out that in the wild the bat eats not only insects and plants. Among these animals there are also those that feed on blood.

A very numerous species has spread the opinion of bats as vampires, capable of drinking all the blood from an animal or a person. Another name is big bloodsucker. The enzyme contained in the saliva of these animals can be quite dangerous: it affects blood clotting. Even a minor wound can cause major blood loss. And if several dozen bloodsuckers attack during the night, then death is inevitable.

This not very large bat (weight no more than 50 grams, and a wingspan of up to 20 cm) spends the entire day sleeping upside down in its shelter in the large company of its fellows, and at nightfall it flies out to hunt. She chooses her prey among sleeping animals, especially prefers cattle - they cannot resist. Choosing a place on the body near the blood vessels, the animal bites and licks the blood, which easily flows out of the wound.

A person can also be attacked by ordinary vampires if he spends the night in places accessible to these bats.

The habitat of this species is South and Central America.

A representative of this species has average dimensions for chiropterans: body length is up to 11 cm, weight is up to 40 grams, and the wingspan is up to 40 cm.

Like the common vampire, the white-winged one lives in South and Central America. Its fur has a reddish-brown tint, somewhat lighter on the belly.

The white-winged vampire attacks birds; it is their blood that is the animal’s diet.

It lives in the same places as its brothers that feed on blood. But representatives of this species can easily attack both birds and animals.

Unlike other bats, the bushy-footed vampire does not have well-developed hearing, so in its flights it relies not so much on the usual echolocation as on vision.

Their grayish-brown color and small size allow them to approach their victims unnoticed.

Many researchers have noted that hairy-legged vampires are absolutely not afraid of people: they can fly very close, practically sitting on their hands.

Bats are often frightened by being called blood-sucking and dangerous, but out of all the variety of species, only three actually drink blood.

Where do bats live?

If we talk about the territories where bats live, then we need to list the entire planet. The only exceptions are areas of tundra and land covered with ice. In these natural conditions, the life of bats is impossible. These animals are not found on some remote islands because they simply could not get there.

The bat is a rare mammal that can exist in almost any place where there is at least some opportunity for shelter during the day.

Representatives of this order can be found in all other corners of the globe. Even in large cities, in the attics of high-rise buildings, bats find shelter.

In nature, bats prefer to settle in caves, where, clinging to ledges, they sleep during the daytime, and at dusk they fly out to hunt. There are caves in which thousands of bat colonies live. Sometimes the height of the layer of excrement in them reaches a meter, which indicates the number of animals and the duration of their stay in this place.

Where there is no natural shelter, these animals are located in trees, hiding between the branches. Sometimes they occupy abandoned hollows, can build themselves shelters from large leaves, gnaw through bamboo trunks, and even settle between the fruits of plants. The main requirements for their house, where the bat sleeps all day, are safety and absence of direct sunlight.

These animals are not at all afraid of people, so they calmly settle in the attics of houses, barns, and livestock buildings.

Sometimes people, not knowing what bats eat in the wild, believe that they can be dangerous to humans and domestic animals. Therefore, when they find these animals in their attic or barn, they try to exterminate them. Most bats eat insects and are therefore absolutely safe.

Bats most often live in colonies, which can number several tens of thousands of individuals. Some species huddle in groups during the day, while others prefer to hang upside down in splendid isolation.

A record number of individuals in one colony was counted in Brazil. In one place there was a refuge for 20 million individuals.

Living together does not make these animals gregarious, since they do not carry out any joint actions: they hunt exclusively alone.

Bats do not create families. Uniting only at the moment of mating, they immediately forget about each other.

In regions where there are cold seasons, animals can hibernate, which lasts up to 8 months. At this time, the bats wrap themselves in their wings, attach themselves upside down in some secluded place and sleep without feeding.

Some species are capable of seasonal migrations. With the onset of cold weather, they fly to warmer regions. Sometimes during this period bats travel distances of up to 1000 kilometers.

If natural conditions allow, animals remain active all year round.

How long do bats live?

An interesting question remains: how many years do bats live in nature? Average life expectancy is 5 years. How long bats live depends on the species. Among these animals there are also long-livers, whose age can reach up to 20 years.

The longest-living record holder among bats is 33 years old.

A bat at home usually lives less than the time allotted to it by nature, since it does not have the opportunity to be fully active.

How do bats reproduce?

The reproduction of bats has its own characteristics. Some species living in warm climates give birth to young twice a year. The mating period does not matter to them. The secretive way of life of bats does not allow us to accurately imagine how the process of courtship between a male and a female takes place.

Males of some species make a variety of sounds before mating. Perhaps they use this song to attract the female or tell her about their intentions.

Those animals that live in temperate latitudes bear offspring only once. Usually mating occurs in the fall, until the moment when the animals go into hibernation. But the sperm that enter the female’s body do not immediately fertilize the egg, but may remain in some kind of reserve until the moment of awakening.

After hibernation, pregnancy begins, the duration of which depends on both the species and the ambient temperature: at low temperatures, the baby takes longer to develop.

Usually females give birth to one cub, less often two or three. During birth, the mouse turns head up. The baby is born feet first, which is extremely rare in mammals, and immediately goes into the tail pouch, where it spends a week. Afterwards, they hide the babies in shelters and feed them milk. It was this ability of bats that decided the debate: is a bat a mammal or not, in favor of classifying them as mammals.

In the first week, the female takes her cub with her on night hunts. He holds tightly to his mother during the flight. But after a while she is forced to leave him in the shelter, because the baby becomes heavy, and she cannot fly with him for a long time.

A unique sense of smell allows these animals to find their young after flying at night. They can smell the baby's scent from several kilometers away.

For a week, and sometimes two, the kids remain completely helpless, and only after a month they begin to hunt independently near their shelter, without moving far from it.

What does a bat eat and how does it hunt in the wild?

Almost all bats fly out to hunt at dusk or after sunset. The thing is that their vision is much less developed than their hearing. Most bats feed on flying insects. They hear their movements and pick up prey on the fly or find it among the foliage.

There are animals that feast exclusively on the nectar of flowers and the fruits of fruit trees.

Some large species also eat earthworms and large insects.

Among the chiropterans there is a bat, whose diet includes frogs and small fish, in addition to insects. The animals fly above the surface of the water and determine by the splash where potential prey is located.

But there are only three species of bloodsuckers, and they live in South and Central America. They fly out to hunt at night, find animals, bite and lick the blood.

Enemies of bats

Bats do not have many enemies in nature, although the animals are very small in size. This is most likely due to the fact that their nocturnal lifestyle does not give them the opportunity to intersect in nature with many animals that are active during the day. They camouflage their shelters well or live in large colonies, which can be quite scary for many animals and birds to penetrate.

Those bats that fly out to hunt at twilight (for example, noctule bats) more often become prey for daytime birds of prey (hawks, hobbies, peregrine falcons), which happily feed on these bats.

But nocturnal birds of prey (owls and owls) quite often attack bats, although hunting them is very difficult: developed echolocation allows you to notice danger and dodge deadly claws and beaks.

Scientists from one of the American institutes noticed an interesting fact: bats living in the caves of one of the mountain ranges of Hungary are attacked by common tits. Brave birds fly into the caves, grab the sleeping animal and take it to their nest. Birds rarely fly up to colonies, since the number of chiropterans can pose a mortal danger to them.

In those latitudes where many tree snakes live, the bats hiding in the branches have a hard time. During the day, animals, as a rule, sleep in shelters and are not always able to react to an approaching creeping enemy. And they practically cannot fly in sunlight, so they become victims of those snakes who can eat small bats.

Chiropterans, especially small individuals and species, often fall into the clutches of spiders. They cannot see a stretched web in the dark; in this case, echolocation does not always help. But chiropterans can hear an insect beating in a web. Sometimes large spiders that feed on small animals do not specifically kill insect prey in order to catch a larger one - a bat.

Sometimes bats become food for larger predators - weasels, polecats and martens, which sneak up on sleeping animals and kill them.

But the most important enemy is man. Sometimes people destroy entire colonies of bats just because they mistakenly consider them dangerous. Although the animals bring a lot of benefits by destroying insects that carry the infection.

It happens that a person does not intend to kill bats. Some fertilizers or pesticides are harmful to flying animals.

It seems incredible that people also eat bats. In many Asian countries, the meat of these animals is considered a delicacy.

What benefits do bats bring?

In nature, bats do more good than harm. There are only a few blood-sucking species, so it is impossible to say that it is chiropterans that transmit diseases.

But they destroy insects that, flying from one animal to another, are capable of spreading infections. During the season, animals eat a huge number of mosquitoes, beetles and butterflies, many of which, for example, in tropical countries, actually carry fatal diseases.

They protect chiropteran gardens and agricultural lands from pests that can destroy crops or harm trees and shrubs.

By flying from plant to plant, they help pollinate them.

Bat droppings are an excellent fertilizer. In some caves where animal colonies live, up to a meter of excrement can accumulate.

Enzymes from bat saliva are used in medicine.

Recently, people are increasingly keeping not only dogs and cats as pets, but also some exotic animals, including bats. At home, these animals take root, but do not feel as comfortable as in natural conditions. If you still want to keep a bat at home, then try to provide it with a life as close to nature as possible.

First of all, keep in mind that bats are exclusively nocturnal. If you plan to watch it during the day, then you will have to admire the sleeping animal. But at night your pet will want to fly, which can cause a lot of inconvenience.

Pet house

Despite its small size, a bat at home needs a very spacious enclosure where the pet will be able to fly. It is necessary to equip the house with branches and shelters so that the animal has the opportunity to hide during the daytime rest.

The vital functions of bats directly depend on the ambient temperature, so the room where the pet lives should be approximately 30 degrees, which is quite high for a comfortable stay for a person.

A bird cage is not always suitable for keeping bats, since the distance between the twigs is sufficient so that one fine night you can find that the animal is flying above your heads and happily feasting on insects.

In the natural environment, most chiropterans prefer insects, which they perfectly obtain for themselves while flying at night. By the way, they should be fed at home in the evening, once a day.

A bat at home does not have the opportunity to feed itself, so the pet’s diet should be as close to natural as possible. But this does not mean at all that owners of unusual pets should catch mosquitoes all evening and bring them to their pet in a jar. What should you feed a small bat if it lives at home?

The following diet is suitable for chiropterans:

mealworms;
insect pupae;
adult beetles;
raw egg yolk;
natural honey;
milk formulas for feeding children up to one month.

Feeding your pet is not so easy: you can add raw yolk, a little honey and vitamin E to the milk mixtures. You need to pick up the animal and offer it the mixture through a pipette. It is not recommended to store the remaining mixture in the refrigerator.

Insects suitable for food are usually stored in jars, but for a short time. A tame bat will happily accept food, but it is not very easy to train it to eat from your hands. It is possible that at first she will refuse food.

Knowing what voracious bats actually eat at home, remember that animals can eat up to half their weight at a time, which can be dangerous to their health with little activity. Don't overfeed them.

Interesting facts about bats

The opinion is firmly established that bats are vampires who fly out to hunt at night and drink the blood of their victims. This judgment greatly exaggerates the idea of the animal, but not without reason. There have been practically no cases of chiropteran attacks on people, but in Central and South America there are species that attach themselves to large animals that are unable to resist and drink their blood.
Despite what bats eat in the wild and at home, there are no fat animals among them. It's all about good metabolism. They are able to digest all the food they eat in half an hour, although in an hour of their hunt some species are able to catch and eat up to 60 insects.
Scientists have found that an enzyme contained in the saliva of bats can help people suffering from heart disease. Once in the human blood, this enzyme prevents attacks, and with prolonged use, it can completely cure the heart. Currently, serious research is being conducted in this area.
Remembering interesting facts about bats, many will note the ability to sleep upside down. None of the representatives of the animal world rests like this. The fact is that this position allows bats to rest and relax the muscles involved in flight. This also allows you to save energy during takeoff: the animal simply lets go of the claws with which it was holding on, falls down and takes off in a maneuver. The lower limbs are completely unsuitable for running and pushing.
An amazing discovery has been made: on the island of Borneo there is a carnivorous plant that lures bats with special sounds. But it doesn’t eat them at all, but provides its inflorescences as a refuge. In return, the bats leave their excrement, which is much needed fertilizer for the plant, to the hospitable owner. This symbiosis is unique in nature.

Everyone chooses a pet based on their own motives. Sometimes the choice turns out to be very original. For example, keeping bats at home is clearly exotic. There is still an extremely small number of people who decide to have such a pet at home, which, in general, is not particularly suitable for home conditions.

Bats belong to the order Chiroptera. The same order includes the family of fruit bats. Externally, both families are similar, but have some differences. Fruit bats have more developed vision, but their echolocation is less developed. Bats, on the contrary, have well-developed echolocation, but their vision is rather weak. There is fluff on the body of fruit bats, while the body of bats does not have hair. The habitat of fruit bats is the crowns of trees. Bats prefer to roost in caves and rock crevices.

Fruit bats include flying dogs, flying foxes and other similar animals. When maintaining a home, they are quite unpretentious. Fruits are suitable for feeding these animals. In particular, fruit bats love mangoes, avocados, papaya, and bananas. The menu can be varied with yogurt, honey, fruit puree. To make it more convenient for the fruit bat to feast on it, it is better to hang the fruits from the ceiling of the enclosure. It is completely natural for fruit bats to eat fruit on the fly, although they may sometimes hold the fruit with their paw and suck the juice from it. Like any other animal, fruit bats need constant access to clean water. You can add a little sea salt or crushed berries to the water.

Bats are much more difficult to keep at home than fruit bats. The main food of bats consists of larvae, pupae, beetles, and mealworms. You can grow food yourself or buy it in special stores and pet markets. However, the necessary food is not always on sale, since it is seasonal and very popular, and quickly sells out. The process of feeding a bat is also not the easiest task. Before getting a bat, you should think very carefully about whether you are ready to adhere to all the rules that are necessary in order to provide the animal with a comfortable life.

When in their natural environment, both bats and fruit bats fly a lot. When maintaining a house, they need to equip a spacious enclosure so that the animals can fly freely. The floor of the enclosure needs constant cleaning, since defects in bats and fruit bats occur during flight.

Bats have an unstable body temperature, which depends on the physical activity of the animal. Accordingly, the temperature in the room where bats live should change several times throughout the day. For a good digestive process, bats need a temperature of about thirty degrees. If the temperature is lower, the stomach does not work efficiently, which can lead to illness and death of the animal. However, the animal will not be able to sleep at this temperature, which will also negatively affect its health.

The problem of temperature conditions can be solved by an enclosure with several compartments. A metal mesh is used as a separator between the compartments. The main thing is that the edges of the mesh are well processed, preventing the possibility of injury to the animal. Manholes should be made between the compartments so that the animal can choose at what temperature it will be more comfortable at the moment.

The enclosure must have drinking bowls, and there must be a lot of them. Bats love humid climates. They may hover over the water bowl and begin to rapidly flap their wings. Water dust will rise from the water, which is extremely pleasant for the bat.

During the winter, bats go into a short hibernation, which lasts about a month and a half. A few days before the expected hibernation, the animal does not need to be fed, and then moved to a compartment with a gradual decrease in air temperature to about seven degrees. If during the animal’s hibernation you notice any changes in its condition, then the hibernation must be interrupted by moving the animal to a warmer compartment of the enclosure. After the animal wakes up, you need to gradually start feeding it small portions of food.

Chiropterans are unusual pets that require special care. The decision to have such an animal at home should be responsible and fully conscious.

Nowadays you can find many unusual pets. Basically, their acquisition is carried out under the influence of fashion, books, films, etc. But not all animals easily adapt to life in apartments.

Feeding

A bat at home requires a very complex and extensive set of care measures. Only an experienced chiropterologist can provide the animals with the necessary conditions. In order for an exotic pet not to feel discomfort in captivity, the owner will have to overcome a lot of difficulties in order to provide his ward with adequate nutrition.

Since in captivity the main diet of fruit bats consists of mealworms, beetles, and larvae, the main difficulty will come down to purchasing or growing live food yourself.

Aviary

Since representatives of this family often fly, they need a lot of space in the enclosure. In addition, the designated area must be kept clean at all times; for this purpose, it is recommended to cover the floor with newspapers (for prompt cleaning).

Domestic bats, like their relatives in nature, constantly change their body temperature, which depends on the physical activity of the animal. During flight, sleep or awakening, the temperature regime is always different. In this regard, in the room in which bats are kept, the air temperature must constantly change. For example, the temperature expected for the digestive process is in no way suitable for sleep, and so on.

If you ignore the correct temperature regime, processes may develop that will significantly shorten the life of nocturnal animals. To solve this problem, the enclosure is divided into compartments, each of which is maintained at a different temperature; The “rooms” are connected to each other.

With such an organization of the enclosure, the mouse itself will choose the conditions that are comfortable for it at the moment.

Night guest

Not everyone decides to keep a bat, however, it happens that the animals themselves accidentally end up in a house, apartment, or outbuildings. In these cases, it is necessary to carefully, without injuring the animal, catch it and release it into the wild. However, how to catch a bat at home? One of the common methods of catching these bats is the method in which spider nets are placed, but in this case a person cannot predict the flight route of the animal. In addition, with such fishing there is a high probability of damage to the animal.

If a mouse flies into the house, then you can use a white sheet to catch it: the animal has a special love for this color, and there is a high probability that it will sit there.