What Not to Do with a Dead Bat

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What Not to Do with a Dead Bat

Postby Squirrel Girl » Jun 1, 2009 3:02 pm

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checku ... sec-health

One thing you definitely should not do if you find a dead bat is to put it in a jar and take it to your kids' school.
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One child dug her fingers in the creature's mouth to feel its teeth.
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Re: What Not to Do with a Dead Bat

Postby ian mckenzie » Jun 2, 2009 12:40 pm

Or at least leave it in the jar. Why you'd let kids put their fingers into anything dead is a mystery to me.

Hope the family cat's okay...
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Re: What Not to Do with a Dead Bat

Postby Ralph E. Powers » Jun 2, 2009 3:52 pm

Which is all good, as untreated rabies is invariably fatal. Though many kinds of wildlife can carry rabies, bats are the biggest culprits in spreading rabies to humans in the U.S. Luckily, as we approach summer (and summer-camp season), the nation's store of rabies vaccine has been replenished after a two-year shortage.


That statement doesn't help bats at all I think. :down:
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Re: What Not to Do with a Dead Bat

Postby teresawatts » Sep 4, 2009 1:19 pm

You'd think "not touching dead things" would be a given, to adults as well!!! :yikes:


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Re: What Not to Do with a Dead Bat

Postby captnemo » Sep 6, 2009 1:03 am

Which is all good, as untreated rabies is invariably fatal. Though many kinds of wildlife can carry rabies, bats are the biggest culprits in spreading rabies to humans in the U.S. Luckily, as we approach summer (and summer-camp season), the nation's store of rabies vaccine has been replenished after a two-year shortage.


Where the heck did this come from, that's a ridiculous statement if I ever heard one, Bats will usually exhibit the paralytic form of rabies, which immobilizes the animal. Here's a link to more factual info http://www.personal.psu.edu/mrg5/PArabies.pdf and I quote from there "Rabies exposure from bats to humans was no more frequent than from dogs and significantly less than from cats."
Racoons and skunks are much more likely to have rabies and to come in contact with people then bats. Though I wouldn't recomend putting my finger in a dead bats mouth :) It's too bad bats continue to get so much negative press.
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