What does a bat bite look like?
Bats are nocturnal animals that play an important role in pollinating some flowering plants and dispersing seeds.
However, bats also have the ability to carry viruses that can be transmitted through bites or scratches.
This is why it’s important to know what a bat bite looks like, especially if you own a pet.
While most bats aren’t aggressive, they will defend themselves if threatened or surprised.
The most common mammals that bite humans are bats and dogs, with the vast majority of bites being unprovoked.
An unprovoked bat bite usually occurs while a person is sleeping.
If you wake up to find a bat in your bed, stay calm so as to not agitate the bat.
What To Do
Immediately call animal control to remove the bat from your home without endangering yourself any further.
If you’re awake when a bat bites, it’s usually because you got too close.
Usually, this happens when the bat feels threatened.
Bats are commonly found roosting in attics and eaves of homes, especially during the winter months when they hibernate.
If you suspect that there is a bat in your home, never touch it with your bare hands.
What Can You Get From a Bat Bite?
Bats can carry rabies, an infection caused by a neurotoxin that affects the central nervous system.
Bats are also known to carry histoplasmosis, a respiratory disease caused by breathing in spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, which is often found in bird or bat droppings.
The main symptom of histoplasmosis is a mild flu-like illness with fever, cough, and joint pains.
Bats are also known to carry some strains of the West Nile virus, which causes flu-like symptoms.
Although these viruses are relatively uncommon in North America, they can be fatal if left untreated.
The most common areas on a human where a bat bite will leave marks include the face or hands.
A bat bite may look like two small holes in the skin with a raised center, like a snake bite, and can take several months to heal, leaving behind scarring.
Bat saliva contains an anticoagulant that aids in the bat’s digestion and may leave behind remnants of blood near the wound if not washed away shortly after the bite occurs.
Bats are important mammals that provide various ecosystem services, but their bites can be dangerous if they’re surprised or threatened.
What You Can Do To Stop This From Happening
There are steps you can take to prevent these encounters from occurring in the first place by making your home less desirable as bat habitat.
You can do this by sealing any gaps around exterior walls and other entry points into your home.
You can also trim back trees to prevent them from growing close to the house.
Bats are beneficial mammals that play an important role in our ecosystem, but their bites should be taken seriously since they can transmit disease.
If you suspect a bat has bitten you or someone else, immediately seek medical attention for rabies vaccinations if the bat can’t be found.
Bite marks may take several months to heal, leaving behind scars.
Bat saliva contains an anticoagulant that aids in digestion and might leave traces of blood near the wound if not washed away shortly after the bite occurs.
