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Bat Bites

Bat Bites

Bat caught in a blind that could have bitten a person in the room. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel
Bat caught in a blind that could have bitten a person in the room. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel

A 6 year old child died from contact with a rabid bat. According to the news, the boy was awake and put his hand on the bat. He wasn’t taken to the hospital for prophylactic rabies shots. Ultimately, that decision seemed to have cost the child his life. Learn more at 6-year Old dies of rabies. The key here is that bat bites are serious. While a person should certainly know if he/she was bitten while they were awake, frequently bat bites occur when the person is sleeping or under the influence. Parents and caregivers should be particularly concerned about children or the mentally disabled as they may lack the awareness or ability to know or express that they have had contact with a bat.

Take the presence of a bat inside the living space seriously. Capture the bat safely and without harming its brain. Then contact your local health department and have them discuss with you whether rabies testing of the bat and/or whether any family members or pets need to obtain rabies prophylaxis treatment.

Learn more about rabies by visiting CDC.gov and about bats in structures at Management of House Bats

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

 

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Rutgers & Bat Standards

Rutgers & Bat Standards

The National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) has been invited to Rutgers University of New Jersey to present the Bat Standards Compliant training. This one-day training is designed to help participants understand the fundamentals of ethical bat inspections, proper exclusion standards, zoonotic diseases (histoplasmosis and rabies), and how to clean bat control equipment to prevent the spread of White-nose Syndrome.

The training will provided through Rutgers University Office of Continuing Professional Education. Training will occur on March 30, 2016 between 9:00 AM-4:00 PM. Those interested in learning more or to register for the training event can visit http://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/bats/

 

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Bats, Sound, & Rabies

Bats, Sound, & Rabies

Research by Denny Constantine (d. 2014) found that there is a relationship between bats, sound, & rabies. In other words, Constantine believed that rabid bats are attracted to noise.

Rabies virus. CDC/ Dr. Fred. A. Murphy
Rabies virus. CDC/ Dr. Fred. A. Murphy

He found that rabid bats appeared to attack humans that were associated with or emitting loud noise. In one study, Constantine used harp traps. Some were set with noise makers and others were silent. The noisy traps caught rabid bats while the silent one’s did not.

The attraction of rabid bats to noise may explain why people who were sleeping in rooms with bats contracted rabies. Perhaps the individuals were snoring or were making noise through their breathing.

Ultimately, more research is needed. But if Constantine’s findings prove out, a trap methodology could be developed to capture bats that are sick and thereby protect other bats and wildlife species from contracting rabies. (Source Combating the Rage by David A. Jessup. The Wildlife Professional Fall 2014: 8:3:38-42.

 About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a Certified Wildlife Control Operator (CWCP®) who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. He has written the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. Reach him at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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How Animal Rights Activists Distort The Facts

How Animal Rights Activists Distort the Facts

One of the key strategies used by animal rights activists is to distort the role of data in an argument. Not that they are alone in this error, as it is a common technique in our politicized speech.

For example, in a recent article that included some comments from me, I stated that homeowners must be concerned about bats inside their house because of the risk of rabies. The risk is not from the presence in the attic but in the risk of their entering the living space. My comment was not meant to cause panic or “fear mongering” as one of my critics argued, but simply to emphasize the rabies exposure protocols of the state of Nebraska (Consult the NebGuide on Bats which delves into this more deeply).  I agree that a longer piece would have made this important distinction more apparent, but the fact is I was correct in my comments.

Unfortunately, my critic rather than clarifying my comments simply states that rabies amongst bats is very low. My critic is absolutely correct. But my point wasn’t to discuss the statistical likelihood of being exposed to a rabid bat but to the fact that a bat in your home raises the possibility of being exposed to rabies.

Bat Rabies in Nebraska

My comments are not without evidence.  Visit http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/srd/rabies.htm and you will see the data on the number of positive rabies cases in Nebraska. The year isn’t even over and we have already had 9 cases of rabid bats. These aren’t speculative positives, but actual ones. Now I don’t know how many bats were tested in the state. But the number doesn’t matter to the persons who had to have a bat sent in for testing. Rabies is the like the lottery. It is hard to win, but if you do and don’t get treatment you die.

Regrettably, animal rights protest industry activists (not all of them but many in the rank and file) simply want to protect animals at all costs even if doing so puts lives at risk. I think that is disrespectful to the facts and to the dignity of humans.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control operator who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. His latest book is the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. He can be contacted at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

If you would like your publication, video, or product reviewed, please contact the author at the e-mail above.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Bats in Winter

Bats in Winter

Bat
Bat (Photo credit: Lee Carson)

Many homeowners are unpleasantly surprised to discover bats in their home during the dead of winter. What they didn’t realize was that bats decided to hibernate in their home. Big brown bats are the most common species to select homes to overwinter in Nebraska and other northern states.What awakens them? One theory suggests the change in temperature (hot or cold) may cause them to stir. This situation can occur when you turn the thermostat up to compensate for heat loss during a cold snap. Another theory wonders if the bats are seeking water. Whatever the cause, you should know that bats are hibernating in your home. You may only have one but you may have more.

What should you do?

1. Make sure you follow bat rabies exposure protocols available at the http://www.cdc.gov.

2. Educate everyone in the house about how to capture a bat and ensure that the equipment needed is readily available.

3. Have a professional inspect your home for gaps that would allow bat entry and place one-way doors over those and seal off all the other holes that are not being used. While bats won’t be leaving your house until Spring, at least you will know that they won’t be returning.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control operator who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. His latest book is the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. He can be contacted at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

If you would like your publication, video, or product reviewed, please contact the author at the e-mail above.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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