My interest in bats began many years ago when I was in 4th grade. At that time I didn’t know much about them. Now I have studied them and have even rescued a few. This is the story of how I became a bat rescuer. The very first bat I saw was in Mackinac Island when I was in 4th grade. My class went there for a yearly trip. When our group had some free time, my mom and I walked around the hotel to see how big it was. While we were walking around, we saw a bat flying around in the hallway. It was really fun watching him. After a while the bat hid in a plant, and my Mom and I played scavenger hunt. After a while we found him. It was a lot of fun, and I wish I could have that much fun again.
Walking our mechanics son after school to his work, we saw a bat just sitting on the ledge of the Sparta Coop. We stopped to look at it for a while and then crossed the street to the work. Because it was sitting on the ledge I got a good look at the bat, later research I figured out that it was a big brown bat.
The next bat I saw was when we were welcoming soldiers back from overseas. While my mom, sisters, and I were waiting, we moved closer and leaned against a building. There was shallow recess in the wall we were leaning against. Something inside me told me to turn around so I did and then I saw the bat. I got my mom and older sister’s attention to show them that the bat was right there. The bat was right by my mom’s arm. It was really cool. I kept watching the bat to see if he would move or something; but then he didn’t but it was fun watching him.
During our yearly trip to Colorado we went up to Bishops Castle to visit my uncle’s ashes. After going up to the third or forth level to see his ashes, we went a little bit higher and then went all the way down. While walking around on the ground, my older sister saw a bat in a tub of water, and she showed my mom. My mom told my sister to get me so we could see if he was swimming or trying to get out. I looked at him, he was trying to get out, I really wanted to just pick him up and set him on the ground, but I couldn’t because I didn’t have my rabies shots and my mom wouldn’t let me. My mom told my sister to get my dad and little sister. When they came and saw the bat, dad left to get a shovel to scoop him out with. Dad got him out of the tub of water and for the rest of the time we were there I was taking pictures of the bat.
My earlier experiences with bats were only visual, but one night I actually felt bats as they flew by. One night as I was walking my dog, I felt the wind of something fly past me on my neck. In fact I think a bat’s wing brushed my cheek. Once my mom and I figured out that it was a bat, I was excited but I was not scared or freaking out.
The next three bats I saw were at the home of my mentors who have an open house every year. Because my mom had called them for some information for my presentations, they invited my family and me to their open house. When we got there they welcomed me like I was a part of the family. At 6:30 pm, a group of people went downstairs to their basement to see the bats. We got to see a big brown bat, a little brown bat, and the hoary bat. The little brown bat was being feisty. He didn’t want to be shown, he just wanted to hide. I made a joke because he was chattering. I said that the little brown bat was saying, “Leave me alone or I’m going to bite you.” Then he did. After every one left the room, my family and I got to pet the big brown bat and the hoary bat. They felt like soft fluffy puppies, actually softer.
A few months later I experienced rescuing a bat myself. One rainy morning two of my friends found him on the steps outside and came and told me. After a while I went to find him. My friend thought he was dead, but I nudged him with a stick, and he started taking bigger breaths. This was the very first bat I rescued without mom or dad around; I was really excited and nervous at the same time. Not remembering what to do I called my mentor and asked him. He told me what to get. When I got back to the bat my friends tried putting him in the box, but he didn’t like them very much. I used the handle of a fork and a lid of a container to scoop him up to set in the box. While I was doing that, he hissed and bared his teeth at me. After putting air holes in the box and I closing it I put the box in the garage office so the bat could dry off and not be bothered.
That night we went to a friend’s house to set him free but, even after spending close to two hours trying to free him, he wouldn’t go, so we took him home. He kept walking around the box even when I scratched on it. When it was time for bed, I put a blanket on the box so the light wouldn’t hurt him. We named the bat Stepper because he was on the steps when I rescued him.
In the morning mom took the blanket off the box, and Stepper was still moving around. Because I didn’t have the right licensing, I knew I couldn’t keep Stepper. Later that day when we brought Stepper to set him free again, we found out that he had died while I was at school. It was really sad because he was the very first bat I rescued without my mom and dad around. I called my mentor and asked what I could do with the body. She said my choices were to send him in so he could get cut open and tested or to burn and bury him. When dad got home from work we burned and buried him, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle having him get cut open and tested.
Because I knew I was planning on rescuing many more bats, I got my rabies shots so I can hold the bats when I rescue them. Instead of using a box and something to gently get the bat in the box, I can now just grab the bats very carefully with my hands and then put them in the box. There were three shots in the series, I have to get booster shots every once in a while just to make sure I didn’t get rabies.
The next year we got invited again to the open house, but this time we saw the big brown bat, the little brown bat, and the silver haired bat. It was really cool. After everyone left, I got to hold the big brown bat; he was really soft. I couldn’t quit smiling for the longest time. The bat also tried to fly out of my hands, but Ken caught him. It was an exciting evening.
The most recent bat I rescued was just next door at my neighbor’s door. My neighbor was walking her dog and claimed that a bat attacked her and her dog. Bats do not attack people or animals, but they do go for the bugs that are near you. When we heard her screaming, my mom and sister went out to check what was wrong and found out that it was a bat. My sister came and got me so I could help. I went to the garage and got a box that I could put the bat in. My dad and I had an argument on how I should get the bat, but I won that. When I got the bat in the box, I went down the stairs and waited for mom so we could leave to set the bat free. After talking with my uncle who could tell how excited I was decided to come with so we went and picked him up so he could watch me release the bat. When we got to our destination, I put the box with the bat in it on the camper. When I opened the box, it took the bat about five seconds to realize that there was an exit. Then she was gone and was enjoying her new home. I was smiling so much my uncle thought I was going to explode. When we got home, we looked at the picture we took of the bat on my neighbor’s sign, and all you could see with the bat was part of a name “Alynn,” so we named her Alynn.
When I did my most recent bat presentations, I gave all the teachers my number. If any of the kids or teachers need a bat rescuer, they can call me. A few days later I got a phone call asking me to come get a bat. When I got there, the bat was missing. We looked for the bat for about and hour or so, but we couldn’t find him. We told them to call us again if they found the bat again. While we were in Colorado for our yearly trip he called us back at 3 am, asking if we could come over and get the bat. We told him that we couldn’t because we were in Colorado, but if he got the bat in a box we would call my mentor and have him come and pick the bat up. He didn’t get the bat in the box, so the bat is still hiding in his house somewhere. Hopefully, we will get the bat out soon so they won’t need to worry about him anymore.
I get excited when I get a phone call asking for help getting a bat. I really enjoy seeing and rescuing these bats which I call my babies. It’s really fun and it gets even better when you rescue the bat and then release it in a new home. I can’t wait until I get to do it all over again. I love helping bats and I will keep it up until the last minute possible. I am really glad I found something that I enjoy doing in life and plan to become when I grow up.
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