I have a bat problem

[den]

Yesterday I was handed a Vespadelus vulturnus, a little forest bat who weighed a whole 5 grams. She is uninjured, healthy and quite fat. It was a simple rescue and release.

Or so I thought *sfx: dramatic sting*

I thought, she's fat and healthy. I'll just hang the bat tent in the tree and she'll fly off. The plan went swimmingly well, except for the bit about the bat flying off.This morning I grabbed the tent and was startled by a tiny growl. The bat was still in there!. Bugger. So I shut the tent door and waited for night. Tonight I fed her some meal worms because she missed a feed last night, and to ensure she found her way outside the tent I removed her and placed her on top. She scuttled around for a few minutes, found the openeing, and climbed back into the tent. Bugger! So I evicted her again with much grumpyness, placed her on top, then zipped the door shut. I hope she leaves tonight.

I hope she's not just free-loading on my meal worms.

Comments

[oceansedge.livejournal.com]

*smiles*.., isn't it nice to be loved :)
Your reputation must be getting around the bat community :)

[ngarewyrd.livejournal.com]

Could it be one of your prior rescues come back to enjoy their spring holiday at the Casa del Whitten?

[bookofnights.livejournal.com]

Maybe she's not fat, she's pregnant and starving, seeking to find shelter in the cold cruel world and wondering how she will survive as a single parent. Then she finds a wonderous place, warm and with enough food to support her in her time of need, only to be cast out again, through no fault of her own.

Or not :)

[ursulav.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't ya know it...there's always somebody who'll take advantage of charity. *grin*

[beki.livejournal.com]

Is it possible that she is near time to give birth? I dont know bat breeding habits, but she might be looking for a place to nest or whatever it is bats do when they are about to have young. Do you have a bat box she can hang out in and get her own dinner for herself at?

[blush10ac.livejournal.com]

Actually I hope she is just free loading and the poor girl isn't ill. Hopefully she gets bored and moves along tonight.

"Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout you."

[klishnor.livejournal.com]

Word has definitely got around the bat population.

I get this strange image of you as a Mad Max type character in their stories. The one from MM2 that is.

They're in trouble.
You turn up and fix things for them.
You move out of their lives again.