Frequently Asked Questions
Do you allow visitors or tours?
We are a private facility which operates under strict regulations enforced by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. In accordance with state regulations we cannot allow visitors. There are many opportunities to attend one of our public events. Please see our event calendar for details.
Do you remove bat colonies?
We are not licensed through the state to remove bat colonies - we are permitted to rescue distressed bats. When considering bat exclusion, we recommend a licensed wildlife humane exclusion professional that is familiar with your situation. Please do not contact pest control companies, as they are not licensed to handle bat exclusions. Due to serious population decline, bats are protected in Pennsylvania therefore it's illegal to kill bats. Please visit our list of bat removal companies.
Do you need volunteers?
We are a small facility with limited opportunities for volunteers and interns. If you are interested in volunteering please provide a resume with your experience, current rabies titer, and complete volunteer form. Anyone interested in working with bats (and other rabies vector species) must be rabies vaccinated with an up-to-date rabies titer.
If we don't have any current volunteer opportunities, and you are still interested in helping animals, please visit PAWR for a Pennsylvania wildlife rehabilitator near you.
What do you do with the bats after intake?
Bats come into our care for a variety of reasons. We address their individual needs to help them recover quickly to release them back into their natural habitat. Some injuries may take several weeks or months to heal - this assures their best chance for survival.
Found A Bat?
What should I do if I find a bat?
Never attempt to rescue a bat bare handed. This is important both for your safety and the bat's. Avoid touching the bat even with gloved hands or tools as you may accidentally injure it.
Bats are typically docile and placid. However, an injured or stressed bat may understandably be grumpy! If a bat will not leave your residence on its own, or if you think you found an injured bat, please contact a professional wildlife rehabilitator by visiting Pa Wildlife Rehabilitators Association.
Found a bat, how to safely capture and properly contain a bat
A bat that is found indoors is most likely to be a crevice-dwelling species. Although the fur color of crevice-dwelling bats varies, it is usually a shade of gray or brown. These bats are often lost youngsters or migrating bats.
Wait until the animal is motionless. A bat that is flying is almost impossible to catch, and you have a greater chance of injuring the bat if you attempt to capture it while it is airborne. In addition, bats that are caught while flying frequently panic and attempt to bite. Be patient. Wait until the bat lands and is still, and then proceed to step 2.
Contain the bat. Quietly approach the bat, and wearing thick gloves or using a thick towel, gather the bat up (holding it securely but not tightly) and place it into a box or similar container with a lid. Or instead, simply place a box, waste can, coffee can or similar object over the bat where it has landed. Then, take a piece of cardboard and gently slide it between the box and the surface the bat is on (i.e. floor, wall or ceiling). Keeping the cardboard in place, gently turn the container right side up.
Another option is to use thick gloves and gently place a small hand towel over the bat and gently (do not squeeze) pick the bat up and place into a secure container.
Do not use hard objects to attempt to capture bats, this could injury or unintentionally kill them. Bats have delicate finger bones that can easily break. Contact a wildlife rehabilitator immediately!
Important note!: Do not place the bat in a bird cage or container with small openings. Bats are very intelligent and can easily squeeze through a 1/4 x 1/2 inch crack.
Oops - I already caught the bat. Now what?
- Contact a professional wildlife rehabilitator immediately.
- Do not keep the bat contained for a prolonged period of time.
- Do not attempt to care for the bat on your own! Rehabilitators are vaccinated and professionally trained. Injured bats may require extensive care in the form of injections, specialized food, electrolytes, etc.
White-Nose Syndrome
What is white-nose syndrome?
White-nose syndrome is the caused by a fungus called Pseudogymnoascus destructans. This fungus feeds on the skin of hibernating bats, including their wings. It is responsible for killing an estimated 6.7 million bats in North America since 2006.
How does white-nose syndrome kill bats?
The syndrome causes hibernating bats to wake up more frequently during the winter, thus forcing them to rapidly use up their limited fat reserves. Bats that are able to survive the winter with white-nose syndrome frequently die in the spring due to their immune systems attacking the fungus, along with healthy tissue, in an attempt to rid the bat's body of the fungus. It is theorized that actual, eventual cause of death may be severe water and electrolyte imbalance due to rapid destruction of wing tissue.
Where did white-nose syndrome come from?
Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus responsible for white-nose syndrome, appears to have come to North America from Europe via human traffic.
The fungus has been found on cave bats in countries throughout Europe and in China. These species of bats, however, appear to have adapted to the fungus and are unaffected by it. Because cave bats do not migrate between North America and other continents, it is highly likely that humans are responsible for bringing the fungus to North America. It is theorized that the fungus was introduced to North American cave bat populations via cave visitors who unknowingly carried the fungus on their clothing and gear.
The fungus passes primarily from bat-to-bat or environment-to-bat, but may also be passed from human-to-bat through misguided human intervention. It is thought that the 2016 jump of white-nose syndrome from the Midwest to the West coast was entirely due to humans handling bats.
How deadly is white-nose syndrome?
Extremely. White-nose syndrome kills 70-90% of bats in affected colonies. 100% mortality rates have been observed in cave bat colonies consisting of hundreds of thousands of individual bats. White-nose syndrome is an epidemic.
Which species are affected by white-nose syndrome?
White-nose syndrome affects hibernating bat species, which make up about half of all bat species in North America.
The following species, including several on the federal endangered species list, have been infected by white-nose syndrome:
- Gray Bat (endangered)
- Indiana Bat (endangered)
- Northern Long-Eared Bat (threatened)
- Big Brown Bat
- Little Brown Bat
- Tri-Colored Bat
- Eastern Small-Footed Bat
Is there a cure for white-nose syndrome?
No. Several promising treatments and interventions are currently being studied, but their application is still far off.