Bats and Babies

Bats are one of the animals that many homeowners are scared of. These creatures have been associated with bloodsucking creatures of the dark. But scientifically, what do we really know about these animals?

Bats belong under the Chiroptera order of mammals. They are the only mammals with the ability to fly. They also have a very developed sense of hearing. Bats are experts in navigation with the help of echolocation and this is the reason why they can fly fast even at night.

One other interesting thing about bats is that they are the slowest reproducing mammals. They also have a unique mating habit. Bats mate by first meeting in hibernacula, which are their hibernation sites. The bats then swarm around the site which is usually a cave or attic, and find their pairs. After this swarming activity or the selection phase, pairs will then proceed to secluded places in the site to mate in private. The mating season is usually around late summer and early autumn.

The gestation period is six months. The female will only give birth to one pup and will nurture and take care of the young until it is old enough to hunt on its own. Like all other mammals, bat pups drink milk from their mother. Although the gestation period is long, pups actually grow fast. In a span of one month, most pups are able to hunt and fly on their own.

Bat pups are scrawny and are born without hair. They are also endowed with strong claws to help them hang on to the cave and to their mother.  Bat babies are classed together in a colony and they hang from the cave ceiling together. This gives them enough warmth and protection. While there may be a thousand baby bats in the colony, each mother bat will know who their offspring is simply by sound and smell.

Bats are the most misunderstood animals. Since they are constantly referred to as creatures of the dark, they are linked with some dark and scary stories. The truth is bats are very helpful since they can eat  thousands of mosquitoes in a day along with other insects, too. They help us get rid of insects that constantly pester us.

Bats roost in caves and hollow trees, but may settle for alternatives. Any place that presents good shelter and protection against their wild predators appeals to bats in just the same way as caves and hollow trees do. While bats may be passive by nature, it is still best to properly remove them should they claim your attic their home. A single bat may take a colony with it, leaving you with some serious property damage and health risk in the future.

Let Kitchener wildlife control companies such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control help you put these creatures back where they belong. Skedaddle Kitchener wildlife control technicians use a series of one-way doors to allow bats to exit the home and prevent their re-entry. Skedaddle has more than twenty-six years of expertise and experience in driving away wildlife from homes so you can sleep tightly at night, knowing there are no other creatures inhabiting your home in the dark.