Chapter Ten

In temperate regions, wild adult bats in healthy condition are occasionally found away from their hibernaculum during late fall, and winter. Hibernating them in a refrigerator is a good way to maintain such animals until spring. Many people, however, attempt to hibernate bats in basements or spare rooms. Such situations are ideal only if the ambient temperature remains constant, or fluctuates no more than 5 degrees above or below 42 F; this rarely occurs in such large spaces and few bats, in these situations, survive the winter.

Before starting the hibernating process, be sure the bat is feeding and consuming water regularly at room temperature (approximately 72-74 F; 22-23 C) for about 4-7 days. On the evening before artificial hibernation begins, allow the bat to digest its last meal overnight (water must always be available). Early the following morning, place the bat into a covered, styrofoam container (FIG. 19, Chapter 4) (approximately 11 in. wide x 8 in. deep x 11 in. high) with a shallow dish of water; occasionally, bats awake during hibernation to drink. Do not add vitamin and mineral supplements to the hibernaculum drinking water because they serve as media for bacterial growth. Also, an attempt to change the water can cause the bat to awaken and waste valuable energy.

For a perch, place a small piece of cork bark and/or a pillowcase or T-shirt into the container, but do not allow the water to spill on the container's contents. Be sure there are adequate airholes. Refrigerate the container and bat for 10 days at a temperature of 42 F (6 C). On the 10th day, and during the evening hours, remove the containerized animal from the refrigerator, transfer it to its cage (which might be a larger cooler as described in Chapter 4 under Temporary Holding), and allow it to adjust to room temperature over a 2 or 3-hour period. Feed the bat for 2 or 3 nights, then repeat the procedure.

Refrigerator interiors are very DRY (e.g., approx. 5 to 15% relative humidity). To prevent a bat from dehydrating, do not refrigerate it longer than 10 days. During this time, it may lose about 1 g of body weight. Feeding it for 2 or 3 nights prior to refrigerating it again will help it to regain the lost weight. Repeat this procedure until flying insects become plentiful in your area, and release the bat where it was found originally.

1) Never fly bats during the hibernating period. It is important that they conserve energy for spring foraging (also see Chapter 2, ASPECTS OF REHABILITATION AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR RELEASE).

2) Never refrigerate a bat during its active time of year (spring and summer) except to render it torpid for physical examination.

3) Never hibernate artificially injured, dehydrated or thin bats.

4) Never refrigerate infants.

5) Never refrigerate tropical species.

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