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FAQs

FAQS

Microbats

I have a microbat inside my house. How do I remove it?
Do not touch the bat, and please do not take any action during the daylight hours (to avoid the bat being eaten by predators). After dusk, open all doors and windows to allow the bat an escape route. Turn off all indoor lights and ceiling fans and switch on an external light. The bat will fly towards the light in search of insects. If the bat seems unable or unwilling to fly, contact your nearest wildlife organisation.
I have microbats living in the roof, what can I do?
Evicting resident microbats is a process of exclusion and care must be taken not to seal them, or their helpless babies, in the roof to die. At dusk, ascertain exactly where the exit and entry points are. Erect some bat boxes in the garden to provide an alternative roost. After breeding season (usually the months of November/December) when babies can fly, then the access gaps in the roof can be repaired.
Can the bats be removed and relocated?
Bats are protected, and in Queensland a permit is required for removal. Bat Rescue Inc. do not provide relocation or removal services, unless we are temporarily housing them to return for release back into the same area.
Do microbats carry diseases?

Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV), which is transmitted by a bite or scratch from an infected bat, has been found in all Australian flying-fox species but only one species of insect-eating microbat. However, it is assumed that any bat in Australia could possibly carry the virus. Therefore public health advice is that unvaccinated people should not handle any bats, and all bites or scratches must be reported to Queensland Health.

Microbats are not associated with Hendra virus.

Histoplasmosis is a rare lung infection caused by a fungus that can grow in large, undisturbed deposits of bird or bat guano, such as old chicken coops, pigeon roosts or bat caves.

Australian Bat Lyssavirus: Queensland Health
Bats & Human Health: Queensland Health
Histoplasmosis: Queensland Health

Do microbats get tangled in people’s hair?

Bats are all good navigators and naturally fearful of humans, therefore even an accidental collision is most unlikely.  Rest assured that any microbats you may see swooping around near a streetlight that you are standing under are chasing insects, not you!

I found microbats living inside my outdoor umbrella, what can I do?

Droppings around the base of an outdoor umbrella are usually a sign that microbats have taken up residence.   Do not open the umbrella during the daylight hours.  At night, open it up and leave it open to deter the bats from returning.  If possible, do not disturb during breeding season (usually the months of November/December) as there may be helpless young inside the umbrella.   Please contact your nearest wildlife organisation for advice.  Consider installing a microbat box in your garden as an alternative roost.

Microbats can consume several hundred insects per hour.  Consider installing some bat boxes in your garden to encourage nature’s pest controllers. They will happily feast on your lawn grub moths, beetles, mosquitoes and other insects. 

FAQS

FLYING-FOXES

I touched a bat and got bitten/scratched, what should I do?
The wound should be washed (not scrubbed) thoroughly with soap and water for five minutes, an antiseptic solution such as Betadine or alcohol should be applied and medical advice sought as soon as possible. An effective post-exposure vaccination is available.
What are the disease risks?

People will not be exposed to diseases when flying-foxes fly overhead, when they roost or feed in garden trees, or even from touching their droppings.  Australian Bat Lyssavirus is a rare virus similar to rabies.  It can only be transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected bat. Less than 1% of flying-foxes are estimated to be infected with ABL.  The three confirmed cases of ABL in humans were the direct result of handling infected animals.

Hendra Virus in humans is also very rare, and there is no evidence humans can contract this virus directly from flying-foxes.  It can however be transferred to humans through exposure to the body fluids of infected horses.  Horse owners are encouraged to ensure their horses are vaccinated for Hendra virus.

A small bat has been hanging in my tree for a few days. I think it has been flying out for food at night and coming back. Is this normal, or would the mother be coming to feed it?

This is not normal behaviour and should be reported to your nearest wildlife organisation. Any bat found in the daytime hanging in a tree by itself is usually in trouble, although sometimes bats will hang around to guard a food resource from others if times are tough.

My child has picked up bat poo and possibly put it into her mouth. Can she get sick?
There is no known risk of contracting Australian Bat Lyssavirus or Hendra Virus through ingesting bat faeces. However, all animal droppings are considered a source of bacteria that may cause illness, so any contaminated areas should be washed immediately.
My dog/cat caught a bat in the backyard, what should I do?
Contact your nearest wildlife organisation and notify your veterinarian of the incident. To date there have been no confirmed cases of Lyssavirus in dogs or cats in Australia despite many backyard incidents with bats. A post-exposure vaccination is available for pets.
I found a dead bat, what should I do?
Please do not handle the dead bat with bare hands. First check that the bat is in fact dead, and that there is not a live baby clinging to the dead body or under the wing. Please contact a wildlife rescue organisation if you are at all unsure. Using gloves, or a shovel, double-bag the dead bat and dispose of it in a garbage bin.
How do I clean bat poo off my car?
Soaking the dropping with a damp rag is the easiest way to remove it. Unless the paint is old or peeling, no permanent damage should result from bat poo which is washed off promptly.

FAQS

COLONIES

Can I remove flying-foxes from my property?
Any unauthorised attempt to disturb or kill flying-foxes is illegal. They are a protected native species.
Why are flying-foxes so noisy?
Flying-foxes are a social animal and can be very vocal, particularly at dawn and dusk when they are arriving or leaving their colony site. During the day the colony rests and noise level is relatively low, except during mating season (March/April). Any daytime disturbances near the colony, such as loud bangs and lawn mowers, will also result in a noise increase. Defending a food source is another noisy situation. When the tree has finished flowering or fruiting, these territorial disputes should cease.

FAQS

GET INVOLVED

How can I help bats?
  • Join or support your local wildlife rehabilitation group
  • Join or support your local bushcare organisation
  • Avoid using barbed wire or use plain wire or white polytape on the top strand
  • Net fruit trees correctly
  • Plant food trees and preserve native vegetation on your property
  • Install microbat boxes
  • Report any injured or orphaned animals
  • Report dead flying-foxes on overhead powerlines (note the pole number) to your local wildlife organisation