Found a Baby Bat? Here’s Exactly What to Do (And What to Skip)

Stumbling across a tiny, helpless bat pup can be one of the most startling wildlife encounters you’ll ever have. One moment you’re going about your day, and the next you’re staring at a creature the size of a walnut, unsure whether to step closer or back away entirely.

The good news is that staying calm and following a clear set of steps can make a real difference for the bat — and keep you safe in the process. Whether the pup is on your porch, in your garage, or lying on a patch of grass, this guide walks you through exactly what to assess, what to do, and who to call when you find a baby bat.

Key Insight: Baby bats are called pups, and they are born between late spring and early summer — making May through July the peak season for finding one on the ground.

Is the Baby Bat Actually Orphaned or Just Alone?

Before you do anything else, take a breath and observe. Not every baby bat you see on the ground is in crisis. Unnecessarily removing an animal from its environment — particularly a baby — can cause more harm than simply leaving it be. That said, bats are a unique case compared to many other baby animals.

A baby bat found alone is relatively rare, since they usually stay in the roost until they are old enough to fly. Sometimes, however, newborn bats cling to their mother when she flies and may fall off. Older babies who have left the roost may also become grounded.

Unlike fledgling birds or fawns, a bat pup on the ground usually cannot get back to safety on its own. Bats can’t fly from the ground up because their long wingspan doesn’t give them enough lift. This means that even if the mother is nearby, she typically cannot retrieve a pup that has fallen.

One common misconception is that pups frequently fall from their nests. While this can happen, it’s more likely that a pup found outside is actually a juvenile that has ventured out but hasn’t yet mastered flying. These young bats might be learning to fly or may have been disturbed from their roost, leading them to end up in unexpected places.

Pro Tip: If you know where the roost is nearby, you may be able to attempt a brief reunion at dusk. Wait until dusk to place the baby near the roost area, and leave the baby outdoors for a minimum of five hours to see if mom returns to collect her. It can take up to three days of trying for a successful reunification.

If you have no idea where the roost is, or if the bat has been on the ground for an extended period, treat the situation as one requiring professional help. When a fairly newborn baby bat is found alone on the ground outside, contact a bat rehabilitator as soon as possible, since bats are very difficult — if not impossible — to reunite with their mothers.

Curious about what other wild animals share the same habitats where bats roost? wild animals in Connecticut and wild animals in Chicago offer a closer look at the species you might encounter in different regions.

Signs a Baby Bat Needs Immediate Help

Once you’ve spotted the pup, your next task is to assess whether it needs urgent intervention. Knowing what to look for helps you act quickly without overreacting — or underreacting.

There are a few cases where you need to intervene right away: the bat pup is on the ground with its eyes closed; the bat pup is cold or surrounded by flies; the bat pup is pink and has no fur; a female bat is on the ground with her pups attached to her; or the bat pup is injured or has been attacked.

Physical condition is the clearest indicator of distress. Newborn bats, also known as pups, are typically born between late spring and early summer. They are tiny, with delicate features, and are often hairless or have very fine fur. Unlike adults, pups are not capable of flight and rely heavily on their mothers for survival.

• Lying flat on the ground — healthy bats will try to cling to a surface rather than lie flat
• Visible injuries — torn wings, bleeding, or signs of a cat or dog attack
• Covered in flies or ants — a sign the bat has been grounded for too long
• Extremely cold to the touch — baby bats cannot regulate their own body temperature
• Crying or vocalizing repeatedly — distress calls that indicate the pup needs its mother
• Active during daylight with no shelter — while not always dangerous, it warrants a closer look

Important Note: Many bat injuries are caused by cats. Bacteria from a cat’s claws can cause fatal infections, so even tiny wounds need antibiotic treatment as soon as possible. If you know or suspect a cat has touched the bat, treat it as an emergency.

Healthy bats can usually take off from the ground, so if you see one on the floor or in an exposed place, it probably needs your help. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and contact a wildlife professional. Do not wait to seek help from a bat rehabilitator — get help immediately. Bats have high metabolisms much like a hummingbird, and every hour counts.

What to Do Before You Touch a Baby Bat

Before your hands get anywhere near the bat, there are a few critical steps to take first. Preparation protects both you and the animal, and skipping it can create serious risks for everyone involved.

The single most important rule is this: never handle a bat bare-handed. This applies to baby bats just as much as adults. Even a tiny pup can bite in self-defense, and bats are not aggressive and will not attack you, but a bat may bite in self-defense if you try to pick it up.

Here’s what to gather before you approach:

1. Thick gloves — leather work gloves or heavy gardening gloves are ideal. Do not use thin gloves or thin cloth.
2. A small cardboard box — punch a few small air holes in the lid before you start
3. Soft cloth or paper towels — to line the box and give the bat something to cling to. Do not use a regular towel, as the loops can injure a bat’s small feet.
4. Tape — to fully seal the box once the bat is inside, since bats can squeeze through very small spaces, so make sure the box is well secured.

Once your gear is ready, take a moment to secure the area. First, make sure no children or pets can get to it. Keep dogs and cats well away — not only for the bat’s safety, but because keeping your pets up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations helps protect your pet and the bat if you find a bat inside your home or if your pet finds a bat on the ground outside.

You should also consider rabies risk calmly and factually. Less than half of 1% of all bats may contract the disease. Still, there is no way to determine if a bat has rabies by simply looking at it — rabies can only be confirmed in a laboratory. Taking precautions is simply good practice with any wild animal. Learn more about bat safety from the CDC’s bat rabies prevention page.

How to Safely Contain a Baby Bat

With your gloves on and your box prepared, you’re ready to carefully contain the bat. Moving slowly and calmly is key — sudden movements will stress the animal and may cause it to bite.

There are two main approaches depending on the situation:

Method 1: Direct pick-up — Quietly approach the bat wearing thick gloves or using a thick towel, and gather the bat up, holding it securely but not tightly, then place it into a box or similar container with a lid.

Method 2: Box-over method — Put a shoebox over the bat and slide a piece of cardboard underneath, then put the bat in a ventilated transport container. This process allows you to contain the bat without any direct contact.

Pro Tip: Put a soft cloth into the box to give the bat something to cling to. Baby bats instinctively grip fabric, and this will help keep the pup calm and reduce stress during transport.

Once the bat is inside the box, seal it thoroughly and place it somewhere safe. Keep the bat in the closed container and put it in a safe place that is free of children, pets, fire ants, or other hazards.

Temperature matters a great deal for young bats. Babies are fragile and need to be kept warm. Put them in a box with a soft cloth and put a heating pad under half of the box. Make sure the heating pad is on low and that half of the box is not heated — this gives the bat a warm zone and a cooler zone to choose from.

One important caution about water: don’t provide water to a baby bat — it can harm or even kill the baby if it is already dehydrated. This is counterintuitive, but offering water to a dehydrated baby bat without proper technique can cause aspiration. Leave that to the professionals.

Common Mistake: Do not place the bat into a tree. The bat may be injured or orphaned, and placing it in a tree could be a death sentence. It may seem like a natural solution, but a grounded bat cannot safely launch from a tree branch the way a healthy adult can.

Also keep in mind: 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.

Who to Call When You Find a Baby Bat

Once the bat is safely contained, your most important job is to get it to the right people as quickly as possible. You have several options depending on your location and the urgency of the situation.

If you know of an animal who needs help, call your local animal control officer, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, or a wildlife veterinary clinic as soon as possible. These are your three primary contacts, and any one of them can guide your next steps.

Contact Type	When to Call	What They Can Do
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator	First choice for any baby bat situation	Provide specialized care, feeding, and housing; vaccinated against rabies
Local Animal Control	When you can’t locate a rehabilitator quickly	Assess the situation, transport, and refer to specialists
Wildlife Veterinary Clinic	For injured or visibly sick bats	Emergency medical treatment before transfer to rehab
Local Health Department	If anyone was bitten or possibly exposed	Advise on rabies testing and post-exposure protocols

To find a licensed bat rehabilitator near you, visit Bat World Sanctuary’s rescuer locator or check the Bats Northwest resource page for regional contacts. The Tufts Wildlife Clinic also provides helpful guidance on what to do while you wait for help.

Unless you are a licensed rehabilitator, it is illegal and extremely difficult to raise baby bats. A bat’s best chance for life is with an experienced rehabilitator. Rehabilitators are inoculated against rabies so that they can handle the bats safely.

If someone in your household was bitten or had direct contact with the bat, the protocol is different. If you think you have been in contact with a bat, talk to your health department. If you find a bat in your home, contact animal control or your health department to safely capture it for rabies testing. Do not release the bat until you talk with a public health expert.

Bats have small teeth that may leave marks that are not easy to see. Because of this, you should get medical advice even if you do not see bite marks when you wake up and find a bat in your room, or if you see a bat in the room of a child or near a mentally impaired or intoxicated person.

During transport, keep things calm and quiet. During transport, keep the animal in the box or crate and keep the car quiet with the radio off. Stress can worsen the condition of an already compromised bat pup.

Bats are also an important part of local wildlife ecosystems, helping to control insect populations and even supporting plant life. It’s estimated that just one bat can consume between 6,000 and 8,000 insects in just one night. Getting a pup into the right hands gives it a real chance at returning to that role. You can read more about the animals that share bat habitats in our guide to animals found in lakes or explore what other animals eat nectar alongside bats in shared ecosystems.

What Not to Do With a Baby Bat

Knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to do. Several well-meaning instincts can actually put both you and the bat at serious risk. Here’s a clear rundown of actions to skip entirely.

Don’t handle it with bare hands. This cannot be overstated. Never handle a bat with your bare hands, as they are rabies vectors. Even if the bat looks healthy and calm, always use thick gloves or a thick cloth barrier.

Don’t try to feed it. Do not attempt to care for the bat on your own. Bats need specialized food and housing, as well as medical treatment. Attempting to care for the bat on your own could jeopardize the health of the bat as well as your own. Feeding a baby bat the wrong thing — or the right thing in the wrong way — can cause organ failure or aspiration.

Don’t throw it into the air. Do not take the bat outside and throw it into the air assuming it will fly away. This could severely injure a bat that is not able to fly.

Don’t release it in cold or rainy weather. Do not release bats outside between November and March, or if it is raining or the temperatures are below 60 degrees. Cold and wet conditions are dangerous for an already vulnerable pup.

Don’t keep it as a pet or try to raise it yourself. Raising a wild animal in captivity is illegal unless you have a proper state or federal permit. Beyond the legal issue, baby bats require highly specialized nutrition and socialization that only trained rehabilitators can provide. An experienced carer will need to hand-rear any orphans. This is a very specialized job and should never be taken on by a well-meaning yet inexperienced person.

Common Mistake: Placing a baby bat in a terry cloth or looped-fabric towel seems gentle, but those loops can wrap around a bat’s tiny toes and cause serious injury. Always use smooth cloth, a t-shirt, or paper towels instead.

Don’t harm or kill the bat. Do not harm or kill the bat. Besides the fact that bats are living creatures capable of feeling fear and pain, should the bat need to be tested for rabies, the bat’s brain must be intact and undamaged in order for the test to be done.

Don’t assume a still bat is dead. A bat on a curtain, wall, or floor inside a house during the day may be torpid. Bats slow down their breathing and heart rate and reduce their body temperature during the day. They are sluggish if woken up and need about ten minutes of shivering to warm up. A torpid bat feels cold to the touch — but it is not dead. Watch carefully for tiny ear-wiggles to check that the bat is alive.

Baby bats are fragile, fascinating creatures that play a vital role in the natural world around us. When you find one, the most helpful thing you can do is stay calm, keep it contained and warm, and get it to a licensed professional as quickly as possible. Your quick thinking and careful handling could be exactly what gives that tiny pup a second chance. For more on the animals that share wild spaces with bats, explore our guides on baby animal names and what animals eat mealworms — a food that rehabilitators sometimes use for bats in their care.