[Marches Farmer]

Can't see that doing something sensible motivated by compassion is a bad thing.  If you hadn't done something the bat would've died anyway.  You did do something and it died but there was a chance it wouldn't have.

[Penninehillbilly]

Few people other than bat specialists know much about bats, so that was a bit of a cheeky comment from the rescuer. 

I think its worse than cheeky, more like unhelpful and seeming to be blaming Buffy, she could have been more positive and given advice on dealing with these situations and what to watch for, which I hope she did???
You don't always know when to step in, I once saw a hare in the grass up the track, didn't quite look right but called the dogs and left it (they hadn't gone near it, just knew it was there and looked from a distance), it was still there later, I expected it to run away when i approached but it didn't, so I put it in a box and took it to the vets, it died before I got there.  How I wish I'd looked closer earlier. But it could have been doing the hare thing and just staying still? how was I to know it was dying?
Who know, there may have been something wrong with your little bat, she may not have made it anyway?
As said by others I too have learned from this post
Thanks for posting Buffy, you acted when pointed in the right direction, we can't all be experts :-)

[Old Shep]

The bat would have definitely died without your intervention  - so well done you on giving it a slim chance.

[Buttermilk]

As it is illegal to disturb bats jumping in too soon can be wrong too.

[Womble]

Not just because of the legal issues. Let's be honest, most apparently sick or abandoned wildlife actually just wants to be left alone. The tricky bit is discerning the 15% that actually need our help.


You did what you could Buffy - don't beat yourself up! 

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Actually,


           with the benefit of hindsight I perhaps should have brought it in and given it a couple of drops of critical care and some ambient warmth. The bat lady said it didnt need warmth and that I must take the hay out of the box that I had it in or it would try and eat it and choke (yeah right) Its a wild bat...if it wanted to eat hay and choke it could do it in the barn any time. I said it was far too poorly to attempt to eat anything but she insisted that I put it on tissue paper with a couple of drops of water in a bilk bottle top.


          I think it was suffering from hypothermia and probably hunger / dehydration but I really dont know a thing about bats. And I do have rather enough on with sheep, chickens, pigs, turkeys and cats without nursing anything else.


           Another bit of info for those of you who suspect that you may be required to help an ailing bat in the future.......,
           Wear gloves when you pick them up, pick them up very gently with a soft cloth, place them carefully into a ventilated box and take them to the nearest vet. The lady at the bat helpline said all vets treat wild animals that are injured. She also said that if the 3 bat volunteers that she gave me contact details for hadnt got back to me in 3 hours I should just take it to the vet anyway.


 

[Buffy the eggs layer]

The risk of being bitten by a rabied bat is low and mitigated by wearing gloves.


But if any of you are planning to take any injured animal to a vet like the one described I would definitely think twice.

[Penninehillbilly]

when i took the hare to the vet i rang the RSPCA first, they told me to take it, and assured me there would be no charge. and there wasn't. she did look even though it had died, and decided it had been hit by a car :-(.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

The bat lady said that the vet would treat it without charge too. I guess you have to pick your vet.