Hey, you will be completely floored (as I was), but I live in a 10-story
apartment building in a busy sort-of-downtown area, and I have BATS in my
house!  Well, I have had 2 bats in my house in the last month, so that
qualifies as "bats" right?  The only possible way they could get in is
through the vent that goes from the bathroom fan (it's a *big* fan) to
the outside -- there is no other venting, no attic, the walls are all
made of cast concrete (cool, because roaches can't get in except thru the
front door), and I have "wall" air conditioning units.  And at first I
didn't think they could get in through the fan, but it's placed into the
ceiling with one of those big round sculpted covers, and the cover has
like an inch of space between its top and the ceiling -- and that's
probably enough for the bats to get through, since these look really
small -- only about 3" long body (but those wings are so big!).
 
I will get maintenance to do something with the fan, and am keeping the
bathroom door shut in the meantime, but I wanted to mention this, because
I think people tend to think that because their ferrets are kept indoors
that they don't need to get rabies vaccinations.  I would NEVER have
imagined that bats could have gotten in through that fan!  Or that there
even were any bats where I live!!!
 
I saw one bat at 11:30 PM, and the other at 12:30 PM -- it was a fluke
both times that I was even awake!  I am usually asleep by 10:30.  It
really makes me squirmy to think that these bats could have been coming
into my house for *months* and I would not have noticed because I was
asleep when they were flying around (I swear I am going to sleep with a
hat on!!!).
 
Anyway, getting the rabies vaccine is a good precaution, because even
though my ferrets (or yours) *may* be as brave as Alexandra's (remember
Sabrina the bat-biter?), the bats might bite back!
 
Melissa
[Posted in FML issue 4176]