Bat Care

What to do if you find an injured or grounded bat.

Call the National Bat Helpline on 0345 1300 228. If there are cats around or the bat is in further danger, wear gloves and place the bat in a cardboard box with a tissue or a piece of cloth in one corner and a shallow lid with water (e.g. from a milk bottle) so the bat can drink. Punch small holes in the lid to allow air into the box, and keep it in a warm place until help comes. For more information click here.

What to do if bat is flying around a room or living space.

Never try to catch a flying bat as you could injure it and it may even bite in self defence. If it's a warm evening, the best thing to do is to close the door to the room, open the windows widely and dim the lights in the room. This will give the bat a chance to find its own way out.

If you are not sure it has flown out, it is best to look high up in places such as in the folds of curtains and behind picture frames, (a healthy bat will want to be out of reach and out of the light) or in low level places (if a bat is injured or in trouble it will struggle to hide properly).