Going Batty

Yesterday, Rich Leonardi wrote at his blog Ten Reasons that he had a bird in his dining room.

Well, late last night, I walked downstairs from my home office to find something furiously flying all around our den. I immediately remembered Rich's post and thought I had a bird in the house as well.

I soon discovered, much to my horror, that it wasn't a bird at all, but a flying rodent - it was a bat. I grabbed a towel from the stack of laundry that Sarah had neatly folded and placed on the couch, and tried to knock the bat out of the air. I briefly succeeded, but the bat recovered and flew from the den into the hallway and then into the bedroom that my 2 boys share.

I ran after the bat and tried to shoo it out of the bedroom. Jamie, of course, woke up and said "What are you doing, Daddy?" I answered that I was trying to get a bat out of his bedroom. "A bat?" I finally chased the bat out of the bedroom and back into the den. I managed to confine the bat in the den by shutting the door, and I opened a window hoping I could get it to fly outside.

After about 5 minutes or so of my trying to knock it out of the air, the bat flew behind the built-in bookshelves/entertainment center (there is a slight gap between the unit and the wall). The bat remained there for the rest of the night, as I kept vigil by sleeping on the couch. It's still back there. I'm sure it will eventually come out, and I will resume my efforts to subdue it.

My main concern right now is rabes. Can these things spread rabes even if they don't come directly into contact with humans or animals? I have no way of knowing for sure that the bat is rabid, but I certainly don't want to take any chances.

UPDATE:
This is what I found at the website for the Ohio Division of Wildlife:

Although bats are currently the most frequent rabies-positive animals examined by the Ohio Department of Health each year, this only translates to 6 to 25 positive animals per year, out of hundreds that are tested, and no Ohioan has contracted rabies from a bat. Rabies is something to be cautious about; however, most bats are healthy and are an important and positive part of the state’s bio diversity.

UPDATE # 2:
I just called the Division of Wildlife. There must be an exchange of fluids (via a bite or a scratch, etc.) in order for a feral animal to spread rabes. Also, when the bat re-emerges (probably tonight around sunset), I need to open up more than one window so that there is a flow of air. The bat will follow the current out the window.


UPDATE # 3 (4 May 2006):
Just before sunset last night, I opened up 2 windows and closed the door to the den. Later in the evening, after the kids were all in bed (and after a little nagging from Sarah), I went back into the den to see what was going on. I actually climed up on top of the bookcase/entertainment center and shined (shone?) a flashlight down into the gap between the wall. No bat. So, I'm assuming all is safe for now.