# Egyptian Fruit Bat detailed pet care wanted please!



## EchoAngel (Jan 26, 2012)

Hey all! 

I had been reading up a lot of Egyptian Fruit Bat info on here, and it seemed like a helpful place  I've had such a hard time finding large amounts of accurate information on the web.

I've ALWAYS been such an animal/pet lover, as well as a bat fanatic. And I was in shock and excitement when I found out I could get a hold of Egyptian Fruit Bat's. 

Ive noticed a few Egyptian Fruit Bat keepers on here that look like that have some very knowledgeable and amazing advice and pet care info they can give. I'd just love to know it all really, so i can print it out and have a read through! Just all the areas like;



*How big the enclosure has to be*
*What kind of enclosure i would need to make/buy for them*
*I understand it needs to be heated? How would i go about this?*
*Can they be indoors or outdoors?*
*Their diet*
*Anymore than 2 bats? (id never get just 1 of a pet!)*
*Males or females?*
*Handling *
*Health and behavior (anything i need to look out for?)*
*How long do they live?*
*Do they need anything clipping like their nails?*
*What kind of toys or activity items would they need in their enclosure?*
*How is their activity in day/night time?*
*And anything else that would be handy to know about bats!*

I am very very serious about getting pet bats, i have plans to save up a lot of money and research a LOT to make sure im going to do this right before i even think of buying them 

I thank anyone in advance that could put me together a little guide!


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## Kvetch (May 10, 2010)

Hi there! bats would indeed be a very interesting animal to keep. I dont think there are a lot of people who keep them in general so it may be a couple of weeks before anyone with experience comes across this thread. 

There was an old thread on here from a few years ago about Egyptian Fruit Bats, and the person posting was told at the time to send a personal message to the user 'Nerys' on this site. As it was a few years ago the user may no longer be on but it wouldnt hurt to drop them a message and see if they can help.

Ive also stumbled on a thread on a site called specialistkeepers or something I cant remember exactly but Ive saved some info a bat keeper posted on there:

For these bats to thrive in captivity, their enclosure must be able to meet certain criteria. 

Firstly, it must be of a size that enables the bats to fly around freely, without risk of injury. It must be at least 9 ft high and a minimum of 6ft X 6ft wide, although for a colony larger than 4 bats, more space is required. For this to be achieved, a dedicated room is preferable, although an indoor aviary can be utilised, as long as it is free of draughts, and the wire mesh is plastic coated and a thick gauge. 

The enclosure will need to be maintained at a temperature of between 80 and 90 degrees, and no sudden drops in temperature. It is preferable for there to be a thermal gradient so as the bats can seek out their preferred temperature. Although the bats can huddle and shiver for warmth, or fan themselves with their wings to cool down, a prolonged exposure to incorrect temperatures can cause severe health problems. Although some air circulation is necessary to avoid the air becoming stagnant, draughts must be avoided. 

A cave/roost area is essential that is free from light, and large enough for the bats to enter and leave freely. This will be used for much of the day and should have many surfaces that the bats can adequately hang from. This can be bark, ropes etc. This area must enable the bats to have a feeling of privacy and security. 

"The main enclosure should allow the bats access to natural sunlight, which allows them to facilitate their natural roosting habits. The ceiling of the main enclosure must provide many opportunities for roosting and perching, such as ropes and vines, as they require these for mental stimulation, as well as allowing them a place to hang while they eat. This complexity encourages foraging, scent-marking, hiding, and facilitates social play. These must be hung in a way that the bats are able to hang at a height that is at least 6 ft from the floor of the enclosure, so as to allow a sufficient drop when they need to fly off. There should also be a provision for the bats to climb up from the floor, as many cannot take off once they have landed to eat the fruit that has been dropped. The floor should be covered in a material that allows for regular cleaning, such as vinyl as bats produce a lot of waste, that can be smelly and toxic if allowed to build up."

Not sure where you live but there are various 'bat groups' around parts of England where you can become a member and help out in taking care of bats in sanctuaries and such.

I would read these websites:

Egyptian Fruit Bat - Paw Talk - Pet Forums

Bat rescue, bat rehabilitation bat conservation and sanctuary for bats. A non-profit organization dedicated to bats!

BerkshireBatGroup

Bat Conservation Trust

Best of luck!

Kvetch


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Kvetch said:


> Hi there! bats would indeed be a very interesting animal to keep. I dont think there are a lot of people who keep them in general so it may be a couple of weeks before anyone with experience comes across this thread.
> 
> There was an old thread on here from a few years ago about Egyptian Fruit Bats, and *the person posting was told at the time to send a personal message to the user 'Nerys' on this site. As it was a few years ago the user may no longer be on but it wouldnt hurt to drop them a message and see if they can help.*
> 
> ...


I certainly wouldn't ask Nerys anything about keeping animals well..................neglecting & killing them, maybe....

Bats are messy, & their faeces are smelly & wet. 

Try www.exotickeepersforum.co.uk


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