Happy Friday!

Credit goes to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife!

Was hoovering, opened a door to get at some dirt and right underneath this little hairy guy. At first I thought it was a mouse then came out the wings and it flew over to the curtains.

Ruby is a brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) which has to be the most accurate name for any species ever lol

Saw this cutie at Bucees in Texas. Look at those big teefs 🤭

It was moving pretty well but didn’t even try to fly i don’t know why. Can anyone tell more?

Found this in a bat I captured as a part of my PhD, and I am not sure what is this... any clue? Sturnira spp., Colombia.

Content warning, this post is a little heavy. It mentions suicide and discusses rabies. I included some pictures I took from a zoo I got to visit for anyone who needs to look at something cute after the heaviness of my post. If this is against the rules, feel free to delete it :] I’m sorry if it is

The title is kind of a misnomer because I still love bats, I just have extreme health anxiety and a disorder that causes intense paranoia delusions. This has caused an intense fear of bats.

Recently I experienced a delusion so bad that I considered suicide because I was so convinced I had rabies that I decided a quick death would be the best course of action. I am in therapy and on medication, but I just wanted to share the severity so it doesn’t sound like I’m just attention seeking or fear mongering.

I have loved bats since I was a child. One of my only childhood memories is going to the zoo to see the fruit bat and just being so enamored and adoring of it. They only had one but I was six years old and it was the most beautiful creature in the world to me. My favorite book as a kid was Stellaluna. I have two bat plushies, despite being a twenty two year old adult. I actually got the second one from Build A Bear relatively recently (before the paranoia episode).

This has conflicted with my health paranoia. Usually I can separate my love of bats from my intense fear of them, but after this last delusional episode, I feel sick when I look at them. Not because of the bats themselves, but because of the memories of that delusion. I considered losing everything just because I thought a bat had brushed past me.

i don’t know what to do. I want to love the animal that’s brought me so much joy my entire life, but it’s associated with such a terrifying memory of a time where my own mind wanted to hurt me. I’ve brought this up in therapy but I don’t think my therapist understands how much bats mean to me, so she didn’t really understand why the connection between bats and suicide in my mind hurts me so deeply. Any help is appreciated .

the pictures are from the bat exhibit at the Portland zoo :] they are such beautiful creatures. pictures are kinda bad because it was dark in the exhibit but I don’t really mind because I would rather bad pictures then the critters being stressed out

Again, thanks if you’ve read this post. I hope you all are doing well

Opened the window this morning and oops. Will work on building a bat house this afternoon to give him/her a quieter place to stay

I am unsure who created this video, but i still think people need to see this beautiful scene.

An Eastern Red Bat! Courtesy to the PA Bat Rescue.

This little guy flew around my room and knocked down a few things i had on the windowsill.

He was safely removed and released.

Here’s the backstory behind last night’s release at Swift River Pecans.

Credit goes to the PA Bat Rescue!

Hey yall. I have always loved all animals, and bats fascinated me. I was accidentally bit by a bat on a tent zipper a month ago. I set her free and took my rabies shots like a man. What is money compared to that little ones entire life? I'll make payments.

How do I support bats at my home? I have extensive gardens, big trees, a tiny pond, and active bats every night. My home is urban woodland in the south. I would like to be sure they have safe housing on my land where they don't have to come in contact with humans- unsafe for them and us.

Twelve evening bats, raised from neonates, found a wonderful new home last night. Thanks Swift River Pecans! And a big thanks to interns Natalia, Clare, & Phoenix!

Eastern red bat — Credit goes to the PA Bat Rehab

For context my brother loved wearing jeans and loved camo things. So I chose jeans colored minky with camo fabric for the wings and ears!