Weaning

Growth and development

  • The bat should be regularly monitored to assess its progress and care adjusted accordingly. Progress should be measured against the different stages of development (see diagram page 10).

Weaning

  • It is important not to rush this stage. Bats in the wild are not weaned until after they have acquired sufficient flying skills to hunt their own insect prey. Weaning should therefore begin once bats have developed some real flight.
  • A baby bat that is ready to be weaned will start to show signs of this – such as biting at feeding tools.
  • Mealworms should start to be introduced gradually to the bat’s diet. To begin with a decapitated mini mealworm can be offered.
  • Gradually milk feeds can be replaced one at a time with mini mealworms offered from tweezers.
  • Mealworms contain insufficient nutrition for a developing bat. Consideration should be given to gut loading the mealworms to provide extra nutrition. Decisions on which nutrition substitutes and supplements to use should be based on veterinary advice, experience, success and with discussion from other more experienced carers.
  • Each bat will be different and some individuals will take longer to feed than others.
  • A bat that stretches it’s wings and shows signs of muscle development by doing “push ups” is ready for flight practice. At this stage young bats making attempts to fly, will require extra calories to compensate for the extra energy used in flight.
  • Weaning can continue whether young bats are in a flexible practice cage or an outdoor flight cage.