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What to do if you find an injured or orphaned bat in North Carolina

Help, I found a bat! Do this FIRST!

Injured, grounded, inside your home? Follow these steps IMMEDIATELY.

What to do RIGHT NOW:

Contact us IMMEDIATELY! Call or text CWCC right away at 980-389-1133 (leave a voicemail)
NEVER TOUCH WITH BARE HANDS, please use gloves or a towel
DO NOT FEED OR GIVE WATER
Keep a distance and keep pets/people away
Place animal in a dark, quiet, ventilated box (if instructed to do so by our hotline)
Keep them warm and dry
Limit noise and handling
If you have found an injured or ill adult, be very mindful of their big powerful teeth.

In some situations, a bat that has been handled with bare hands may need to be euthanized for rabies testing. This is why it is imperative that you use gloves!

What NOT to do:

Do NOT touch a bat with bare hands (Even healthy bats may bite if frightened. Always use gloves or a towel)
Do NOT throw a bat into the air (If it cannot fly, this can cause serious injury or death)
Do NOT assume a grounded bat is fine (bats on the ground are often dehydrated, injured, or in distress)
Do NOT attempt to feed or give water (Improper feeding can cause organ failure or aspiration)
Do NOT try to care for the bat yourself (Bats require specialized care and handing)
Do NOT delay seeking help (Bats have extremely high metabolisms - every hour matters)

Never attempt to feed, wash, treat or rehabilitate a bat. You can always text us at photo at 980-389-1133 so we can better assess the condition of the bat pup.Getting the animal to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as quickly as possible is critical to giving them the best chance at survival and eventual release back into the wild.

What situation are you in?

Not sure? Choose the option that looks closest, we will guide you from there!

I found a bat inside my home

Flying or stuck indoors

I found a bat on the ground

Not flying or found outside

I found a bat that looks injured or not moving

Needs immediate help

I think I found a baby bat (pup)

It is small and alone

There are bats living inside my home

Living in the attic or walls

Containment Protocol - quick steps

Before you begin, NEVER HANDLE A BAT WITH BARE HANDS. Wear thick gloves or use a towel. Keep children and pets away and move slowly and calmly to avoid stressing the bat. Contact us IMMEDIATELY for next steps and to see if containment is necessary.

1. Wait until the bat is still, do NOT attempt to catch the bat while it is flying. If indoors, allow it time to land.

2. Cover and secure the bat wearing thick gloves or using a towel, gently place a container over the bat. Slide a piece of cardboard underneath to safely contain it without direct contact.

3. Place the bat into a small, ventilated box with a lid and soft cloth inside.

IMPORTANT! bats can squeeze through extremely small openings. Do NOT use a cage. Do NOT use containers with gaps or LARGE air holes.

4. Hold safely or release if appropriate.

Keep the box in a dark, quiet, warm place. Only release after dark if instructed by our hotline. If the bat cannot fly, do not release.

If you would like more information, please watch this video on how to contain a bat here!

How to safely contain the bat.

Once the bat has landed and is no longer moving, you can contain it without direct contact. Using thick gloves or a towel, gently place a container (such as a box) over the bat. Sliding a piece of cardboard between the container and the surface allows you to secure the bat safely inside. This method prevents injury and keeps both you and the bat protected.

Choosing the right container is critical!

Bats are small, flexible, and capable of squeezing through incredibly tiny openings. Because of this, proper containment is essential. Use a secure box or container with a lid (that has very small air holes)

Avoid using:

Wire cages
Containers with large gaps or ventilation slits

Even small openings can allow a bat to escape, which can create additional stress and make safe handling more difficult.

Why should I wait until the bat is still?

Bats are extremely agile in flight, and attempting to catch one while it is airborne can cause unnecessary stress and increase the risk of injury to both you and the animal. In many cases, a bat flying indoors is simply trying to find an exit. Turning off lights and allowing the bat to land gives you a safer opportunity to respond if needed.

When is it safe to release a bat?

Only bats that were actively flying indoors and show no signs of injury should be released. Release should take place after dark, when bats are naturally active, and only during mild weather conditions. Placing the container on its side in an elevated outdoor location allows the bat to exit on its own.

If the bat is unable to fly, appears weak, or was found on the ground, it likely needs professional care and should not be released. Contact us immediately if any of those scenarios sound like yours.

When to seek help immediately?

If the bat does not fly away, appears injured, or you are unsure of its condition, contact us as soon as possible. Bats have extremely high metabolisms and can decline quickly without proper care. Keeping the bat in a dark, quiet, and secure environment until help is available gives it the best chance of survival.

Call or text (980)389-1133

Sending a photo can help us assess the situation faster

If a bat appears to be injured, please immediately text us a photo to 980-389-1133. A photo is the best way for us to asses the situation. If we confirm that the bat does indeed need to come into care, please use care and caution while containing the bat for transport.

Some facts about bats!

A single bat can eat thousands of insects in one night, including mosquitos and agricultural pests!

North Carolina is home to 17 species of bats and all of them play important roles in keeping our ecosystem balanced.

Bats provide natural pest control, Saving farmers millions of dollars each year and reducing the need of harmful pesticides.

Many bats in North Carolina are facing serious threats from habitat loss and White Nose Syndrome, a disease that has caused major population declines.

Bats are a keystone species, meaning their presence supports entire ecosystems, when bats decline, other species are affected too.

I found a bat flying inside my home: Containment protocol not immediately needed

Bats often enter homes accidentally while searching for a safe roost. This is especially common during seasonal changes or when young bats are learning to navigate.

Closer off other rooms of your home
Open one exterior door or window for the bat to escape
Turn off the lights
Shine a flashlight toward the exit
Do NOT chase or swat
Do NOT attempt to grab the bat mid air

If the bat does not leave on its own or lands contact us immediately and our hotline team will walk you through containment protocol and what to do from here.

I found a bat on the ground and it is not obviously injured: Containment protocol MIGHT be needed.

Bats cannot take flight from the ground. A grounded bat may simply need height, but it can also indicate exhaustion, dehydration, or injury.

Do NOT throw the bat into the air
Use gloves or a towel if assisting the bat to a higher vantage point
Gently move to an elevated surface (tree trunk, wall, etc.)
WATCH CLOSELY
If the bat flys away, no further action is needed
If it remains, struggles, or cannot fly IT NEEDS HELP

If the bat does not leave on its own contact us immediately and our hotline team will walk you through containment protocol and what to do from here.

I found a bat that is obviously injured: Contact us IMMEDIATELY, containment protocol is urgently needed

Bats that are not moving, easily approached, or visibly injured are in critical condition. Because of their high metabolism, they can decline rapidly without care.

Contact us IMMEDIATELY, our hotline team will walk you through containment protocol and next steps. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.
Wear thick gloves or use a towel
Carefully place the bat in a secure, ventilated container
Keep in a warm, dark, quiet environment

Bats require specialized care, including fluids and medical support. Delays can be fatal. Contact us immediately and our hotline team will walk you through containment protocol and what to do from here.

I think I found a baby bat (pup) and it is alone : Containment protocol is not immediately needed

Baby bats (pups) sometimes fall from roosts or become separated. Mothers may return to retrieve them, but only under the right conditions. Please give the mom a chance to retrieve her baby by leaving it in the location that you found it.

Contact us IMMEDIATELY, our hotline team will walk you through next steps.
ONLY intervene if the pup appears weak, cold, or dehydrated
Avoid handling unless necessary
If you must handle for its safety, place near the original location or beneath the roost (i.e. the eves of a house) Wear thick gloves or use a towel
Do not leave the pup in direct sunlight, it can dehydrate and become sunburned
If the mother does not return within 12 hours, begin to look for help by a licensed professional

There are bats living in my walls or attic : Containment protocol is NOT needed

Bats often roost in attics or walls. These colonies are especially active during maternity season when mothers are raising young.

Bats are federally and state protected. It is ILLEGAL to HARM or KILL them.

Bats are state and federally protect wildlife because of their rapidly declining populations. Therefore, it is against the law to harm a bat or roost of bats even if they are in your home or place of business. We repeat, it is illegal to harm these animals and wildlife officers are cracking down on offenders because of the seriousness that bat species face. Note that some states do not allow the rehabilitation of bats.

Evictions are NOT allowed from May 1- August 1 (maternity season)

Evicting during this time can trap babies inside, leading to death and sever odor issues.

HUMANE evictions are allowed September 1- April 30

Humane options include:
One way exclusion devices
professional wildlife services