Note to self: about the bats...

[dianeduane]

On summer evenings, when the little ultrasonic things that keep bugs and mice out of the house are turned on, if the windows are going to be open, turn the ultrasonics off.  Otherwise the local pipistrelle bats come in the windows and start hunting through the house for the strange mutant bat-thing that's suddenly appeared on their territory and is making these weird noises.

The cats then go completely spare as they start trying to catch the flying mice. Then Peter has to go through all kinds of amusing gymnastics to (a) keep the cats from eating the bats, because they're a protected species, and (b) to get the bats to fly out again. And sometimes they're sufficiently annoyed when he catches them that they try to bite him (funny but harmless, as pipistrelles' teeth are designed for bugs and can't even scratch human skin). 

(sigh)

Now playing: Tina Turner & Elton John - The Bitch is Back

Comments

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... that's a decididly unlovely sound... I think I may reconsider the idea of having one of those as a pet. [not that I'm a goth, I just like bats.]

Having worked on the capture, tagging and release of the local microbats, the shivering might not have been fear but the usual behaviour when they're resting. Their body is geared towards a high temprature because of the all the heat generated by the effort of flying. When they are resting, they have to shiver to remain warm, particually in cool air conditioned malls!
[it's also why they huddle together.]

Of course, being mammals, they do also shiver in fear as well, but if the one you saw was part of an exhibit, it was probably fairly endured to it all, I doubt the organisers would have used one that would get stressed. Quite apart from anything else, the animal protection services would have had their asses if it was suffering.

Oh, and rest assured, they enjoying faux social grooming too. [ie stroking]. Their little heartbeats slow down and they tend to get visibly less agitated. I've had one fall asleep in my hands even, I guess he was pretty darn relaxed. [which considering the vet had just got done splinting a broken wing bone, that was fairly amazing!]

thanks for telling me more about the microbats!

[sesquipedeviant.livejournal.com]

I've always liked our fruitbats -- but that's a support-the-underdog thing, as the farmers etc hate them. Yes, they SQUARK, but that .au file gave you the noise of a mob fighting - probably over the best nip of mango :>

So all mammals shiver in fear? Is that part of the fight/flight preparedness? And the bats enjoy the faux social grooming? Neat! I'm so pleased about that. I had felt a little guilty for adding to the little beastie's stress.

Re: thanks for telling me more about the microbats!

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, virtually all vertibrates, not just mammals, shiver in fear... I guess it's a reflex to warm up the muscles or some sort of displacement activity.

I can see why fruit farmers don't like them, it'd be a bit like haveing locusts descend on your crops. Still, I can see why people like them, they are cute looking things. [is it just me, or do they seem to be grinning a lot of the time?]

As for social grooming, if you get the oppertunity, watch a colony of bats, they are almost always grooming each other unless they're asleep. Bats have a real problem reaching all their 'bits' and social grooming helps keep exoparasites down, as well as serving as a way of group bonding, conflict resolution and establishing social order.

As far as I know, there isn't a single species that doesn't enjoy it, since they are all social animals. Some more so than others, I looked after a common bat [which ironically, is quite rare] and that little girl loved being skritched behind the ears... she'd squeak if I stopped and butt her head against my finger. Kinda cat-like in a way.