bats as pets?

[Zoe]

Are they legal? Easy to acquire? What price range would I be looking at?

Any info would be appreciated!

Zoe

[reverendsterlin]

I'm not sure about legal ownership, but you do have 8 species (I think) of bats in your area. There are numerous sites on the web with bathouse plans(where I learned about them) and regional plantings used to attract bats to your home. I'm not sure they could do well in an enclosure, they are delicate little things. As a boy we sometimes would catch one to look at in the barn, but always let them go. The only type of 'captivity' I know of by an individual is rescue workers with abandoned babies whom I've seen carrying them in a shirt pocket and feeding with droppers, all those are released. The little brown bats here are said to eat about 1,400 mosquito sized bugs an hour so keeping feeders on hand would be a pain. Interesting idea though, I could see a small enclosure with a couple of dozen bumblebee bats (weigh less than a penny) as a centerpiece for a home. Most likely all are protected, they all only have one baby per year as far as I have read. Maybe a search for one of the big tropical fruit bats as exotic pets would let you know, they are the most common species I know of that wouldn't be too delicate and for a keeper to be able to feed. Someone has to keep vampire bats as well, they are working to develop an anti-coagulant for heart patients out of the saliva.

[Zoe]

I was thinking more along the lines of an egyptian fruit bat, rev.

Zoe

[damzookeeper]

I just kind of answered this in the other thread. Paul and Sherri had some at Little Ray's, maybe you could email them and ask them about the ones they have (had). I don't know if they still have them cuz I didn't see them when I went out on the 31st of last month. I saw them there last year and if I remember right they had two species of fruit bats. :)
I would think it would be ilegal to keep the bats around here. I'm pretty sure most bats are protected in the wild. They sure are sweet to watch and interact with though!

[beth wallbank]

the one thing you have to be careful about Zoe is rabies. Not sure if its a problem in Ontario or not, but out here there have been half a dozen confirmed rabies infections in bats and their ppulations. I would definitely go to a breeder of such animal with your questions, as they would be the most educated in answering your questions.

[katev17]

No more bats at the zoo! I'm not sure, but there might be ONE last one, an injured one.. otherwise the 'bat cave' has been removed! :( How sad... they rocked.

[Solid Snake]

Originally posted by reverendsterlin
I'm not sure about legal ownership, but you do have 8 species (I think) of bats in your area. .

awesome! i never knew we had bats in canada.

[JD@reptiles]

and bats aren't legal as pets in a lot of places. in Mississauga for sure... apparently they breed too rapidly and if they were to escape than you would have a population of bats and yadda yadda yadda... that's the only problem. that's why they are ilegal here, in Mississauga. but I would love to get a fruit eating bat!

Jordan

[snakelover111]

i think fruit bats can be kept as pets here in the usa i dint know about canada..

[Lisa]

Bats are not allowed as pets in Toronto. you can find Toronto's bylaw at http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/legdocs/bylaws/1999/law0028.htm

Hope this helps. BTW prohibited animals are in schedule A.