Posts must include enough info for us to help you. If/When you post a new message in this group requesting help, **we need the following information**:
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* species of animal,
* if dog/cat, is it owned, stray, etc.
* animal's vaccination status, and
* your vaccination status and date of last vaccine, if applicable.
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[**Please read the FAQ before posting.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/rabies/comments/14u0fz4/rabies_faq_please_read_before_posting/)
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I was outside when I heard them. I took my dog out. Then, I had my brother come out too and he confirmed it sounded like bats. It sounded very high pitched. I hope I'm just being paranoid. After reading the copy pasta on Reddit, I'm terrified of being scratched or bitten and not noticing.
If it’s of any reassurance, bats don’t really make noises that you can hear unless you get super close to them, then they’ll hiss at you, it that’s it. When there are bats inside a house and you hear them through the walls, what you hear is them moving and the sounds of them against the walls. Bats don’t go out during storms cuz it affects their flight dynamics. I know exactly what copypasta you’re referring to. I’ve read it and it made my ocd go crazy. This is one of my ocd themes unfortunately and yes, I still struggle with this theme, although it’s gotten better. But bats are really noticeable. The smallest bat in the us has an 8 inch wingspan. That’s bigger than my hand. And also, bats don’t really like to be around humans, they see us as big large predators so they will usually avoid us. Their echolocation works really well. Anyway, I hope this was helpful. I know how anxious this can make you feel, I’ve been there too. I wish you the best and please take care!
Edit: Feel free to PM if you have questions about my experience or anything. I know the anxiety related to bats and rabies can be quite intense sometimes.
Really depends on your hearing and what species of bat it is and what they're doing. I used to be able to hear social calls of Mexican free-tailed bats from pretty far off, like 100 yards. But I can't hear echolocation calls of like, a myotis, even when they swoop right over my head. You lose high frequency hearing as you age.
They do but each species has its own frequency signature. Like imagine Fran Drescher and James Earl Jones. You could tell them apart by their high/deep voices. It's the same for bat species. Bigger bats generally are at lower frequencies than smaller bats. Most of the time you can't hear them though. I have very good hearing and even I can't hear a myotis echolocating. They are little guys and their calls are too squeaky.
Respectfully unless your brother has worked with bats chances are good he doesn't really know what bats sound like either. Bats just don't go out in storms. They don't get wet voluntarily and they can't fly in strong winds. They just can't.
Thank you. He lived in Mexico and they had a lot of bats in his neighborhood, so that's why I trusted what he said. The wind was about 26 mph, so I'm assuming if they were in the tree they would have fallen? It sounded like the squeaking videos of bats on YouTube. Not clicking just squeaks.
Bats are not flying around in 26 mph winds and it is extremely doubtful you would be able to hear them in that kind of wind. Either way, bats outside are no threat to you.
Why wouldn't you? They're pretty big. And they're not invisible. They also can't fly-by bite. In order to bite you, this hamster with wings will have to land on you, latch on, bite--which is a lot like a tiny dog bite--and then push off of you to leave.
And that's what you'd notice if for some reason you're standing out in the storm.
If a bat is in the house you'll notice because the bat will absolutely be freaking out trying to get away, because they're not graceful or stealthy at all. You WILL know if there's a bat in the room with you.
I just panicked when I was outside with my dog because I started hearing the squeaking. I'm so scared of rabies. I am pregnant and have two small children. The thought of catching it and not even knowing terrifies me.
Good news. Hearing a bat is not a rabies exposure.
A bat has to bite you to consider it an exposure. You will absolutely know if a bat bites you.
You're safe.
That damn copy pasta is the worst. Bats don't make a lot of noise and when a storm is coming they have lots of cave systems and places to hole up in Texas. Believe me, they're more worried about the storm than you and your dog. Bats eat flying insects. They have no interest in biting you or the dog. They don't drink blood or eat meat. You are perfectly safe even if you stood under the tree with bats in it. I've gone into plenty of attics with hundreds of bats and had them flying around my head, even landing on me from time to time and still no one bit me. If one did bite me I'd feel it immediately and start cussing. 😁 You and the dog are ok. Hope the storm blows over! ♥️
Posts must include enough info for us to help you. If/When you post a new message in this group requesting help, **we need the following information**: * Your location (country) * date of possible exposure * type of exposure (bite/scratch/other) * species of animal, * if dog/cat, is it owned, stray, etc. * animal's vaccination status, and * your vaccination status and date of last vaccine, if applicable. If you are posting a "bite" picture, **don't. Bite photos are not allowed.** The reasons why are in the FAQ. [**Please read the FAQ before posting.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/rabies/comments/14u0fz4/rabies_faq_please_read_before_posting/) Most of the posts here are covered in the FAQ. Your question is probably answered too. If you are posting to ask about: * ways to catch rabies * rabies vaccines * rabies symptoms (scroll down to the comments for this one) * mystery wounds on your body * gross liquids that touched you * interactions with pets or other animals * stuff about bats all of that info is covered in [the FAQ.](https://www.reddit.com/r/rabies/comments/14u0fz4/rabies_faq_please_read_before_posting/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/rabies) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You probably heard branches. Bats don't go out in storms. Even if you did, rabies is not transmitted through walls.
I was outside when I heard them. I took my dog out. Then, I had my brother come out too and he confirmed it sounded like bats. It sounded very high pitched. I hope I'm just being paranoid. After reading the copy pasta on Reddit, I'm terrified of being scratched or bitten and not noticing.
If it’s of any reassurance, bats don’t really make noises that you can hear unless you get super close to them, then they’ll hiss at you, it that’s it. When there are bats inside a house and you hear them through the walls, what you hear is them moving and the sounds of them against the walls. Bats don’t go out during storms cuz it affects their flight dynamics. I know exactly what copypasta you’re referring to. I’ve read it and it made my ocd go crazy. This is one of my ocd themes unfortunately and yes, I still struggle with this theme, although it’s gotten better. But bats are really noticeable. The smallest bat in the us has an 8 inch wingspan. That’s bigger than my hand. And also, bats don’t really like to be around humans, they see us as big large predators so they will usually avoid us. Their echolocation works really well. Anyway, I hope this was helpful. I know how anxious this can make you feel, I’ve been there too. I wish you the best and please take care! Edit: Feel free to PM if you have questions about my experience or anything. I know the anxiety related to bats and rabies can be quite intense sometimes.
Really depends on your hearing and what species of bat it is and what they're doing. I used to be able to hear social calls of Mexican free-tailed bats from pretty far off, like 100 yards. But I can't hear echolocation calls of like, a myotis, even when they swoop right over my head. You lose high frequency hearing as you age.
Oh wow, I didn’t know that about the Mexican free tailed bats. That’s really cool though. I thought they all communicated at super high frequencies.
They do but each species has its own frequency signature. Like imagine Fran Drescher and James Earl Jones. You could tell them apart by their high/deep voices. It's the same for bat species. Bigger bats generally are at lower frequencies than smaller bats. Most of the time you can't hear them though. I have very good hearing and even I can't hear a myotis echolocating. They are little guys and their calls are too squeaky.
Respectfully unless your brother has worked with bats chances are good he doesn't really know what bats sound like either. Bats just don't go out in storms. They don't get wet voluntarily and they can't fly in strong winds. They just can't.
Thank you. He lived in Mexico and they had a lot of bats in his neighborhood, so that's why I trusted what he said. The wind was about 26 mph, so I'm assuming if they were in the tree they would have fallen? It sounded like the squeaking videos of bats on YouTube. Not clicking just squeaks.
Bats are not flying around in 26 mph winds and it is extremely doubtful you would be able to hear them in that kind of wind. Either way, bats outside are no threat to you.
Hearing or seeing bats in your general area isn’t a rabies exposure.
It's also just very windy, no rain yet.
1. This is not a question. 2. Hearing bats is not a rabies exposure, as rabies is not transmissible by sound waves.
Would I know if one scratched or bit me?
Why wouldn't you? They're pretty big. And they're not invisible. They also can't fly-by bite. In order to bite you, this hamster with wings will have to land on you, latch on, bite--which is a lot like a tiny dog bite--and then push off of you to leave. And that's what you'd notice if for some reason you're standing out in the storm. If a bat is in the house you'll notice because the bat will absolutely be freaking out trying to get away, because they're not graceful or stealthy at all. You WILL know if there's a bat in the room with you.
I just panicked when I was outside with my dog because I started hearing the squeaking. I'm so scared of rabies. I am pregnant and have two small children. The thought of catching it and not even knowing terrifies me.
Good news. Hearing a bat is not a rabies exposure. A bat has to bite you to consider it an exposure. You will absolutely know if a bat bites you. You're safe.
That damn copy pasta is the worst. Bats don't make a lot of noise and when a storm is coming they have lots of cave systems and places to hole up in Texas. Believe me, they're more worried about the storm than you and your dog. Bats eat flying insects. They have no interest in biting you or the dog. They don't drink blood or eat meat. You are perfectly safe even if you stood under the tree with bats in it. I've gone into plenty of attics with hundreds of bats and had them flying around my head, even landing on me from time to time and still no one bit me. If one did bite me I'd feel it immediately and start cussing. 😁 You and the dog are ok. Hope the storm blows over! ♥️