I just wanted to share this cute story about our little house guest.
A couple of days ago, I got up, turned the kitchen light on, and saw something fluttering in the blinds over the kitchen window. Next thing I know, a little bat flew out and into the living room.
He flew up into a little 1" space between the vertical blinds (in front of the picture window) and the cornice at the top of the blinds.
Living in a small village with lots of old barns, sheds, garages, etc., I'm used to lots of bats around (I've always called this "Batville"), so it's just a matter of time before one ends up where it doesn't know it shouldn't be.
I was so worried about the little guy because he was without food all night and probably hungry, but I knew that he would just sleep all day and not cause any problems - until my husband came home from work!...
I told him that we had a little bat sleeping in the blinds and that I would let him out when it got dark and he woke up. Well, I got the typical reaction..."It's going to fly into our hair", "I'm tearing those blinds down and shaking it off outside", "bats attack people", "you'll be sorry if it wakes up and comes after you", etc., etc., etc.
Now don't get me wrong, my husband is an animal lover and would never hurt a critter (he has actually confronted people for abusing animals), but he still has the same fears about bats that a lot of folks do.
Anyway, I finally talked him into doing it my way after agreeing to let him hide in the piggie's room (when it started getting dark), with the doors closed, until the bat was gone.
After I got him calmed down a little, I had to run to the library. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous about leaving him alone with the 'deadly killer' snoring away in the blinds!
When I got back, he said, "Bobby is still sleeping".
I was shocked and speechless, to say the least! I asked him what had happened between "I'm tearing this place apart to get that thing out of here" to naming him and being his protector!?!
He said, "He has a cute little face, and look at those little tiny toes hanging on to the edge".
I agreed with him. Bats do have cute little faces (I've always said that they're just mice with wings).
So, the panic and fear having dissolved...we sat down and watched (and I'm not making this up) Batman:The Dark Knight!
As agreed, when it started getting dark, he went into the piggie's room and closed the door while I waited for Bobby to wake up.
Finally, the little sleepy head peeked his head out to make sure it was safe to come out. I propped the door open and waited for him to drop down and fly out of the blinds and out the door. When I thought he did, I closed the door and walked to the back of the apartment to open the piggie's door.
That's when I felt a soft little feeling float by my head. It felt like a large cotton ball (no, he wasn't trying to fly into my hair!).
I said, "You little stinker, you can't stay in here, you have to go outside with your family because they're probably wondering where you are, and you need to eat because you haven't eaten in a long time. Now go out there and get those skeeters so they don't bite us"!
So, I propped the back outside door open and ducked down so his radar had a clear shot at the open space. Within about 2 seconds he slowly and gently flew out the door.
He never did do all the typical bat things such as: flapping, squealing, spazzing out, etc. because he was never threatened in any way to cause him to try to defend himself.
Bobby was a good little house guest (he did leave a couple of tiny mouse-sized poos that I just swept up and tossed outside), and I'm so glad that he was able to help me show my husband that the more you understand the critter...the easier it is to deal with them when they get lost and need our help to get back to where they belong.
Good boy, Bobby!
