Helping Wildlife in Spring

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What to do if you find a baby bird

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What to do if you find a bat or have a bat in your house

I found a bat. Who can I call for help?

• You can call the Vermont Bat Center any time, day or night, at 802-891-6667
• You can call the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department office at 802-353-4818 during business hours
  (8:30 AM – 4:30 PM Monday through Friday).
• You can call the rabies hotline at 1-800-4RABIES (1-800-472-2437) during business hours.

What do I do if I find a bat in my house?
You can call the Vermont Bat Center (802-891-6667) and we will help you safely capture the bat. If you need to catch the bat yourself:

1. Stay calm! The bat will not attack you.
2. Keep your eye on the bat. It will try to hide and then it will be difficult to find. 
3. Have someone get you a small container like a shoe box or a plastic container and a piece of cardboard (or stiff paper).
4. Wait for the bat to land. 
5. Slowly approach it and gently cover it with the container. Then slide the cardboard between the container and the surface where the bat has landed. This will gently push the bat into the container.
6. Hold the cardboard over the container as you remove it from the surface. Tape the cardboard to the container so the bat cannot get out.

Call the Vermont Bat Center (802-891-6667) and we will help you with what to do next.
Here is a document that might help, it includes step-by-step pictures of the above process: 
http://www.batcon.org/resources/for-specific-issues/bats-in-buildings/removing-a-single-bat

You can also watch a video on how to capture a bat: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzax0V0DG_M

Who are the Vermont wildlife rehabilitators and which of them will accept bats? 

• Call VBC for help – 802-891-6667

For any other questions about bats, call the Vermont Bat Center at 802-891-6667 or visit their resources webpage at http://www.vermontbatcenter.org/resources.html

All information has been provided by our friends at the Vermont Bat Center.

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What to do if you find a baby mammal

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What to do if you find a baby deer

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What to do if you find a turtle

Baby turtles actually don’t spend any time with their mother after they hatch, so usually they are fine if left alone. Most likely, you will see a new hatchling making its way from its nest site on land to the closest wetland. IF the baby is in a dangerous location, such as the middle of the road, you can help it out by carrying it across. Try to assess which direction the turtle was going, and carry it that same direction, otherwise it may turn around and cross the road again. If there is a wetland nearby, you can carry the turtle all the way to the edge of the water and set it down. 

For more information, check out the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA).

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