Bats

[Kawasaki90]

So Friday evening around 8pm, I was cycling down a quiet dirt track, in Cheshire/ Manchester border I noticed what I assumed was a bat flying around, although not 100% sure it even was a bat.

I was covered other than my arms ( T-shirt) Although it was dark, I didn t notice anything land on me or bite me, I d like to think I d notice a bat landing/bite, or can they go unnoticed?

However today I ve noticed this small mark on my arm, 2 red marks close together, I appreciate it could be anything, would it be dramatic to think it would be a bat bite?

Edited by Kawasaki90 on Monday 14th September 11:55

[WH16]

Have you checked it in the mirror?

[alscar]

Afaik bats won't normally bite you unless they are cornered or feel threatened.
If you have been bitten then I think the usual advice is to speak to a Medical Professional as there is probably a very very very small chance of rabies ?!
I would have thought you would have noticed a bat both temporally landing on you and then biting you though ?
It looks more like the aftermath of a bad horse fly bite.

[C5_Steve]

WH16 said:

Have you checked it in the mirror?

What you did there. I see it

[Arrivalist]

WH16 said:

Have you checked it in the mirror?

[Kawasaki90]

alscar said:

Afaik bats won't normally bite you unless they are cornered or feel threatened.
If you have been bitten then I think the usual advice is to speak to a Medical Professional as there is probably a very very very small chance of rabies ?!
I would have thought you would have noticed a bat both temporally landing on you and then biting you though ?
It looks more like the aftermath of a bad horse fly bite.

well yes I would assume it would be obvious if a bat landed on me, although I know they can be small and it was dark, I can’t say I’ve ever encounted a bat in person before and other than the appearance I don’t know an awful lot about them, so I’ve no idea how delicate/clumsy they operate.

It’s the risk of rabies I’m slightly concerned about, if it was in the US I’d probably have gone and spoken to a doctor, its quite rare I believe in the UK, and I don’t know for sure the bat even came into contact with me let alone bite, so I can’t help but feel daft about going for a jab??

There’s no soreness or itching..

[toasty]

It's almost a 100% certainty that it was a vampire bat that bit. Quite possibly a radioactive one.

It's also a certainty that you have at least one of the following

• Rabies
• AIDS
• Syphilis
• Vampirism
• Superpowers
• Gullibility

[Kawasaki90]

WH16 said:

Have you checked it in the mirror?

[ikarl]

most bats are actually really small and incredibly light - 3-8 grams (a teaspoon of sugar is 5g for perspective)

it is very possible for a bat to land on you without you noticing, though you would likely notice the sensation of its feet gripping and its wings moving, even though the weight is tiny, if it was walking on your body / flying off

[alscar]

Kawasaki90 said:

alscar said:

Afaik bats won't normally bite you unless they are cornered or feel threatened.
If you have been bitten then I think the usual advice is to speak to a Medical Professional as there is probably a very very very small chance of rabies ?!
I would have thought you would have noticed a bat both temporally landing on you and then biting you though ?
It looks more like the aftermath of a bad horse fly bite.

well yes I would assume it would be obvious if a bat landed on me, although I know they can be small and it was dark, I can t say I ve ever encounted a bat in person before and other than the appearance I don t know an awful lot about them, so I ve no idea how delicate/clumsy they operate.

It s the risk of rabies I m slightly concerned about, if it was in the US I d probably have gone and spoken to a doctor, its quite rare I believe in the UK, and I don t know for sure the bat even came into contact with me let alone bite, so I can t help but feel daft about going for a jab??

There s no soreness or itching..

We have bats in our roof and going out at dusk they are always flying about albeit extremely rapidly.
In 22 years though they have never even come close to us.