We enjoyed Jen's posts about her friendly (?) visitors.
I think I posted about Susan's repeated requests for a rat. The requests started long before Christmas ("All I want for Christmas is a rat...") and still continue. Each night I come home from work, there is an adorable note on the table for me about the events of the evening. The note always includes information about a rat needing a home.
Well, now we have another critter story.... Saturday morning, I sent John to bring the garbage out. When he put on his boot from the front entry, he felt a "sock" in his boot, so reached in to pull it out. Instead of a sock, it was a bat! It bit his finger. After putting the bat in a bucket, we headed to the doctor where they started rabies shots. He got a tetanus shot in one arm, rabies vaccine in the other. Rabies immune globulin in his finger (until it looked like a sausage) and another big dose in each butt cheek. We are waiting for tests results on the bat to know if he has to complete the vaccine series. ....Just got a call from the Dept of Health. The bat is missing. Great. I am sure they will track it down, but now the testing has been delayed. If they can find it soon, they will still be able to do the first quick test before the window of opportunity for his second dose closes. Otherwise, I guess he has to have the seond one regardless.
It was sort of fun to witness the reactions of the receptionists and staff in the various places we encountered with the live, potentially rabid bat on Saturday :) A bit different at the intake place at the U. To them, a rabid bat is just part of everyday life!
I don't recall if I told you our bat story from Christmas, but won't get into it here. I don't have a picture of the bat that bit John, unless it was the same. If so, this is it :)
-b
5 comments:
Are you going to contact an
exterminator? I'd feel more comfortable if I stay there when you go to Finland if that materializes. dk.
Becky, I think Tiny Tim was just a tad bit cuter than your friend! :)
How long is the series of shots?
I have a feeling, I'm going to be shaking my shoes and boots before putting them on and (Knock on wood) we haven't had a bat in our house!!!
Heather
What a scary thought. I wonder if we have bats around here. I'm sure we do. Just never thought of them lounging around in shoes. Haven't seen any. I think I vote for earthquakes instead. :)
-a
The rabies test came back negative :) We have learned quite a bit about bats. An exterminator and the MN Dept of Health have been particularly helpful. Unfortunately, our friends must remain as guests until it is over 40 degrees for a few days and all the snow and ice is off the roof. They hibernate, so aren't moving much now; Just enough to crawl around under the insulation to eat bugs in the attic. They don't hang in the winter like I assumed. We don't konw how many we have, having never seen or heard anything other than the one in December and the one in John's boot. Boys live in groups of 6-10; girls in groups of 75-100. We are hoping for boys! The key is to get rid of them before girls start having their babies. Can you imagine 75-100 having babies in the attic? The moms will go crazy trying to get in if they are separated from their babies (coming through doors, windows, etc.) plus the smell of that many starved to death wouldn't be too good.
So, sorry mom... if we have more in the attic, they will be there while we are gone :( Hopefully they came through the hole in the attic hatch which has been repaired.
As for shaking shoes, it might not be enough. They hang on pretty tight. You might want to sqeeze too :)
-b
Post a Comment