Dogs And Fruitbats

[Whippetsmum]

Our neighbour has fruit trees that hang over the fence. The fruit attracts big bats. The bats annoy the dog. The dog barks and jumps at the bats. Then the bats take off and swoop at the dog (at least they seem to be, or are they just flying low at take off?).

I am trying to keep the dog away from the bats and have been putting a spotlight on the trees to discourage the bats, which does help a bit. I am hoping the fruit will be gone soon, and the bats will go elsewhere, I removed the fruit that was hanging into our yard so that the bats aren't too low in the yard.

Are the bats likely to cause damage to the dog, are there pests or diseases that he could get if they scratch him or is in contact with them? The bats also drop chewed up fruit on the ground which we clear up every morning, again, are there any disease issues if the dog gets to the fruit that the bats have chewed?

[Wazzat Xolo]

Our neighbour has fruit trees that hang over the fence. The fruit attracts big bats. The bats annoy the dog. The dog barks and jumps at the bats. Then the bats take off and swoop at the dog (at least they seem to be, or are they just flying low at take off?).

I am trying to keep the dog away from the bats and have been putting a spotlight on the trees to discourage the bats, which does help a bit. I am hoping the fruit will be gone soon, and the bats will go elsewhere, I removed the fruit that was hanging into our yard so that the bats aren't too low in the yard.

Are the bats likely to cause damage to the dog, are there pests or diseases that he could get if they scratch him or is in contact with them? The bats also drop chewed up fruit on the ground which we clear up every morning, again, are there any disease issues if the dog gets to the fruit that the bats have chewed?

I cant sleep so was curious! I found this link

Bat cave !

[Whippetsmum]

Our neighbour has fruit trees that hang over the fence. The fruit attracts big bats. The bats annoy the dog. The dog barks and jumps at the bats. Then the bats take off and swoop at the dog (at least they seem to be, or are they just flying low at take off?).

I am trying to keep the dog away from the bats and have been putting a spotlight on the trees to discourage the bats, which does help a bit. I am hoping the fruit will be gone soon, and the bats will go elsewhere, I removed the fruit that was hanging into our yard so that the bats aren't too low in the yard.

Are the bats likely to cause damage to the dog, are there pests or diseases that he could get if they scratch him or is in contact with them? The bats also drop chewed up fruit on the ground which we clear up every morning, again, are there any disease issues if the dog gets to the fruit that the bats have chewed?

I cant sleep so was curious! I found this link

Bat cave !

Thanks for that, I still can't sleep and the bats are still there. Dog is now under my feet as I type, so he's safe for the time being. It looks like getting rid of the fruit is a good idea as it would have the saliva on it, I just checked the dog, no scratches or bites, so far so good.

[Wazzat Xolo]

Our neighbour has fruit trees that hang over the fence. The fruit attracts big bats. The bats annoy the dog. The dog barks and jumps at the bats. Then the bats take off and swoop at the dog (at least they seem to be, or are they just flying low at take off?).

I am trying to keep the dog away from the bats and have been putting a spotlight on the trees to discourage the bats, which does help a bit. I am hoping the fruit will be gone soon, and the bats will go elsewhere, I removed the fruit that was hanging into our yard so that the bats aren't too low in the yard.

Are the bats likely to cause damage to the dog, are there pests or diseases that he could get if they scratch him or is in contact with them? The bats also drop chewed up fruit on the ground which we clear up every morning, again, are there any disease issues if the dog gets to the fruit that the bats have chewed?

I cant sleep so was curious! I found this link

Bat cave !

Thanks for that, I still can't sleep and the bats are still there. Dog is now under my feet as I type, so he's safe for the time being. It looks like getting rid of the fruit is a good idea as it would have the saliva on it, I just checked the dog, no scratches or bites, so far so good.

I would also worry about the ferment of the fruit, in the dogs guts, could be like that movie Beautiful People ? where all the animals got drunk lol

[Monah]

Could you get the neighbour's permission to chop the branches off that come over to your garden? The bats wil move on when the fruit season is over. We have a lot here and our dogs ignore them as they are there every night. I dont think the bats would be swooping your dog but they do fly low.

As the link article said, there isn't really a problem with bats and cats and dogs. I wouldn't like a pet to be bitten though as they have sharp teethy pegs

My daughter had one 'stuck' in her hair when on a bike ride, but it didn't bite or scratch and she was fine.

My dogs have eaten bat crap and so do all the dogs at our kennel club and none has ever been ill (not recommended though ) Is there a way to desensitise the dog? does it sleep indoors? This would be a solution if it doens't, otherwise quick wees outside and take it back in.

Hopefully the bats will move on soon and you can sleep!

[mita]

I know the problem. We have a big mango tree in the backyard. Fortunately, our little dogs sleep inside. But going outside at night, during the fruiting period, we hear & see the big Swooooosh of fruit bats. Also every morning, I have to pick up lovely, lovely mangoes that they've taken just one bite out of!

Biggest problem here, is that their faeces get dropped on everything. Any washing on the line, the driveway & fences.

[poodlefan]

Link to webpage discussing disease risks of flying foxes here

Seems the primary risk is scratches. I'd be keeping your dog inside at night.

Edited April 15, 2010 by poodlefan

[westielover]

My dogs like to chase the fruit bats out of our grafted gum tree. Thanksfully it's stopped flowering so the bats have gone.

However, while the bats are around, the dogs are locked in at night - they go out for their last toilet break just before I go to bed and then they're locked in until morning. If they need to go to the loo - they will alert me but they generally hang on until morning.

I don't want them disrupting the neighbours during the night.

The other thing to watch out for is brush tail possums - they can cause damage to a dog. A lady's cattle dog down the road nearly had it's face ripped off by an angry possum!!

[corvus]

I guess Lyssavirus should be taken quite serious, although AFAIK there have been no confirmed infections of dogs or cats or any other non-bat aside from humans for that matter. If one of my dogs got bitten I'd be taking them to the vet and hoping for post-exposure rabies shots just in case. It's not something I'd want to mess around with or take risks with (says the girl who chose to handle bats without gloves and got bitten).

I don't think a great deal is known about it, still. It's considered more or less host specific, but no one has looked very hard for antibodies in animals that aren't bats. And obviously humans can get it, although flying-foxes are descended from primates, so maybe that explains that.

I'd be keeping the dogs in just to be on the safe side. At any rate, I think it's good practice to try to keep dogs away from wildlife in general. A possum might make a good go at taking a dog's face off, but possums are killed by dogs all the time. It's not a nice way to go.

[Whippetsmum]

To reply to some of the replies....

Firstly Wazzat, thanks for the company, I knew someone else would be awake at that ridiculous hour! And thanks for the link.

The dog is usually inside and normally sleeps through, apart from tapping on our door to see if we're awake. He hasn't been roaming around the backyard at night until recently. Now when he hears the bats wings flapping he races outside. Since the bats started he also developed a reaction to an electric leaf blower that a neighbour 2 houses away uses. It must have something to do with the pitch. The dog is pretty much inside all night, but he has independent access to the outside for toiletting. He is probably grown up enough now (3 years) to hold his bladder and stay inside, and I'm shutting off his access tonight so I'm not up at 3am on DOL!

I have already cut off as much fruit as I can reach from our side of the fence, I didn't bother asking permission as the neighbour doesn't acknowledge us when we say hello and wave when we are doing the lawns etc, so I couldn't imagine a sympathetic reception. There is still some fruit high up on our side which I'm attacking this weekend. He can ask for the fruit if he wants to, personally, I wouldn't eat something that a bat had pooped on.

I have been removing the fallen fruit so it doesn't rot, I don't want a drunken Whippet, he's already crazy enough when the bats stir him up.

Whippetsmum

[JulesP]

I would be more concerned if you have horses?

My bat tip for the day is wash any poo straight off your car! You should see what it has done to my car's paint! Nasty stuff.

[Monah]

Yes, keep him in He should be fine at that age, my two are in bed from about 9.30pm to 7.30am most days :D and they are 3 and 4! Dont have any washing out after dusk, and yes, keep the cars out of batties aim! The stuff they void will eat the car and set like cement.

[Teebs]

We have a huge fruit bat problem at the moment, has made the paper every day for the last week, they have taken over our local park and there is a huge thing about what to do with them, seeing we have fruit grown here, a lot of people want them culled.

I was wondering the other day about my dogs with them, thankfully none over my side of town.. YET!

Thanks for the info!

[rubiton]

Cut off the overhanging branches - those bats carry nasty diseases and in most places you have the right to remove branches of plants that are overhanging over your property. So glad we dont have those creatures here (hopefully they dont migrate way south ). Hendra virus comes from them and its deadly.

[ILK]

I live near a bat colony & there are signs up that clearly state "If you are scratched or bitten by a bat seek immediate medical attention"

I would certainly be seeking immediate vet attention if the dog was bitten or scratched. They carry diseases and I've heard that one of those diseases is rabies.

[corvus]

I think that Hendra is restricted to tropical climates in Australia.

[JulesP]

There just haven't been any recorded cases outside of QLD of Hendra. Logically the disease could occur further south.

[rubiton]

The Hendra virus is Lyssavirus (cant remember how to spell it) and its linked/related to rabies.

If a horse is infected its dead (since if it survives DPI have it destroyed anyway) - if a human exposed to mucus etc from teh horse they are at high risk of dying from it too. JulesP has said it no recorded cases but its worrying when people mention the bats starting to move south. And they wont test colonies for it because they are protected species even the ones that are in built up areas.

[JulesP]

Lots of info about Hendra here - http://www.hendraawareness.com/index.php

Hendra is not lyssavirus btw. They are 2 different diseases. lyssavirus is closely related to rabies.

Edited April 16, 2010 by JulesP

[mackiemad]

The Hendra virus is Lyssavirus (cant remember how to spell it) and its linked/related to rabies.

If a horse is infected its dead (since if it survives DPI have it destroyed anyway) - if a human exposed to mucus etc from teh horse they are at high risk of dying from it too. JulesP has said it no recorded cases but its worrying when people mention the bats starting to move south. And they wont test colonies for it because they are protected species even the ones that are in built up areas.

jules p is right when she says that hendra and lyssavirus are different. BUT it is important to note that hendra virus is deadly and has killed i think it was 2 ppl in qld - both vets treating horses that had contracted it from fruit bats. however i don't think there is any known cases of hendra travelling from bat to dog - but there is a lot unknown on the virus at present. like whether it is straight from bat to horse or bat to flea/mozzie to other animal. it seems to be blood borne but again, no absolutely concrete info yet, the CSIRO are conducting some serious research into it atm.

personally i would cut down overhanging branches and wait the month or so til the fruit season stops. we have lots of bats around here but our dog doesn't mind...