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DaveWomach Elite user Dave Womach 453 Posts |
I just found an old post on the last page of this forum. Unfortunately the post is locked, and it couldn't be re-opened. http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......13&8
The post mentioned using bats instead of doves. I thought that this was interesting post... sadly the post ended with the devistating blow that you can't own bats as pets... My question is, is there another way to "own" bats? What if it's for a research project, or an educational project? It seems like "no" was the final answer, and it was sad to me to see a great idea get suffed out. I have no intention of using bats, but I'm sure there's someone out there who could benefit from this... Dave
Dave Womach
Orlando, FL - USA http://www.MagicMasterSummit.com http://www.David-DaVinci.com http://www.BirdTricks.com http://www.ParakeetMagic.com |
paraguppie Elite user Forsyth Montana! 411 Posts |
Dave,
I have a buddy who wanted to do an exhibit with humming birds. Same problem, you can't own them. He ended up building a lady bug city instead. He looked into about every way around it and never found a way. Neat idea though. How was Vegas? Keith
Check me out at www.magickeith.com
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Regan Inner circle U.S.A. 5726 Posts |
A bunch of bats used to live in the vents at my attic. They couldn't get inside, but they hung on the screen. I tried a lot of things to get rid of them, but finally had to put up a different type of vent cover.
I guess I was unknowingly breaking the law. (Hehehe) :) Regan
Mister Mystery
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cardone Special user 860 Posts |
I know a guy who owns bats in New Jersey... He goes from school to school teaching about them ... he told me not only is it impossible to get a bat license ...people are not even allowed to touch them...... They are very hard to take care of ..and yes..they do sleep all day.... A few of his bats have huge wing spans......
How he got his right to own bats ...he is a scientist....... |
sperris Special user http://www.Anti-Conjuror.com 881 Posts |
Yeah its pretty hard to own one...an old english teacher of mine illegally owned one for awhile until it died. They're not so much a good idea to try to perform with though, they're small -fast -and not to mention BLACK (most of them) so it would be extremely hard to see them on stage. Not only is it bad to have them around, their droppings need to be properly ventelated from what this guy told me too cuz they can get like toxic really fast. I think dove droppings are somewhat similar, after like 2 days the amonia or something like that can become a danger to health...maybe I'm confused...Mrrrrr. Scriiiiiibnerrrrrr -help me out here...
DANSPERRY.COM
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Lou Hilario Inner circle 2235 Posts |
I have access to Fruit Bats here. They are as big as large rats. A friend of mine rents them out to movies. They don't do anything but just crawl. He often place a large bat on his baseball cap. It looks like a stuff toy until it moves. Creepy.
Anyway, what magic effects are you thinking with them?
Magic, Illusions, Juggling, Puppet & Parrot Show ^0^
http://www.louhilario.net |
Daktari Regular user USA 154 Posts |
I used to do a lot of work with bats as a biologist. They are regulated on the state and federal level and ownership is prohibited in most all of the United States. Exceptions would be zoological institutes and some exceptions for educational purposes. As Sperris noted the droppings can pose a huge health problem especially where they are in an enclosed area that is relatively draft free (bats like a draft free roost). The guano is some of the best fertilizer around though. One of the biggest concerns for the health departments is the risk of rabies. In the state of Tennessee for example the most recent death from rabies came from bat exposure. The reason the threat is higher is because most species are communal in their living habits, therefore exposure among the individuals is higher. They are totally fascinating creatures and I tried for years to get the permits necessary for ownership but to no avail. An interesting characteristic of bats is their inability to launch into flight from a flat surface. They must be able to drop and get some air under their wings to fly. So if you ever have to release a captured bat let it crawl onto a tree to let it escape.
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Regan Inner circle U.S.A. 5726 Posts |
Very interesting Daktari. That "drop-launch" makes so much sense to me now that you mentioned it. One of those facts I always knew but never thought about the reasoning behind it.
If I'd have known that it was illegal to "own" bats perhaps I would have left them alone and enjoyed their company a little more when they were living in my attic screen.
Mister Mystery
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Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
Be very careful of bats in the USA or anywhere else. They can carry rabies!
Bob Sanders Magic By Sander |
kregg Inner circle 1950 Posts |
It seems that bats could be produced mechanically with convincing results.
Unlike doves, I don't think you'd want them to fly around.
POOF!
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Regan Inner circle U.S.A. 5726 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-03-13 10:28, kregg wrote: Unless you want to have your audience leave in a hurry! Talk about bringing an audience to their feet.....I think that would do it! :) Regan
Mister Mystery
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Alan Munro Inner circle Kentwood, Michigan, USA 5952 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-03-13 10:28, kregg wrote: If you were allowed to keep bats, they're a bit of a challenge to catch, if they got loose in a room. We used a shop vac to catch them when they got in the house, when I was a kid. When they perch on a curtain rod, suck them up with the vac, put a bucket over the nozzle and keep it running until you get to where you'll release them. Another way to catch them is to wave a large blanket - their sonar will tell them that it's an escape route and they'll fly into it. As soon as they do, just wrap them up and put them where they're supposed to be. |
Michael J. Douglas Inner circle WV, USA 1645 Posts |
A shop vac???? Too bad you posted that for everyone to see. I'm sure somebody on here is a PETA member. You'll never hear the end of it now! haha
Michael J.
�Believe then, if you please, that I can do strange things.� --from Shakespeare�s �As You Like It� |
Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Are bats easy to train? I think not. If a magician had one appear, it would be best to put it in a cage right away.
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truthteller Inner circle 2584 Posts |
A famous opera singer (I think it was Leontyne Price) used to keep a bat for a pet. (This was in or about 1990). She said it was perfect for her schedule as when she went on the road she would merely place it into the refrigerator wherein it would begin to hibernate. She also commented that when she would "play" with it, it would fly to her outstetched arm. She explained it as an odd sensation, for the bat would grab hold but instantly swing down.
I heard her tell this take herself. Wonder how she got around the law? Brad |
magicfish Inner circle 7004 Posts |
Magis6, Peta members only care about cute animals. That's why they oppose the harp seal hunt but couldn't care less about the annual slaughter of 10s of thousands of rattlesnakes during the yearly hunt down south.
I love vegetarians- they're all I eat! |
abc Inner circle South African in Taiwan 1081 Posts |
Just my two cents worth.
The reason most of us has and are allowed to have cats and dogs or birds are the fact that they are easily accustomized to living with Humans. I have had snakes and squirrels as pets and still have snakes but I can tell you that they are not always fun. I have twice (in the process of feeding) been bitten by my python. Not fun at all. The snake becomes all scared and confused and refuses to eat for a week and my hand hurts like hell for a while. The same with the squirells. The loved running around the house and play and were really cute but they have sharp nalis and bite if they get scared which also hurts. Similar to a rat bite. I don't mind being bitten by an animal or scratched. Almost everyone has been scratched by a cat but the cat does not get abandoned after that and the cat usually doesn't develop fear of humans and react funny when around them. It requires a lot o experience to calm the animal down again and get it to relax. It requires a lot of patience and you have to understand that there are days when the animal doesn't want your attention. It is easy to love a cute little animal when it is playing but not so easy to keep in mind that it is an innocent little animal when it bites or scratches you as this is often the only way in which it can communicate with you. (this sounds kinda lame but I cannot thin of another way in which to say this) Some animals do bite or get scared of humans when not treated correctly or react in ways which you can not always predict which is why they are called "wild" animals and which is why they should not and are not allowed to be owned by individuals. Not living in the US I do think the laws may be a little too harsh but I would rather see that than see the amount of mistreated or abandoned "wild pets" I see in other countries. May I cause a stir here by saying "Look at the amount of abandoned pythons in the Miami area and how many of these snakes will die because there are not enugh food or they are not accustomed to living in the wild. More pet responsibility would be great. Last note - not a big fan of PETA. Never was and never will be. Scientist and Biologists and other experts protect animals in scientific ways. PETA just makes waves and a lot of money. Sorry and if someone on here is a PETA fan I apologise for upsetting you and would love to refer you to the episode P & T did about this organization. |
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