Thread: Secret indigenous wisdom.

haha,, been there with the branch trick

Its a good way to find out about things when your out and about like that. Travelling, even though just a ride for a day, (lucky you ), is what it's all about, when you get to meet the locals.

Years ago during my masters degree I was at Chester zoo in the bat house. One of the girls on the course was terrified of bats (The bat house is open with double doors so you walk among the bats). It was raining outside so I had my long umbrella... I coudnt resist it in the semi dark I raised the tip of my umbrella and gently poked her curly her from behind What came next is her running screaming trying to get the non existing bat out of her hair. I got such a slap when she found out it was just me larking about, eventually she saw the funny side.
Chris

We've done bat rescue of orphaned babies. They're actually quite intelligent. For example, ours made a different sound when each person in our family walked into the room. If looked after properly they will keep themselves fastidiously clean and don't smell. Ours also loved watching TV - the colours I guess. Our daughter used to teach the babies to fly by hanging them on the rotary clothes line and spinning it, so they would extend their wings and flap. We have had the vaccinations, but apparently many if not most don't actually carry the lyssavirus. There are a lot of myths around about bats, fanned by TV rubbish. Bats are very important for native plants. It would be great if people outgrew their irrational fears of native wildlife, particularly bats, snakes and spiders.

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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

We've done bat rescue of orphaned babies. They're actually quite intelligent. For example, ours made a different sound when each person in our family walked into the room. If looked after properly they will keep themselves fastidiously clean and don't smell. Ours also loved watching TV - the colours I guess. Our daughter used to teach the babies to fly by hanging them on the rotary clothes line and spinning it, so they would extend their wings and flap. We have had the vaccinations, but apparently many if not most don't actually carry the lyssavirus. There are a lot of myths around about bats, fanned by TV rubbish. Bats are very important for native plants. It would be great if people outgrew their irrational fears of native wildlife, particularly bats, snakes and spiders.

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My masters was 1998, I wonder if you can still go in with the bats at Chester zoo? You mention disease I wonder if the do gooders have stopped it by now?
Chris

When i was a kid,we had heaps of orphaned bats as well,used to feed them with a babies bottle when they were very young and then gradually wean them.The fruit bats could often get very messy,particularly if they were sick.As disco mick said,when healthy they were fine.

I found the insect eating bats more interesting,we used to breed meal worms for them.They didn't have the character of the fruit bats,and if they were not healthy they would not survive the hibernation period of winter.We used to catch insects every night around the fluro lights for them,supplementing the meal worms.

Originally Posted by scarry

When i was a kid,we had heaps of orphaned bats as well,used to feed them with a babies bottle when they were very young and then gradually wean them.The fruit bats could often get very messy,particularly if they were sick.As disco mick said,when healthy they were fine.

I found the insect eating bats more interesting,we used to breed meal worms for them.They didn't have the character of the fruit bats,and if they were not healthy they would not survive the hibernation period of winter.We used to catch insects every night around the fluro lights for them,supplementing the meal worms.

Any one handling bats should be fully vaccinated. Just as a precaution. The chances of catching Hendra disease or lyssavirus are rare.

https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/...s/viruses.html

Just my 2 bobs worth of indigenous wisdom, whilst in the territory, a grey haired gentleman with tribal scars on his chest told me not to camp anywhere near flying fox roosts in the bush, near a water course. Top crocodile tucker, he said. The crocs will walk a distance to get to them. At night, the crocs push on the tree with their front feet, the bats that fall out, supper. Also, don't hurt the fruit bat, he could be related.

https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/...mportance.html

Originally Posted by bob10

Any one handling bats should be fully vaccinated. Just as a precaution. The chances of catching Hendra disease or lyssavirus are rare.

https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/...s/viruses.html

Yep, its a legal requirement. Been there, done that, so now I can tell people I have rabies, which always raises eyebrows. I've had so many vaccinations in my life I reckon I shouldn't get sick. Even vaccinated against elephantitis.

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