Do Bats Lay Eggs? No, They Don't! Amaze-wing Bats Facts For Kids

There are many species of bats that exist in nature.

Different species can be found in different parts of the world, depending on the climate and the kind of food available. All species of bats keep to flying at night and sleep upside down.

Bats are very often found in dark areas such as caves, empty underpasses, and the likes. Bats are common species among mammals, found in mainly all countries and cities of the world.

Due to their looks, bats are often regarded as scary and deadly creatures. However, not all species of bats are dangerous.

Their flexible skin and joints allow them to change directions quickly while flying to avoid predators and other obstacles that might come in their way. Famously, there are two bat species; megabats and microbats. The difference is in what these species of bats eat.

Most species of microbats eat night insects. Only vampire bats like to feed on cattle or horse blood. They are able to move in the dark because of the scientific principle of the reflection of sound waves.

Where each species of bats is found depends heavily on the season. Bats tend to hibernate during winters and live in colonies with other bats as a place to roost is difficult to come by.

Little brown bats are known to live around 30 years. Little brown bats are tiny and look pretty much like mice.

Little brown bats have an insatiable hunger and tend to either hibernate during the winter season or fly to a warmer location until the cold season ends. Bats usually form colonies and eat fruits.

All species sleep and rest by hanging from a branch or similar structures in dark, isolated areas.

People are wary of bats as the saliva of a bat can cause rabies. Since rabies is caused by saliva, it is not safe to use or play with things and toys that have been touched by a bat as you cannot be sure whether it has saliva on it or not.

After reading about all the bat species found hanging upside down, be sure to check out our Hoary Bat Facts and find out the answer to do cats get hiccups? 

How do bats give birth?

Baby bats are called pups. Bats give birth to baby bats just like humans and other mammals.

They are different from birds and classified as mammals because bats do not lay eggs. Female bats are known to nurse their babies with milk until such time as these pups grow up and learn to take care of themselves. Generally, female bats give birth to their young and nurse each baby with milk.

Although different species of bats have different systems, most female bats have been known to have one baby at a time. The female bats give birth mostly during the warmer seasons after forming colonies. They then remain in these colonies with other female bats to raise their young.

Bats are known to give birth while hanging upside down. Bats give birth to one pup at a time and then place the pup safely inside their pouch.

The mother provides the offspring with milk and takes care of the pup until it is old enough. A pup is born pink and it takes them several weeks to learn how to fly.

Since the mother gives birth to the pups hanging upside down, it is crucial that she has great reflexes because a pup cannot fly at all until three to four weeks after birth. Even after that, the pup can fly only partially.

It takes about 8-10 weeks for the babies to learn how to fly. The mothers give birth to their babies by pushing them towards their legs until the babies come out and then they quickly catch them to ensure their survival.

Why don't bats lay eggs?

Bats do not lay eggs because they are mammals. All mammals are known to give birth to their young and bats are no different.

What is interesting is that there are so many bats present globally even though each female bat gives birth to only one baby each year. Birds lay eggs while bats, being mammals, do not lay eggs.

A male bat entices the female bats by their callings. A male bat will fly around the roost of the female bats to attract them and grab their attention.

The mating season for this mammal species is known to start from fall and end in early winter, probably because bats hibernate during winters.

Most bat species take as long as nine weeks after mating to give birth to their young, although the number of weeks may vary depending upon the species. Bats definitely do not give birth through their mouths; the process of birthing is very similar to other mammals.

The bat is a slow reproducer. During the mating season, all the male bats keep flying around the roost of female bats to start their mating. Bats are the only animals that fly but do not lay eggs.

It is a wrong assumption that bats lay eggs. Vampire bats differ a bit.

The mating season of vampire bats continues throughout the year. They are caring mammals and take care of all the babies in the colony. Vampire bats nurse their pups until they are old enough to eat adult food.

Like other species of bats, vampire bats also reproduce only once a year and give birth to one pup. A bat is not viewed as a loyal mate. Every male bat has multiple female bats that it mates with.

They are not tied down to a single bat. Even the female bats can find themselves a different mate the next mating season. The duty of raising the pup falls solely on the female which is why females from colonies gather support.

Spectral bats, however, are an exception. These species live together and the male and female raise offspring together. They tend to build a nest and live there, forming a whole family.

Do baby bats cling to their mothers?

The interesting fact is that female bats carry their offspring with them while they fly. This is done for three to four weeks until the babies can take care of themselves. The young ones are not left alone in the nest. The weight of the pup varies.

The first time the offspring is left without its mother, the mother tends to keep making calling sounds to assure the baby that she is nearby.

Mother bats are attached to their baby and are very protective of them. Bats build close relations with their offspring and stay bonded as a family even when the babies grow up.

Bats, in general, are caring mothers but during the birthing season, they experience distress and can even abandon their pups, leaving them in the care of other females in the colony to get away from all the distress.

Mother bats usually feed their young several times during the night. The female bat is responsible for the nursing of the young bats until they are ready to take care of themselves.

Do bats gather in colonies to give birth?

Yes, bats often tend to give birth in colonies. These colonies are often called maternity roosts.

It builds up like a cluster of nests during the birthing season. All the female bats unite and raise the offspring together. The newly born pups need warmth and, therefore, all females build the colonies to ensure that the environment is warm and comfortable when a pup is born.

Colonies provide a safe haven for the young and ensure they remain protected and healthy. Mothers feed their pups and nurse them with milk, in the protected surrounding of the colonies and alongside supporting female bats.

Contrary to popular belief, bats are clean animals. They love to lick and keep themselves clean.

They eat fruits and stay in their nest during the day.

When babies are to be born, they fly off to form colonies and offer support in raising all the young pups born in the colony that season. It has often been noticed that the females go back to the same place and form a colony every time they mate and need to give birth.

Unlike birds, who lay eggs in their nest without any support from fellow members of the same species, female bats often maintain colonies for assistance to raise and nurse their young. Bats are usually born in the month of June and take several weeks before they can fly properly.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Do bats lay eggs?

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