Bat Care Theory - Foundation course

Foundational theory and advice on bat rehabilitation for bat carers and veterinary professionals

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Course curriculum

1. Welcome
2. Course context
3. Connecting with other bat carers
4. Maggie Brown - Original course creator
1. What is a bat care mingle?
2. Bat Care Mingle - July
3. Bat Care Mingle - October
4. Bat Care Network
5. Minimum standards for carers on the BCT Bat Care Network - Feb 2024
1. What is involved in bat care?
2. Why rescue bats?
3. What will we encounter?
4. Bat anatomy
1. Ethics of bat care
2. Ethics homework task
3. Legislation part 1
4. Legislation part 2 - Veterinary Surgeons Act
5. Devolved nations and licensing
6. Animal Welfare Act Information for Rehabilitators (RSPCA May 2007)
7. Latest wording of the Habitat Regs 2017
8. Health and Safety
9. Mealworm allergy information for bat carers - BCT
1. Bat Care Guidelines 2nd Edition 2016
1. Useful links and articles for vets and vet nurses
2. Seeing wild bats in practice, Laura Brown, Veterinary Practice Today 7.6 Nov/Dec 2019
1. Introduction to problem solving activities
2. Case 1
3. Case 1 - Maggie's response
4. Case 2
5. Case 2 - Maggie's response
6. Case 3
7. Case 3 - Maggie's response
1. Collecting a bat if possible
2. Reasons for a bat being grounded
3. Initial observations and examination
4. Recognising baby and juvenile bats
5. First aid
6. Emergency Rehydration solution
7. Deciding to take a bat into care and recording key information
8. Bat Rescue Register
9. Annual Casualty Statistics for Bat Carers
10. Transporting a bat
11. Bonus: Bat Record Keeping webinar recording
1. Case 4
2. Case 4 - Maggie's response
3. Case 5
4. Case 5 - Maggie's response
5. Case 6
6. Case 6 - Maggie's response
1. Assessment in context
2. Supporting vets
3. Problems that require veterinary intervention
4. Problems that may benefit from veterinary intervention
5. Problems that need immediate intervention by another agency
6. Problems that may be dealt with without professionals help
7. Contaminants
8. Dehydration and starvation
9. Ectoparasites
10. A brief guide to Bat Ectoparasites 3rd edition - David Dodds
11. And finally grounded bats without obvious symptoms
1. Case 7
2. Case 7 - Maggie's response
3. Case 8
4. Case 8 - Maggie's response
5. Case 9
6. Case 9 - Maggie's response
1. Introduction to equipment and short-term husbandry
2. Gloves and handling cloths
3. Wearing gloves when handling bats - BCT, Aug 2020
4. Containers, warmth and humidity
5. Space for movement
6. Water provision
7. Recovery foods
8. Mealworms - health & safety and nutrition
9. Feeding a bat mealworms
10. Getting bats to eat mealworms - Bat Care News No 51, Winter 2010/11
11. Exhibiting natural behaviour
12. Other small useful items of equipment
13. Useful small equipment supplies
14. Updating your policy homework task
1. Protection from injury and disease
2. Disinfecting containers
3. Good Practice Guidelines on Bats and Rabies (Rev. August 2020)
4. Supplement to Good Practice Guidelines for Bat Rehabilitators (Rev. August 2020)
5. White-nose Syndrome Guidance for bat carers - Nov 2023
6. Preventing human-to-bat transmission of SARS-CoV-2 for bat rehabilitation - IUCN Bat Specialist Group
1. Case 10
2. Case 10 - Maggie's response
3. Case 11
4. Case 11 - Maggie's response
5. Case 12
6. Case 12 - Maggie's response
1. Is a bat fit for release?
2. Preparation for release - feeding
3. Preparation for release - artificial roosts
4. Prioritising bats ready for release
5. Checking a bat before release
6. Test-flying adult bats
7. Test-flying juvenile bats
1. Release from the hand
2. Release in a suitable habitat
3. Release using an artificial roost
1. Reuniting lost baby bats
2. Useful links for more on reuniting baby bats
1. Post-release monitoring
1. Long-term captive bats
2. Euthanasia
3. Submitting dead bats to APHA
4. Licences for retaining dead bats for education or research
1. Case 13
2. Case 13 - Maggie's response
3. Case 14
4. Case 14 - Maggie's response
5. Case 15
6. Case 15 - Maggie's response
1. Course feedback survey
2. More training and conferences
3. Course exam
4. Exam part 1 - multiple choice questions

About this course

£25.00
119 lessons
4.5 hours of video content

Start your bat care journey with BCT today

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Bat Care Theory - Foundation course

Course curriculum

Welcome

Bat Care Mingles and the Bat Care Network

Introduction to Bat Care

Ethical, legal and health & safety issues

Key Reference Documents

Useful resources for vets and vet nurses

Problem solving activities part 1

Rescuing a bat

Problem solving activities part 2

Assessment and treatment

Problem solving activities part 3

Equipment and short-term husbandry

Biosecurity - keeping bats and people safe

Problem solving activities part 4

Ready for release?

Releasing a bat

Reuniting lost baby bats

Post-release monitoring

Bats that can not be released

Problem solving activities part 5

What next?

About this course

Start your bat care journey with BCT today