The Story of Holly

     Her name makes you think of a festive holiday plant – shiny green leaves and bright red berries - not an empty aquarium, garbage bags and distain for an animal in need. She arrived on Christmas Eve of 2006, a pipistrelle bat—the smallest species in N. America, less than one inch in length and weighing no more than a dime. She was in a 10 gallon aquarium enclosed in two black plastic garbage bags that were sealed with duck tape. She lay there, wet and shivering, mud oozing from her delicate wing membranes as she gasped for air.

When we asked the folks who brought her why they put her in such a large container and sealed it so tightly, they looked replied, “Well it’s a bat”. After cutting away the duct tape to remove Holly, we motioned to the aquarium and assured them they only had to wash it and it would be reusable. The reply was, “No, no, we do not want anything back that the bat touched.” Misconceptions abound, but at least they saved her from her watery grave. Their 9 year old son, who actually discovered Holly, had learned from his teacher that if you find a bat, you should get it help.  As it was Christmas Eve,  a child’s pleading with his family could not be ignored.  He said that he held the aquarium in his lap during the car ride over and kept asking God to help save the little bat. He said, “I also told my Mom to drive faster because I knew you would be able to help.”

     The worst was realized within 24 hours; Holly had double pneumonia and her life lay in the balance.  Bits of her fur were falling out, and it seemed impossible to get nutrition into her. Because of her congestion she could not swallow and breathe through her mouth at the same time.  Additionally she had two broken bones – one in her tail and on one of her fingers.  Surely the kindest of all things would be to humanely euthanize this sweet, little creature and end her misery, but she was trying so hard to breathe, to hang on and survive. It is in the eyes that we as rehabilitators always get our answer.  Her tiny eyes made contact with ours, not looking away, while she gasped is a valiant effort to breathe. We had no choice but to give everything we had to fight right along with her.
     After several days it seemed we were making progress – Holly was getting better. Then, suddenly, her condition worsened. Holly came down with a hemorrhagic staph infection of the skin, where all the blood vessels beneath the skin break. More antibiotics were needed, as well as a humidifier, heating pads, and a pouch to keep her frail body comfortable.
     It took several months, but Holly completely recovered.      Unfortunately, her broken bones left her too severely compromised to be released. Holly has adapted well to a captive care life.  She has established territory in the natural habitat cage she shares with Mexican free-tails, big browns, and evening bats. Pipistrelles, unlike other species of bats, roost both in trees and crevices in the wild. A simulated tree roost and a cave roost are her favorite “hang-outs.”

     After months of hand feedings, Holly is now able to feed herself when placed into a dish of mealworms. It is comical to watch tiny Holly attack the worms with such strength and zeal.  Holly has established a set pattern for herself. After her meal she immediately returns to her tree roost and then makes a very detailed trip down to a water bowl (a stainless steel cup the size of a quarter) to drink, then she continues on to her cave roost to visit the evening bats and Mexican free-tails. By late night she will once again make the trek back to secure her place within her tree, next to the furry big browns that roost in a pouch beside her. 

     It seems not so long ago that she was so weak she could not even lift her head on her own. Holly, the tiny bat with the strength of a giant 1,000 times her size, will forever be our little Christmas miracle.

NOTE: To sponsor Holly through the Adopt Me! button, please enter the appropriate amount (see list below). If the Adopt-a-Bat is a gift or a school sponsorship, please remember to include the name you want listed on the adoption certificate.

New members & gift adoptions - $35.00
International new members & gift adoptions - $38.00
Existing members & school/class adoptions - $25.00

To sponsor Holly by fax or mail, go to our Adopt-a-Bat/Membership form.

Please allow up to two weeks for delivery of your sponsorship package. RUSH orders are available (at no extra handling charge) by calling 940-325-3404 (please leave a message; calls are returned as promptly as possible).

Please see our privacy policy on safeguarding your information.

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