Do bats show affection to humans?

Bats can show affection to humans in limited ways, especially bats that have been hand-raised, rehabilitated, or kept in captivity and have frequent positive contact with people, though they are wild animals and not domesticated pets like dogs or cats. Hand-raised fruit bats and some insect-eating bats that are cared for by rehabilitators may show affection-like behaviors such as nuzzling into hands, making soft purring and chirping sounds when held, licking fingers, grooming their caretaker's hands, and seeking close contact for warmth and comfort, indicating trust and contentment. Some bats will wrap their wings around a trusted person, lean into gentle petting, and show excitement when their favorite person appears with food. Research on highly social species like Egyptian fruit bats shows they form strong social bonds with roost mates through grooming and vocalizations, and they can extend similar bonding behaviors to familiar humans who care for them regularly. However, wild bats around your house at night do not show affection to humans and generally avoid contact, seeing humans as predators, and you should never try to handle wild bats because they can bite and a small percentage can carry rabies. Even tame bats have sharp teeth and can bite if frightened. So while bats in rehabilitation settings can show trust and affection-like behaviors toward familiar humans, wild bats do not show affection and should be observed from a distance.