What to do if a bat touches you at night?

If a bat touches you at night, you should stay calm and take appropriate safety precautions because while most bats are harmless and beneficial insect eaters, a small percentage can carry rabies and any direct contact should be treated seriously. First, determine whether it was a touch or a bite or scratch, because bat bites can be very small and hard to see. If a bat brushed against you while flying, that is common when bats hunt insects around lights and is not necessarily dangerous, simply wash the area with soap and water. If a bat landed on you, bit, or scratched you, or if you woke up to find a bat in your bedroom and you cannot be sure you were not bitten while sleeping, you should immediately wash the area thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least five minutes. Capture the bat safely if possible without touching it with bare hands, by placing a box over it and contacting animal control or your health department for rabies testing, because testing the bat can avoid unnecessary treatment. Contact your doctor, urgent care, or local health department promptly to assess rabies risk and whether post-exposure prophylaxis is needed, as rabies is fatal once symptoms appear but preventable with prompt treatment. Never handle bats with bare hands and teach children not to touch bats. If a bat is in your house, open windows and doors to let it exit at night, and seal entry points later.