What do bats do in the cold of winter? Do bats hibernate in cold weather? Or do they not sleep during the winter months, but simply fly less? If mice fall asleep, where do they do it? Is it possible to accidentally wake up such a mouse? Are these animals aggressive after accidentally waking up?
Most people know about how birds or animals behave when cold weather sets in, but they have absolutely no idea what bats do during the winter months.
Do they all winter where they live?
Not all types of flying animals stay for the winter where they spend the summer months. Some of their varieties fly to warmer places, just like birds. But many species of these animals remain to winter where they live.
Among the mice remaining for wintering, the following species are more common than others:
- parties;
- earflaps;
- night bats.
Animals of these species find suitable secluded places and fall into a long suspended animation, lasting up to six months. However, if a person manages to find a place where a bat hibernates and accidentally or intentionally disturbs the animal, then the animals, despite the cold weather, fly away in search of a new shelter. Such forced migrations significantly harm the he alth of animals and may cause some animals to not wake up with the onset of warm weather, that is, they will die.
Where can I find them?
To find the place where the bat hibernates, you need to know what conditions the animal needs for hibernation. Not every attic in a residential building or a cave in the forest is characterized by the qualities necessary for a long suspended animation. The place must meet certain criteria.
Where the bat hibernates, rather strict conditions must be met:
- temperature not higher than 8 degrees Celsius, but not lower than 7;
- humidity - from 80%;
- no drafts.
The requirements are quite difficult, especially for urban settlements. For this reason, finding a place where bats hibernate in the city is not at all difficult. It is enough to exclude all those places in which the animals will not be comfortable.
What is good for them to sleep?
Mice staying for the winter in the climatic conditions of the middle zone prefer to do it in such places:
- abandoned adits and mines;
- insulated attics of non-residential old houses and basements;
- deep and parchedwells;
- large hollows;
- ramified grottoes or caves.
Mice can winter in any other places suitable for them. For example, among the shelters where bats winter in Russia, one of the first positions is occupied by abandoned pipelines and buildings. Large pipes under rural bridges, in which streams or rivers used to flow, can also become a haven for animals. True, only in the southern regions of the country. They also settle in the winter hut in the ruins of churches, estates and other ancient buildings.
Can they winter near humans?
Animals need a calm environment for long hibernation. However, this does not mean that they are hiding from everything around. For example, the places where bats winter in villages are:
- barns;
- cattlemen and poultry houses;
- abandoned houses;
- sheds and other outbuildings.
The only thing that mice need from human buildings is the absence of temperature changes, bright lighting and drafts.
How long do they sleep?
The very concept of "wintering" is relative when it comes to bats. Animals sleep from 5 to 6 months, but can be in suspended animation for longer. In fact, these animals migrate to the wintering place as soon as the night temperature drops below 12 degrees and stays at this level for some time.
The place where the bat hibernates is permanent. These animals have a specific memory, andas soon as they find a place that best meets the conditions for wintering, they return to it for years.
What happens during hibernation?
In this state, all vital processes going on in the animal's body are suspended. In active wakefulness, the rhythm of the heart in these animals averages 420 beats per minute. In a state of suspended animation, the pulse decreases significantly. The rhythm during winter sleep does not exceed 14-16 beats per minute.
Such a characteristic as body temperature is also changing. If you pick up the mouse, it will seem hot and dry. During wakefulness, during the active life period, the body temperature of these animals remains at the level of 37-40 degrees. As soon as the animal falls asleep for a long time, that is, for the entire time of the upcoming cold weather, the temperature level changes. Moreover, these changes are quite large. The body temperature of a bat in suspended animation is close to zero degrees. To the touch, the animal seems not only cold, but also stiff.
Hibernation is an important part of the life cycle for these animals. The longer the state of suspended animation lasts, the more years the mouse will live. Stable "entry" into anabiosis and the absence of forced awakenings from hibernation increase the life span for these animals up to 15-20 years.
