Bat Guano

Parrot · « **on:** May 09, 2007, 20:30 »

Amongst my menagerie I keep a colony of Egyptian Fruit bats. They are fed on mangos, bananas, grapes, papayas, pears , melons of various types and occassional apples and citrus fruits also. They also get figs and cucumbers of all things which they relish.

I get a good amount of guano from them every week. I would like to use it to possibly create compost from for our proposed veg plot. Would it be too rich to use direct?

I bet that`s a question that hasn`t been asked before.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2007, 20:39 »

Quote from: "Parrot"

Amongst my menagerie I keep a colony of Egyptian Fruit bats.

In Wales :shock:

Isn't that strange. I posted a picture today that my OH took in Sydney on Saturday of wild fruit bats. They live on figs there.

I think there poo would be very strong, it surely would need composting well first.

shaun · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2007, 20:41 »

ammonia springs to mind for some reason,i just use cow/pig manure never thought about bat dodo :?

WG. · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2007, 20:49 »

Shipping of bat guano to Europe was a major industry before mining of rock phosphates & industrial "fixing" of atmospheric nitrogen became commonplace. I suspect it was a major factor in colonisation of tropical countries by European powers too!!

Parrot · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2007, 21:04 »

Looks like it will be an addition to the compost heap then.

It falls onto a tray covered in newspaper so will not be mixed with sawdust or straw just the odd bit of fruit peel/skin, maybe the odd papaya seed too but I doubt they will sprout!

In case anybody thinks I am entirely bonkers here are a couple of pics of them to show you that it`s a genuine question.

WG. · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2007, 21:09 »

Strikes me that their food bill must be astronomical - most expensive compost known to man!

We had a Zoology lecturer at Uni who was fanatical about bats. He totally adored them. Told us they were fastiduously clean & not at all deserving of their bad "public image". Presumably, you would agree??

richyrich7 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2007, 21:12 »

Very nice Parrot, what lovely animals.

Just found this ...

Two vampire bats wake up in the middle of the night, thirsty for blood. One says, "Let's fly out of the cave and get some blood." "We're new here," says the second one. "It's dark out, and we don't know where to look. We'd better wait until the other bats go with us." The first bat replies, "Who needs them? I can find some blood somewhere." He flies out of the cave. When he returns, he is covered with blood. The second bat says excitedly, "Where did you get the blood?" The first bat takes his buddy to the mouth of the cave. Pointing into the night, he asks, "See that black building over there?" "Yes," the other bat answers. "Well," says the first bat, "I didn't."

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #7 on:** May 09, 2007, 21:14 »

They are adorable! How many do you have :?:

shaun · « **Reply #8 on:** May 09, 2007, 21:37 »

do they get tangled in your hair ?

Parrot · « **Reply #9 on:** May 09, 2007, 21:38 »

Quote from: "whisky_golf"

Strikes me that their food bill must be astronomical - most expensive compost known to man!

Thankfully the bats prefer their food "over-ripe" , so I pick the majority of it up free.

Quote from: "whisky_golf"

We had a Zoology lecturer at Uni who was fanatical about bats. He totally adored them. Told us they were fastiduously clean & not at all deserving of their bad "public image". Presumably, you would agree??

In my limited experience they are very attentive to their toilet. They spend a large proportion of their time grooming themselves and each other before leaving the roost and also before settling down for the day`s rest. When an animal needs to relieve itself it reaches forward, grabs the roost with the hooks of it`s wings, and then opens it`s legs and points it`s bottom at the appropriate angle so there are no such things as "clingers" (pardon the expression) as far as bats are concerned.

So yes, I would agree with your lecturer, bats are fastiduously clean in my opinion.

Quote from: "Aunt Sally"

They are adorable! How many do you have :?:

I have a group of ten animals. Being social animals, it would appear to be a case of the more the merrier as far as they are concerned. I have observed that they are far more at ease in a group of five or more individuals than just say a pair for example.

Great joke richyrich7

Parrot · « **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2007, 21:41 »

Quote from: "shaun"

do they get tangled in your hair ?

I don`t have a lot of hair, plus the umbrella hat comes in very handy for cleaning out.

Trillium · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2007, 21:43 »

Quote from: "shaun"

do they get tangled in your hair ?

You'd need hair first, Shaun

And no, they don't, provided you don't flap about so they can't get past you.

Gorgeous creatures Parrot. I'd love some myself, but my 4 legged hunters would make short work of that idea.

peanut97 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2007, 22:13 »

As much as you must love them that first picture looks like something out of a horror movie!

shaun · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2007, 22:17 »

Quote from: "peanut97"

As much as you must love them that first picture looks like something out of a horror movie!

i thought that its those eyes :shock:

Parrot · « **Reply #14 on:** May 09, 2007, 22:27 »

They can look spooky whilst flying, as Shaun said, it`s the reflective eyes that do it.

Bat Guano

WG.

WG.

Trillium