So... i was working as a snake wrangler, for a HBO production out in the desert, and while patroling the perimeter, I was attacked by a bat...
It flew up, landed on my chest, and proceeded to bite my shirt, camera strap and then attacked my camera while I was attempting to film it...
At least this time I have a good excuse for crappy pics/video...
attacking my camera...
A few pics I managed to take...
A cold front had moved in overnight, so no snakes... but saw some cool desert lizards...
Mojave Fringe toed
big Chuck...
iggies...
Awwww... little feller...
Desert HL...
GB Whips (everywhere)...
And of course, the obligitory Side Blotch...
An inquisitive bird...
Shiney Cuts n Shallow Ruts jim
My Buddy 'Chester'
Moderator: Scott Waters
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
That's a funny story, Jim. I have never heard of anyone getting attacked by a bat before, especially during bright daylight.
Just one thing: Nicholas just did a science report (for his class) on rabies and he says that bats are carriers. Given it's crazy, aggressive behavior, it's at least possible that this bat had rabies. If it even nicked your skin at all, be sure to go the hospital right away. Once symptoms show, which usually do not appear within days or even weeks, rabies is fatal! I had no idea that symptomatic rabies is untreatable and fatal in humans either, but that's a fact.
Take care, literally and figuratively
Robert
Just one thing: Nicholas just did a science report (for his class) on rabies and he says that bats are carriers. Given it's crazy, aggressive behavior, it's at least possible that this bat had rabies. If it even nicked your skin at all, be sure to go the hospital right away. Once symptoms show, which usually do not appear within days or even weeks, rabies is fatal! I had no idea that symptomatic rabies is untreatable and fatal in humans either, but that's a fact.
Take care, literally and figuratively
Robert
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
I've heard that while carriers, bat don't exhibit 'batshit' behavior when they have it. my theory is I may have spooked him from his roost (by disloging a rock) and as I WAS wearing a black shirt... he flew to that thinking it was a 'cave' and perhaps was attacking and biting stuff because of the noise the camera makes (soft whirring & clicks).
It was kinda like Mel Brooks's 'Young Frankenstein'... too funny to be scary... after prying him (literally) off my camera, I set him down into a little crevice, and it was only when he started biting the rocks, that rabies even occured to me.
I'm glad he didn't bite me... cause then I would have realized I need to kill him to have him tested for rabies... But... all's well that ends well... and while very strange... it was one of the 'cutest' things I've ever seen...
Edit... Hmmmm... according to Bryan Hamilton...
I don't think that is accurate. Rabid bats show atypical behavior, such as diurnal activity, biting and attacking people. You kind of have a "textbook" case there. Bats acting like yours test positive for rabies at a high rate.
wow...
It was kinda like Mel Brooks's 'Young Frankenstein'... too funny to be scary... after prying him (literally) off my camera, I set him down into a little crevice, and it was only when he started biting the rocks, that rabies even occured to me.
I'm glad he didn't bite me... cause then I would have realized I need to kill him to have him tested for rabies... But... all's well that ends well... and while very strange... it was one of the 'cutest' things I've ever seen...
Edit... Hmmmm... according to Bryan Hamilton...
I don't think that is accurate. Rabid bats show atypical behavior, such as diurnal activity, biting and attacking people. You kind of have a "textbook" case there. Bats acting like yours test positive for rabies at a high rate.
wow...
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Gee, so I was actually not totally off mark. Man, you sure were lucky that you didn't get bitten when you pried the bat off your camera, with your bare hands, I assume.
Nature can be strange sometimes. Just imagine surviving two (and a half ) helleri bites and then getting killed by a bat.
Robert
Nature can be strange sometimes. Just imagine surviving two (and a half ) helleri bites and then getting killed by a bat.
Robert
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
no doubt...RobertH wrote: Nature can be strange sometimes. Just imagine surviving two (and a half ) helleri bites and then getting killed by a bat.
Robert
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Good story...doesn't surprise me with your bizarre luck. You are the same guy who stumbled across camels in the high desert at night. Which is just one of the more recent things. Heck, you remember that insanely lucky rabbit during that one road cruise years back?...I pretty much expect weird and funny things to happen when you go herping.
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
don't remember it offhand... i've had lots of scweey wabbit encounters...Helleri wrote:Heck, you remember that insanely lucky rabbit during that one road cruise years back?...I pretty much expect weird and funny things to happen when you go herping.
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
It was a night time road cruise in the low desert we did years ago. It was a young rabbit that ran out on the road in front of us and the car went over it. You were number because you thought you clipped it. But I had looked behind us and it didn't come out of the back. And then you glanced your mirror and started cracking up. It was running along side the car. And it bobbed in and out for like two minutes. In front of the car, on my side, on your side, running along with the car most of the time underneath it. Then it pulled out in front again and ran off the road into the fields.
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Oh yeah... me and a buddy (josh) had a big Jack do that in front of his truck... looking over to the speedometer... i'm like... he's doing what??? bout 25 mph??? we laughed and laughed...Helleri wrote:It was a night time road cruise in the low desert we did years ago. It was a young rabbit that ran out on the road in front of us and the car went over it. You were number because you thought you clipped it. But I had looked behind us and it didn't come out of the back. And then you glanced your mirror and started cracking up. It was running along side the car. And it bobbed in and out for like two minutes. In front of the car, on my side, on your side, running along with the car most of the time underneath it. Then it pulled out in front again and ran off the road into the fields.
anyways... mother's day boy... call yo moms...
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
The funniest one I recall though, is when we were out looking for a rosy. I was about 100ft. Further up then you and you yelled rosy while looking at a crack in a rock. So, I started hurrying back down and heard you say "take your time it ain't going anywhere". I get down there and you were chuckling with that big dumb grin on your face. It had just finished a meal when you found it and was to fat to get into the crack.
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
That sounds rabid as hell. I would get rabies shots even having that thing's saliva that close to me. Rabies is no joke.
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
And my sister (physician's assistant) says it has to be immunoglobin. Too late for the vaccine to help.
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
I'm confident that i was not infected... and if i was, and i die... good object lesson for everyone else... what better way for a teacher to go...
Jahred... THAT rosy we found that day was possibly the most 'unique' rosys I ever found, but didn't know then how unique it was. A Hi-D two-tone chocolate brown... been looking for another like it ever since.
Jahred... THAT rosy we found that day was possibly the most 'unique' rosys I ever found, but didn't know then how unique it was. A Hi-D two-tone chocolate brown... been looking for another like it ever since.
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
hellihooks wrote:I'm confident that i was not infected... and if i was, and i die... good object lesson for everyone else... what better way for a teacher to go...
Yeah, I get why you're confident, but with my sister telling me that it doesn't even have to bite you to infect you...I'd play it safe. Rabies is just about the scariest thing ever, and I should know about scary diseases.
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
the bats saliva has to be introduced into my system, via open wound or mucus membranes... no open cuts on my hands and i didn't pick my nose (then lol). besides...it was 5 days ago, so probably too late for any postexposure prophylaxis, and I doubt any doctor would prescribe that, short of my insisting on it... and most likely, it would then be considered an elective procedure that I would need to pay for...
If I thought there was ANY chance I'd been infected... I'd do it... but... i took a shower this morning and wasn't scared at all...
If I thought there was ANY chance I'd been infected... I'd do it... but... i took a shower this morning and wasn't scared at all...
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
I get the joke, but only because Nicholas told me that one symptom of rabies is fear of water. Thought I'd point that out, so the rest of the folks here don't think you got infected after all.i took a shower this morning and wasn't scared at all..
Robert
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
not afraid of water... but somewhat paraniod about this bottle of water sitting in front of me... it spells 'naive' backwards...RobertH wrote:I get the joke, but only because Nicholas told me that one symptom of rabies is fear of water. Thought I'd point that out, so the rest of the folks here don't think you got infected after all.i took a shower this morning and wasn't scared at all..
Robert
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Have you been back to there specifically to look?hellihooks wrote:I'm confident that i was not infected... and if i was, and i die... good object lesson for everyone else... what better way for a teacher to go...
Jahred... THAT rosy we found that day was possibly the most 'unique' rosys I ever found, but didn't know then how unique it was. A Hi-D two-tone chocolate brown... been looking for another like it ever since.
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
yes... many times... seen other boas, just not another 2 tone brownHelleri wrote:Have you been back to there specifically to look?hellihooks wrote:I'm confident that i was not infected... and if i was, and i die... good object lesson for everyone else... what better way for a teacher to go...
Jahred... THAT rosy we found that day was possibly the most 'unique' rosys I ever found, but didn't know then how unique it was. A Hi-D two-tone chocolate brown... been looking for another like it ever since.
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Just in case, big Jim, I'd carry a wooden stake and a mallet with me if I were you...... just sayin'
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
He is THE Wolfman. He can handle a vampire I think.Steve Bledsoe wrote:Just in case, big Jim, I'd carry a wooden stake and a mallet with me if I were you...... just sayin'
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
speaking of stakes... it's off the hook how HBO feeds people on these shoots... for lunch that day we had Filet Mignon with mushrooms in a port wine sauce & Coconut Shrimp... the day before it was Tempora Ahi and Chicken Cordon Bleu.... ... sooo Soooo Good
- Steve Bledsoe
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
So, how is it that they picked you to help them, rather than a real herper?hellihooks wrote:speaking of stakes... it's off the hook how HBO feeds people on these shoots... for lunch that day we had Filet Mignon with mushrooms in a port wine sauce & Coconut Shrimp... the day before it was Tempora Ahi and Chicken Cordon Bleu.... ... sooo Soooo Good
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Guess they heard how dependable I am and about my work ethic, and the fact that I can out hike, herp, work most guys half my age...Steve Bledsoe wrote:So, how is it that they picked you to help them, rather than a real herper?hellihooks wrote:speaking of stakes... it's off the hook how HBO feeds people on these shoots... for lunch that day we had Filet Mignon with mushrooms in a port wine sauce & Coconut Shrimp... the day before it was Tempora Ahi and Chicken Cordon Bleu.... ... sooo Soooo Good
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Jim, I caught that vicious little bastard for ya... here's your chance to bite him back Revenge is yours
Bat by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr
Bat by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr
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Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Nawwww... not looking for revenge... it was bout the cutest thing I've ever had happen... could NOT stop grinning for the rest of the day...
Re: My Buddy 'Chester'
Naw...or gnaw? To naw or not to gnaw...seems fitting yea they are cute little buggers. Cool encounter