How Much Does a Pet Bat Cost?


Written by:  Howmuchisit.org Staff

To some, owning a pet bat may be an exotic idea; however, these pets are considered to be endangered and are illegal in most states.

Most of the time, if you’re interested in owning a pet bat, you will have to either have a zoo or special rehabilitation license.  Additionally, most bats are protected by many various laws.

Little Bat by fs-phil, on Flickr
Little Bat” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by fs-phil

How much does a pet bat cost?

A pet bat cost will vary wildly depending on the breed, genealogical history, your location, and your local regulations. Generally, you can expect to pay in the $500 to $1,000 range for the bat itself, but it’s not unusual for the price to be slightly lower or higher.  Finding one, however, can be extremely hard as there are very few breeders worldwide that offer bats for sale.

Fruit bats are the most common breed kept as an exotic pet since they are easier to handle than some of their counterparts.  These bats are about four to five inches long and its wingspan is about one and a half feet.  There are 10 species of fruit bats.

What are the extra costs?

If you really want to invest in bats, you should consider building a conservatory and filling it with several bats to allow them to socialize and mate. This, of course, will raise the costs considerably, but if you want your bats to have a long life, there aren’t many other options.  As they are nocturnal, bats tend to sleep during the day and become quite active at night, flying all over.  To refuse them the right to fly, a large enough cage/area is highly recommended to offer it the flying capabilities it needs.

Since these pets are often hard to acquire, shipping fees may apply if purchased online.

Since bats can carry rabies, albeit rare, vaccinations will be required.

With any pets, be sure to factor in food, accessories and routine/surprise vet visits.  For food, bats will feed on fruit biscuits, supplements and fruit, which can cost about $20 to $30 a month.

To successfully house a bat where legal, permits will be required, which can be an additional cost to budget for.

Tips to know

Bats in the wild can live up to 25 years, but bats in captivity will often die within a few short years because of the stress of being isolated and confined.

Bats are the flying mammals that people associate with vampires and scary movies, but the reality is that most of them are harmless (unless you try and keep one of the bloodsucking varieties as pets). Bats are considered exotic pets, so be sure to check with your local government to verify if you’re even legally eligible to own one.

Bats can carry rabies, so never attempt to capture one from the wild and domesticate it. If you want a pet bat, make sure you purchase it from a licensed breeder who can provide a genealogical and medical history of the animal before bringing it into your home.  Always purchase from a USDA licensed dealer to ensure you’re getting a healthy bat.

Most states ban the average homeowner from having pets as a pet.  Most will require you have a wildlife rehabilitation or zoo license to legally own one.

Some fruit bats can live in groups of more than 100,000.

Pet bats can be extremely hard to take care of; in fact, most pet bats won’t live longer than one year.

Bats can’t be transported without a CDC license.

A bat isn’t a puppy, meaning you won’t be able to pick it up and cuddle with it anytime you wish.  Like most exotic animals, bats hate to be handled and can often bite in a hostile way.

If you really love bats, consider talking with a local wildlife rehabilitator to volunteer and work with them.


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How much did you spend?

Was it worth it?  

  1. Ghavyn Mitchell paid $0 and said: said:

    I am writing this because it is cruel to keep a pet bat. They die of stress within weeks. No matter the cost, anyone who sees this, do NOT keep a pet bat. If you love them, let them be free or kept at a zoo. I did not buy a bat, I just wrote this to inform.

    Was it worth it? Yes

  2. Saulius (Nesvarbu,  Alaska) paid $0 and said:

    Well u can just buy a few of them and they won’t be lonely. problem solved.

    Was it worth it? Yes

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