A new technique for inducing self-feeding in captive Japanese little horseshoe bats, Rhinolophus cornutus

Abstract

Inducing captive bats to self-feed is an essential procedure to maintain individuals under laboratory conditions for long periods of time, as it is difficult for bats that emit constant frequency calls to feed on non-fluttering prey. Here, we evaluated a new technique to induce self-feeding in captive bats by repeatedly training them to pick up mealworms from a feeding table in a cage (called “learning”). To determine the effectiveness of the training for long-term maintenance, captive bats were assigned to the following three feeding treatments: (1) learning, (2) sound-absorbing, in which the sound-absorbing material on the feeding table was covered to increase the efficiency of detecting mealworms, and (3) hand-feeding, the control treatment. The survival rates and the acclimation period of the bats were compared among the three treatments. In addition, for the “learning” treatment, the effect of capturing seasons, namely summer and winter, on the survival rate and the acclimation period of the bats were also analyzed. Learning showed a higher survival rate and an earlier acclimation period than the other two treatments. Furthermore, bats captured during their hibernation period showed a lower survival rate and a longer acclimation period than those captured during their active period. Our new training technique was, thus, effective for inducing bats to self-feed, but the season during which the bats are captured should be considered for its application.