Archived Cave Chat

The chatroom is one of the most popular features of any of our webcasts since it allows our audience to participate live from their computers. Below is the archived text of the chat that was conducted during our live broadcast. There were lots of good questions and several experts helping to answer them all. Several experts helped out during the 3–hour show including a special guest and student caver from Mexico, Frank (Francisco Javier Lopez Esquivel).

Jim Kennedy and Linda Palit answered questions in the chatroom during the webcast.

expert at the cave: Good Morning!
yahoo: is anyone there?
natureguy: NatureGuy – John Herron from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Just peeking in.
cats: Hi. We are a 4th grade GT class from Woodbine Intermediate school just checking in!
crestview elementary: has the program started? we aren't receiving the transmission
natureguy: NatureGuy is back.
cats: How long have the Longhorn Caverns been here?
expert at the cave: No one really knows exactly how long Longhorn Caverns has been in existance. Our best estimate is about 1 million years.
crestview elementary: Is it safe for me to hold a bat?
jherron: Only professional biologists should hold bats. Notice that she was wearing a glove. There is a small risk that any bat you can pick up might have rabies. So it's best to never touch a bat.
crestview elementary: what is the top speed a bat can fly?
jackson: Greetings from some Europe Cavers
crestview elementary: What is the most common bat in the United States?
crestview elementary: What is the smallest Bat?
expert at the cave: The fastest a North American bat has been recorded is about 40 miles per hour for a Big Brown Bat. Undoubtably others fly faster.
apollyon37: Hey all.. a friend in my Caving club emailed me this webcast by grace homeschool: How can you attract bats to your neighborhood? Does it matter where you live in Texas?
guest8: Hull–Daisetta Jr. High wants to know how are most Texas caves formed?
bloomers: the bat with the 2 foot wing span, how large is it when it is born?
apollyon37: What is the longest cave on record?
expert at the cave: The smallest known bat is Kitti's Hog–nosed Bat from Thailand.
kkeller: Don't forget to access the links on the right while listening to the webcast. The photos are great!
expert at the cave: The smallest U. S. bat is Western Pipistrelle.
mrs. van zandt's 4th grade class: How long do bats live?
britt11307: why do bats like the dark so much
expert at the cave: One of the most common bats in the U. S. is the Little Brown Bat.
expert at the cave: The longest cave in the world is the Mammoth Cave
diana: what do I think of Bats? I think that they're creepy
expert at the cave: Oops. Sorry. Mammoth Cave System in Kentucky, currently 346 miles (5568.5 KM)
apollyon37: how long is Mammoth Cave?
trist: that's far
expert at the cave: The largest fruit bats have wingspans up to 5 feet. Their babies weigh a few ounces at birth.
by grace homeschool: Why do they call it "Longhorn" Caverns?
sk8terboy798: are bats good at flying
crestview elementary: Has a bat ever killed anyone?
crestview elementary: About how many insects can a bat eat in a night?
diana: I dont think that bats ever killed anyone. At least not to my knowledge
crestview elementary: Where can I get more information on echolocation
crestview elementary: Where can I learn to be a caver?
bigdano: Are caves such as Longhorn open 24 hours? If not, do you lock the caves? If you do lock them, has anyone lost their key and locked themselves in or out of the cave?
crestview elementary: How many babies does a bat have at one time?
expert at the cave: A bat can eat up to its own weignt in insects every night.
pedro: bats r scary
expert at the cave: We are talking about bats and caving. You been in any mexico caves?
expert at the cave: Talk to BCI about ecolocation. There is a web site
lani: how long do bats sleep
trist: tHis is pretty kool learning aobut bats and stuff.....
expert at the cave: Caves are locked at night if they are commeracial. People who have left the tour have been locked in, and have a hard time explaining.
expert at the cave: Bats have one baby a year.
cool person: how did bats first look like?
expert at the cave: Female bats have the babies, and they stay together in maternal colonies to raise them.
cool person: where is the biggest cave?
expert at the cave: One fertilized cell.
trist: so do the males ever want to hert the babys
pedro: THE BIGGEST CAVE IS IN NEW MEXICO
dannyboy: when did the first bats live?
expert at the cave: Borneo has the biggest individual cave room.
dannyboy: how long have bats lived?
crestview elementary: other than bats, what is the most common cave animal/insect
expert at the cave: The longest cave in the world is Mammoth in Ky.
cool person: what is the smallest bat?
crestview elementary: In what part/region of the cave would you find the most life?
lil1: how long do they sleep
expert at the cave: Depends on how you define big. If you are talking about most formations, perhaps New Mexico.l
dannyboy: how can u tell the difference between a male and female bat?
rae–lo: wheres the biggest cave
lil mama: I love bats
expert at the cave: Male bats roost by themselves in different caves while the moms raise the babies,
bowiegirl01': i thought the biggest cave was n colorado
expert at the cave: The smallest bat in the US is a Western pipistrell
by grace homeschool: How can you attract bats to your neighborhood? Does it matter in what part of Texas you live?
britt11307: where are they mostly located?
cool person: what is the most common bat in texas?
lani: can bats walk?
afro puff: did people ever eat bats
expert at the cave: The biggest cave in the world in depth is now in France.
trist: so how long have bats been around???
expert at the cave: The Mexican freetail is the most common bat in Texas, 100 million
lil mama: How old do bats get?
pimpsta: do bats take care of there babies
alex.l: How many bats are there
dannyboy: no bats can see, they use echolocation
afro puff: are bats blind
expert at the cave: THe cave in France is Gouffre Mirolda; bats are eaten in a few places, but it is discouraged because they are so useful.
cool person: why are bats so ugly?
lil mama: Where do bats live?
trist: how long have bats been around?????
expert at the cave: Bats take care of their babies, and the oldes bat in Texas was 32.
rae–lo: how many baby bats can come from a mama
cool person: in what ways is a bat useful?
lil mama: bats are ugly creatures
expert at the cave: Bats are not blind, but some might think your vision is impaired if you find them ugly.
trist: what do bats eat
expert at the cave: Bats live in caves, railroad tunnels, and parking garages in Texas They live out of caves in some places
jennifer3314: Are there any frogs that live in the troglobites area of the cave?
rayburn elem: what are hodags and trogs
expert at the cave: Bats can swim, and if you are swimming in a cave, they sometimes run into you and have to use you to take flight again.
crestview elementary: Other than insects or fruit, what can a bat eat?
rayburn elem: what are hodags and trogs
mrs. van zandt's 4th grade class: What bats can be found in the Parker County region of Texas. This is about 20 miles west of Fort Worth.
expert at the cave: Momma bats usually have one baby, and bats eat insects in North America. In some areas they help make plants pollenate.
lani: how many diffrent kinds of bats r there?
cool person: do bats migrate?
expert at the cave: Hodags are cave monstors. Trogs are critters that live in the dark zone.
expert at the cave: There are over 1200 species of bats.
expert at the cave: Some species migrate, others do not.
rayburn elem: how do bats swim
jherron: Texas has 32 species of bats.
lil1: can u kep a bat as a pet
lani: how many diffrent kinds of bats are there. hey rae!
cool person: how long does an average bat live?
afro puff: are 4th graders scared of bats
crestview elementary: Does the "powder room" in the caverns still exist? If we went there, would we see this area?
expert at the cave: Back to the Parker Co. question, there is a good place to view bats at Caprock Canyon State Park, in Clarity Tunnel. They are Cave Myotis.
lil1: is vampires real
crestview elementary: Why do they call caves "rooms"?
expert at the cave: Bats don't swim well.
trista renee rivera: How meny type of bats are there in the world
rayburn elem: how many species are there in the U.S.?
dannyboy: what is the strongest bat
jherron: Bats are useful because each bat eats hundreds of insects each night, such as moths who's caterpillars damage crops. By eating these moths, bats protect our crops.
crestview elementary: Is guano still used in the production of gun powder?
selena.m: How many caves are there?
playerette: what colors do bats come in?
expert at the cave: There are only three species of the 1200+ that drink blood, all in Latin American.
rayburn elementary: how many people did it take to clean out the cave
lani: how good are bats hearing?
dannyboy: did bats live in the dinosaur ages?
dannyboy: what is the rarest bat.
rae–lo: How many bats are there in the world.
expert at the cave: Bats are mostly brown and gray, but some are very brightly colored.
lil1: do vampires bite people
rayburn elem: how do bats know if it is morning or night?
expert at the cave: Bats have excellent hearing, and can hear many sounds beyond the human range.
bill sawyer: Good Morning, My name is Bill Sawyer and I'm a caver that works at Caverns of Sonora.
cool person: how old are bats when they can have babies?
rayburn elementary: who was the leader of the native americans living in the caves
selena.m: how Long Does It Take A Cave To Form?
dannyboy: About how many bats are in a cave.
guest19: Hi my name is Amanda i was just wondering if a cave is really far down in the ground how cold can it get?
cool person: do bats have claws?
dannyboy: what did indians call bats?
rayburn elem: how long do bats live
lani: what do bats eat.
guest19: Hey Mr. Bill Sawyer can i ask you a question
expert at the cave: Most bats cannot have young until they are at least two years old.
trist: Are there ever fight between different kinds of bats..?
joe v: How does caves form.
jherron: Most Texas bats eat insects like moths.
cool person: bats eat bugs
dannyboy: how come bats only come at night
edmond g: How big is a fool grown mail bat.
bdaddy: are vampires real
expert at the cave: Most bats eat insects.
britt11307: HELLO BILL WECOME
rayburn elementary: How long dose a cave take to form?
rayburn elementary: how did they make a club out of the cave
dannyboy: how long does bats sleep.
expert at the cave: The longest recorded age of a while bat is 34 years for a Little Brown bat.
thelma c: How many type of bats are there in the world?
guest21: How strong are bat wings?
crestview elementary: What causes caves to collapse?
edmond g: how tall is a six yearold bat
guest22: Mr. Bill Sawyer is the water in the cave colder than water in the ocean
expert at the cave: Bats have sharp claws on their hind feet, and another claw on their thumb.
crestview elementary: Are there caves in regions of the world where it freezes?
thelma c: How many types bats are there in the world?
crestview elementary: Why do bats have better sense of smell than humans?
dannyboy: are bats realy blind
expert at the cave: Bat wings are pretty strong, but the bones are fragile and their wing membranes can be torn by thorns.
edmond g: how much blood can a bat hold
crestview elementary: Can a baby bat fly right away, or does it take time for them to learn how to fly?
crestview elementary: How many bats are generally in one colony?
thelma c: How many types of bats are there in the world?
rayburn elementary: How long do Bats live? how many bats actually live in the caves? How many bats are their in the world?
rodrigo m: How many types of bats ar in the world
rayburn elem: how big is a fruit bat
expert at the cave: Natural erosional processes will eventually collapse and wear away the cave.
dannyboy: are they really blind.
thelma c: How many vampire bats in the world?
expert at the cave: Bats are not BLIND!!!!
rebecca: How strong are bat wings?
reymundo t: How many types of bats are there?
edmond g: How fast can a bat fly
expert at the cave: Baby bats can fly 6–8 weeks after being born, and can feed for themselves then.
dago g: How long dose bats live
christian b: How many bats are their in the world?
daniel g: How long do bats live
selena.m: Why Do bats hibernate up side down?
guest24: please let us see a tour of the cave
chris: How many babies can bats have
by grace homeschool: is bat poop toxic??
expert at the cave: The largest known bat colony in the world is Bracken Bat Cave in Comal County. Texas, with 20–40 million.
rayburn elementary: How much blood can a bat hold?
rayburn elementary: how large is the cave bats live
kkeller: Is sunlight harmful to cave critters?
expert at the cave: Bats hang upside down in order to take off and fly.
selena.m: What is the oldest bat?
veronica/kim: Why is the dog in the cave called the queens watch dog
bdaddy: how do bats fly
expert at the cave: Once again, there are over 1200 species of bats in the world.
samantha withee: what do bats eat
reymundo t: Are some bats friendly?
samantha withee: what do bats eat
andre: how long are bats tounges
chris: why do bats only fly at night?
brandon l: how long does bats live.
juan b: way do bats sleep upside down
expert at the cave: Our cave expert, Dr. Veni, is now here. Ask away!
mickel: WHY DO BATS HAVE COLONIES
timothy r: How old was the olds bat?
roy: What is the longest cave in the world?
timothy r: How old was the olds bat?
jherron: Bats hang and hibernate upside down because its their back legs that are the strongest for gripping and holding. But their legs are large enough to stand on, compared to birds.
crestview elementary: Why don't bats die when they're upside down? Doesn't the blood rush to their head?
veronica/kim: How many babies can bats have in a year
expert at the cave: Is bat poop toxic? I don't know, I've never eaten any!
guest25: what the BIGGEST bat in the world
brandon l: what is the biggest bat?
samantha withee: do bats ever run into walls
crestview elementary: How can the bat see in the dark? Are their eyes adapted to the dark?
allison: Why dont bats like the light
rayburn elem: how do bats know if it is morning or night
allison: Why dont bats like the light?
expert at the cave: Bat guano is used for fertilizer but it is very strong.
crestview elementary: Are there many albino bats?
cool person: when are bats in danger?
expert at the cave: Any body out there interested in going to a wild cave?
edgar.a: WHY DO BATS EAT AND HUNT AT NIHT
expert at the cave: Sunlight is never seen by cave critters, but if you take them out of the cave they die
sexy daddy: Can bats kill
cats: We are eating sample foods that represent the kinds of things that animals eat in a cave. We were wondering what animals eat bats besides other bats?
jherron: Remember, only 3 species of bats drink blood, all in Latin America. They drink maybe an ounce of blood.
crestview elementary: Could a salamander regrow their pigment if they got in the sunlight again?
rayburn elementary: how many species live in the cave
expert at the cave: The oldest bat known is 34yrs
big sox: why dont bats like sun light
crestview elementary: Are there bats in the "show caves"
crestview elementary: Do caves change when there are earthquakes
guest27: whats the oldest cave in the world
veronica/kim: What do bats eat?
samantha withee: how many babies can bats have in one litter
cats: Go Trogs!
expert at the cave: A bat holds enough blood to stay alive.
crestview elementary: What kind of fruit does the fruit bat eat
nicole: Why do bats eat other bats?
chris: how many peoeple were in the native amerian tribe
expert at the cave: Bats usually eat insects in Texas.
edgar.a: AND WHY THEY HUNT AT NIHT
guest27: whats the oldest cave in the world?
cats: Go Hodags! We are mixed on our team choices here!
samantha withee: what do bats eat
expert at the cave: Bats are often sweet and friendly, and are very intelligent
veronica/kim: How good can bats hear?
expert at the cave: Bats seldom run into walls, and they can see.
chris: what was the name the native tribe
veronica/kim: how much can a bat eat in one night?
samantha withee: how many kinds of bats are there
expert at the cave: Bats are indanger from people and fertilizer and urbanization;
expert at the cave: Bats are sometimes albino; they are in the colonies just as oather bats
ashley: where do bats live?
ashley: how far can bats fly?
ashley: where do bats live?
veronica/kim: how big are bats?
expert at the cave: Bats sometimes eat fruits that are ripe and grow where they live
rayburn elem: why don't bats like sunlight
stacyzadork: what is the longest time a bat can live?
jherron: The students and raps are great!
stacyzadork: what is the longest time a bat can live?
samantha withee: why cant they see that well
expert at the cave: Earthquakes do not effect caves often, and when they do, it is not usually severe.
expert at the cave: Caves do sometimes have rocks that fall for "no reason"
by grace homeschool: its body waight
expert at the cave: There are over 1200 types of bats
lauralye420: how good can bats see?
jeffrey: how many bats live in the cave
ashley: how high can bats fly?
expert at the cave: Bats can fly extensive distances in one night. They go from San Antonio to the coast sometimes in an evening
by grace homeschool: Trogs rule and there rap rocks i *LOVE* bats
expert at the cave: Glad you like the raps
veronica/kim: how small are baby bats?
cool person: the longest life of a bat is 32 years
by grace homeschool: people say im strange dose that make me a stranger?
iluvra: where are these caves located?
expert at the cave: Bats see very well. But they have addidional senses also.
by grace homeschool: please somebody tell me is bat poop toxic!??
crestview elementary: Do the Bracken caves still hve their two albino bats? I have been fortunate to be able to see the bats emerging from these caves. Awesome sight!
kkeller: Is sonar used to measure the depths of some caves?
big d dog: how many species of bats r there?
ashley: how do u get your question answered?
chris: how much does the biggest bat weight
jeffrey: how many bats live in the cave
veronica/kim: How long do bats live?
roy: what is the shorts cave
iluvra: how big can they get?
guest33: ummm ( thinking) how far are yall in the cave right now.
expert at the cave: Has anybody been to LongHorn Caverns?
jeffrey: how far down does the cave go
guest33: Dr. George how long did it take you to build that model?
by grace homeschool: WOH look at that model
by grace homeschool: of the cave
chris: do you know were the location was of the queen's dog
veronica/kim: How many types of bats are dangerous?
rayburn elem: do bats fight
ashley: how much can a bat eat in one day?
roy: WHAT IS THE HIGHEST CAVE IN THE WORLD
guest33: where is the biggest cave located in the world
jennifer3314: Are there any frogs that live in the troglobites area of the cave?
ronnie: What made you want to study bats.
big d dog: what is the biggest species of bats?
by grace homeschool: what is limestone?
cool person: bat poop is not toxic but it is a good fertilizer
jennifer3314: What is moonmilk?
guest33: where is the biggest cave in Texas
staci: how many babies do bats have at a time?
chris: where does the show shot air mostly.
jennifer3314: Can you touch moonmilk?
bygracehomeschool: bats can eats its whole bady weight
iluvra: my sister has been to LongHorn Caverns she said it was amazing
cool person: yes bats fight!
lisa: Why do some bats have green fur?
jeffrey: how large is a bat
homeslice: how big do bats get
crestview elementary: Why do you study caves? Why are they so special?
guest36: what do bats usually eat?
lisa: Why do some animals live in the Twilight Zone?
ronnie: What is your favorite spiecies of bats?
rayburn elem: where is the biggest cave
expert at the cave: bats eat insects
crestview elementary: Some caves are made from limestone, what else can they be made from?
iluvra: so they don't only suck the blood of othertings?
expert at the cave: The smell from Guano, if it is very concentrated (lots and lots in a cave) can be harmful. Cavers have to wear respirators to help them breathe
expert at the cave: longest cave is Mammoth in Kentucky
crestview elementary: how big can the stalactites get? diameter or length
crestview elementary: How do bats defend themselves?
rayburn elem: what was the biggest cave
king jame: How long are Carlsbad Caverns
kkeller: Did he say that those salamanders have gills?
cool person: salamanders are not toxic
expert at the cave: Is bat guano toxic? Almost anything is toxic if you eat enough of it. Eating some guano would make you sick, but not kill you.
guest36: do you eat salamanders
homie: ARE SALAMANDERS TOXIC
iluvra: how many caves are in Texas
expert at the cave: Bat fur is not green. You may have seen a photo with poor color. Most bats have brown, black, gray, or white fur.
guest36: sulphur and basalt
expert at the cave: Most caves form in limestone. Other rocks often that contain caves are gypsum, dolomite, halite, and marble.
jherron: Caves are special because there are animals that are only found in caves. And, in Texas, caves are connected to the underground water many of us depend on for drinking water.
sk8erboy: Do bats like humans??
sun: Why the bats eats bugs?
iluvra: bats only come out when it's dark?
guest38: how big do salamnders get?
expert at the cave: The world's longest stalactite is about 50 ft (15m) long. The tallest stalagmite is about 180 ft (65 m) high.
nunzio: who are the bats ancestors
sk8erboy: Do bats really drink human blood?
sun: Why the bats live in the cave?
expert at the cave: Cave salamanders are usually no longer than about 6 inchs (15 cm).
iluvra: can sunlight hurt the bats eyes?
guest37: how long is a bats wing spane
sk8erboy: Do bats drink blood like vampire bats?
expert at the cave: Bats live in caves because they are safe from predators and weather. But not all bats live in caves. Some live in trees, cliffs, cracks, and other shelters.
guest41: How meny caves are there in te world
expert at the cave: Sunlight doesn't hurt bats' eyes except for adjusting to the light like your eyes adjust when you step our of a dark room to the sunlight.
guest99: how many types of bats are there
dj: How big is the biggest salamander
expert at the cave: No one knows how many caves there are in the world. New ones are being discovered every day. More than 30,000 are recorded in the USA.
king james: Where do you live in Mexico, Frank
iluvra: Frank from Mexico—what are the caves like in Mexico?
veronica/kim: HOW MANY DIFFRENT BATS ARE THERE
sk8erboy: How long is a bats body?
crestview elementary: can plants live in caves?
dj: How are bats behavior
expert at the cave: Bat wing spans vary. The smallest bat is about the size of a bumble bee and the largest has wing spans of up to 5 ft (1.5 m).
kkeller: At what depth do stalagmites and stalactites begin to form?
expert at the cave: More than 1,200 species of bat are known.
expert at the cave: Stalactites and stalagmites can form at all depths. It all depends on local factors of geology and water flow.
trist: WHats the smallest bats known to man..?
iluvra: and Frank how old are you now?
guest38: can you ever find bats outside your window?
expert at the cave: Different bats eat different food. Most in the US eat insects.
veronica/kim: WHAT IS THE MEANEST BAT
jacob: How long is a bats body?
rayburn elem: What happens when a bat bites you?
trist: WHats is the smallest bat
homeslice: is it possible to eat a bat
rayburn: HOGTAGS RULE
iluvra: Frank you should go to some of the caves in the US you would love them!
jacob: i have done some caving
iluvra: Yes I like to explore caves!
rayburn elem: Frank,what made you get into caves?
trist: who is frank
short: We have missed a little of the broad cast. Can you tell us how to determine the sex of a bat
veronica/kim: HOW DO BATS KNOW DAY OR NIGHT
rayburn: FRANK HOW ARE CAVES
iluvra: they are really awsome!
expert at the cave: If you are interested in caving – in Austin or anywhere in the world – contact that community's local caving club, also called a Grotto. They organize trips and provide training.
ashley: frank is some guy from mexico trista
iluvra: Ashley you've never been in a cave?
rayburn: HOW MANY TEETH DO BATS HAVE
iluvra: I do a little caving during the summers
trist: WHats the differemce between a cavern and a cave???
expert at the cave: Caves are exciting, beautiful, and often full of mud! Be careful what you wear or your mom will not be happy trying to clean it.
rayburn: HOW MANY BATSARE IN THE WORLD
expert at the cave: Caves are cool in summer and warm in winter. They are the mean temperature of the ground where they are located.
rayburn elem: Why do bats hang upside–down while sleeping?
expert at the cave: Cave, cavern, grotto are all names for caves. Grottos and caverns sometimes refer to rooms. Cave is sometimes the entire sports.
crestview elementary: Is there anyway to get a complete list of the questions/and answers that have been asked?
expert at the cave: Certification is not often done in the U.S. but we do teach techniques and safety. Cavers can always learn more, and try to do so.
rayburn: WHEN DO BATS GO TO SLEEP
veronica/kim: WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE BATS EAT IF THEY EAT THE WRONG FOOD
expert at the cave: THere is a junior section of the National Speoleology Society which students can join. Check out the NSS web page on the resource page of this webcast
crestview elementary: Thank you. We would really appreciate that. We have to leave the webcast now, but we have learned many new things today. Thank you so very much.
expert at the cave: At convention every summer there is a series of trips designed for teaching and learning cave techniques. Individual grottos also have training sessions.
expert at the cave: Bats have the ability to learn what food is good just like people. Bats sleep when the get home after their nightly flight in Texas.
lisette: what kind of animals live in caves
veronica/kim: WERE DO BATS GET THERE FOOD
expert at the cave: Most animals in caves are blind, or have limited sight, and move very slowly. The exception is animals in the entrance which use the cave as a sleeping or resting place
rayburn: WERE DO BATS LIVE
expert at the cave: In entrances you have bats, snakes sometimes, crickets, and some times small animal making a den
brandon: why do bats hang upside down
danny man: how do bats eat?
brandon: why do bats hang upside down
aaron: Can you tell me about wildlife?
barnett jh: Exactly what does KARST mean? And is Longhorn cavern on a FAULT?
sam: what do bats eat.
expert at the cave: Further into the cave you see animals that are with little or no pigment. Sometimes these are fish, salamanders, spiders or invertibrites?
veronica/kim: HOW MANY BABIES CAN THEY HAVE
expert at the cave: Karst means an area of limestone that drains lots of water, and has depressions. It means that it is likely you can find caves in that area
lisette: How many different kind of bats are there
tiger: where do bats usually live?
danny man: why do bats sleep upside down?
expert at the cave: Bats in texas eat insects, have one baby, and can live many years
jeffrey: Can people have bats as pets
j.l.c: How do bats defend there self?
expert at the cave: There are over 1200 bat species in the world.
sam: why do bats not use there eyes instead they use sounds.
super aaron: Do they always sleep upside down?
jherron: Yes, bats are born alive, like most mammals. Mature females each give birth to 1 youngster each year.
danny man: can bats have rabies?
sam: can you get hurt form a bats bite.
bunny: Why do bats sleep upside down
jesusfreak: do the bats LIKE being tagged and studdied
jherron: Transmitters for bats are small with small batteries, so the transmitter usually lasts for only a few weeks or months.
barnett jh: In the pictures, some of the bats have a feathery looking thing in their ear... what is it?
jeffrey: HOW MANY BATS LIVE IN TEXAS
rayburn: why do they sleep upside down
vincent: What kinds of bats are there?
vanessa: Have you ever seen a bat?
jherron: Bats have good eyesight, but caves are dark and they hunt at night – they use sound like sonar to find their way. It's called 'echo location'.
lisette: how many differnt kind of bats are there
vincent: I've seen a bat
jherron: Bats have sharp little teeth, so if they bite you it will hurt some.
jeffrey: HOW MUCH ARE THE BATS
janet: Have you ever touched a bat?
joedirt: What do bats look like up close
veronica/kim: HOW MANY BATS ARE IN EUROPE
sam: how many colors can a bat be.
lisette: what happends if you touch a bat
rayburn: HODAGS RAP GOOD
vincent: Have you ever been bitten by a bat
angel: What is the largest cave?
jherron: And some bats do get rabies. It's rare, but rabies makes bats so sick they can't fly. So if you ever find a bat on the ground, there is a good chance it's sick. So NEVER touch a bat your find on the ground.
janet: Would you like to explore bats?
vincent: What other kinds of animals live in caves
joedirt: why dont you touch bats on floor
aaron: Do bats always sleep upside down
jherron: It's against the law to buy and sell bats in Texas. Biologists and wildlife educators can get special permits that allow them to have bats.
lisette: why is it aganst the law to sell or buy bats in
vincent: What is the closest animal you've been to?
super c: Do bat have fangs
jherron: Other animals that live in caves include cave crickets, cave spiders, cave beetles and related invertebrates. Sometimes snakes, wild rodents, raccoons and other animals live in the front part of caves.
9ersrdabomb81: can a bat be a good pet if it was trained since birth
veronica/kim: HOW DO CAVES FORM
jherron: Its against the law to buy and sell bats in order to protect them. Otherwise, people might take too many out of caves. And they're not very good pets for most people anyway.
brat: If a bat bites you what will happen?
expert at the cave: Bats are wild animals. It is illegal to keep them.
tkwelch: Where is the biggest stalagtite located?
expert at the cave: Bats do not sting. They rarely even bite.
jherron: Most wild animals don't make good pets – they don't respond to people well and can be hard to care for. Having a captive wild animal is very different from having a pet.
barnett jh: At carlsbad, they told us about cleaning the caverns or "dusting" up the lint and dander from visitors. Does that happen at Longhorn Caverns?
jherron: Most bat bites are harmless – you'll bleed a little. But because a few bats have rabies, you'll usually have to get some shots to protect you from catching rabies.
expert at the cave: Bats are studied by lots of medical researchers for many reasons.
jherron: My favorite bat is the Mexican free–tailed bat. That is the species that live in large colonies in caves and under bridges, like the Congress Street bridge in Austin. There can be thousands and millions in a colony.
jesusfreak: can rabies kill you?
bloomers: Is any part of the cave any more important than the other???
expert at the cave: Longhorn Caverns does not have "lint picking", but they are able to hose down the cave. Carlsbad cannot.
bunny: how can bats fly so close, not hit you
sam: do bats fly in schools.
rayburn: HAVE YOU BEEN TO NATURAL BRIDGE CAVERNS IN SAN ANTONIO?
nobody: How many animals live in caves
jesusfreak: is rabies contagious?
expert at the cave: Bats capture insects in their wings and tail membranes and flip them into their mouths.
jherron: Some one asked how caves are formed. Many are formed in limestone, as water slowly dissolves parts of the rock deep underground..
nobody: Can bats kill people
sam: who is frank from mexico.
veronica/kim: HOW DO BATS FIND THERE WAY HOME
jherron: Bats can fly close to you without hitting you because they hear where you are using their ultra–sonic hearing. This is called 'echo location'. They make sounds we can't hear.
nobody: Do most bats live in caves
kkeller: I understand that the anticoagulants in the saliva of vampire bats has been studied by scientists interested in the treatment of heart disease.
jherron: Bats can find their way home because they are able to remember the land they fly over.
guest49: No. There are many minconceptions about bats.
sam: why do bats in live in caves.
jherron: Bats drink water. Its fun seeing them fly low over ponds to lick the water while they fly past!
rayburn elem: can bats kill people?
expert at the cave: Migratory bats generally have shorter lifespans than hibernating species. Mexican free–tailed bats may live 8–12 years in the wild, while Little Brown Bats may live 30.
rayburn: HOW DO BATS COMMUNICATE?
expert at the cave: Bats drink water.
veronica/kim: CAN BATS KILL PEOPLE
janet: What happes if a bat harms you?
expert at the cave: Thanks jherron for beating me to that one!
guest48: Are bats the only amianals in caves?
expert at the cave: Bats are tiny creatures, and cannot kill big things like people.
expert at the cave: Bats also have audible calls besides their echolocation calls. Mexican free–tailed bats have over 16 different calls known.
lisette: frank from mexico are you really from mexico
lisette: what is the average age that bats die
sam: bats die around 10–15 years.
expert at the cave: Some caves have dozens of differnt kinds of animals. Salamanders, crayfish, blindfish, crickets, spiders, millipedes, and many, many others.
cats: How many different animals live in caves?
barnett jh: students want to know what they would need to study to become a bat biologist? or jobs connected to caves?
expert at the cave: Bats die from old age, predators, disease, and other causes,
just like any animal.
alicia: How many bats are there in Texas
cats: What animals eat bats?
janet: Why do bats sleep upside down?
expert at the cave: To become a bat biologist of cave resource manager, take lots of science courses. Math and english are also very important. And develop good observational and reporting skills!
cats: How many animals eat bats?
expert at the cave: Texas has 32 species of bats, more than any other state in the U.S.
expert at the cave: Bat predators include raccoons, ringtails, snakes, hawks, owls, and many others. One of the worst predators is the common housecat.
anything impared: How many caves are there
alicia: Do all bats have rabies
cats: Do bats like people?
expert at the cave: Bats sleep upside down to be safe from predators and make it easier to take off when they fly.
muddy1: In monitoring bat feeding habits – what distance from the roost do they travel?
anything impared: Is there such a thing as a caveologist
expert at the cave: There are about 3800 caves in Texas, about maybe 50,000 in the US. In the world, who knows?
sam: can bats walk.
expert at the cave: Very few bats have rabies, less than 1/2 of 1 percent.
expert at the cave: No "caveologist", but many types of "speleologists".
jherron: Bats don't really walk, they kinda crawl using their wings and back legs.
cats: Have you ever been inside a cave?
jherron: Great webcast!!! One of the best yet!
lisette: what are people called when they study bats
sam: frank from mexico is smart.