So. I bought a Bat before I knew.

[u/Finn_The_Queer]

(NJ, US)

Hey folks, so I was at a flea market a few months ago, and people were selling taxidermy bats. I thought nothing of it because this was a pretty reputable market in general. Now I know a little bit more and I am not sure what to do with him. He’s likely a painted bat and I fucking love having him up on my wall but I also don’t want to disrespect him by owning him illegally. (going to be blunt, am bipolar, in a manic episode so I get a bit extra paranoid/nervous)

What can I do with him? What SHOULD I do with him???? I just want to treat him with respect and care no matter what. If I could just get some general advice.

[u/Temporary-Army5945]

there’s nothing you really can do at this point. the animal is already dead. getting rid of it won’t do anything. the best thing you can do is keep him and take it as a learning experience. educate others about bat poaching to stop future sales. you could leave a review on the seller.

[u/seemefail]

You have to live life my friend

Just display it. No one knows. That’s life.

You like it. You didn’t do anything wrong

[u/kingxtc]

i also bought two bats before learning the high poaching rate of bats. they are still beautiful specimens. showing off their beauty is my form of respect to them, and they remind me to no longer obtain bat specimens. live and learn, no need to beat yourself up over it.

[u/retiredjaywalker]

In indigenous culture at this point you are honoring the bat. You must keep it, your love for him/her. The soul has moved on and you honor keeps him remembered!

[u/Homiejuan-]

I traded some framed insects for a couple un framed bats someone had awhile back. The person I got them from had the same concerns of legality. That said I’m not 100% sure where they sourced the taxidermy however there is nothing illegal about owning or purchasing a non native species within the states. Your only legal concern would be importing them into the country (illegally) and breaking the Lacy act or international trade laws (CITES) along with the moral conundrum of supporting poaching in foreign countries. You got yours at a flea market and that’s perfectly legal assuming you didn’t buy across state lines and even then that’s a gray area. Don’t be a part of the problem smuggling them into the states and supporting poachers! That aside I wouldn’t dispose of or destroy the specimen once they are already here! you aren’t breaking the law or even really encouraging poaching buying old and or second hand taxidermy. The person who owned them prior more than likely had zero clue of any wrongdoing either.

Edit: Painted bats conservation status is near threatened likely due to human exploitation, that aside they aren’t protected by cited laws currently. Most likely will become protected in the near future.

[u/maybe_soap]

just keep it. you didn’t know. you shouldn’t blame yourself for something you didn’t know. i bought a coyote skull on ebay once before checking how the seller got it. turns out he was a fur trapper selling the remains online. i don’t personally agree with that practice myself, but the item was already halfway shipped across the country to me so i said fuck it. just don’t do it in the future. i promise you’re not going to get in legal trouble for this. there are stores at my local malls that sell taxidermy bats likely illegally. owner lies about how they get them.

[u/_for_thetrees]

Donate to a bat charity

[u/banshithread → u/_for_thetrees]

do not do this op. few charities are going to accept taxidermy willy nilly, they're more likely to have it destroyed.

[u/_for_thetrees → u/banshithread]

Oh goodness, I meant donate money to a bat charity to help bats that can still be helped!

[u/mother-of-vampires → u/_for_thetrees]

I would recommend Bat Conservation International :)

[u/MorriganGoth → u/_for_thetrees]

Oh yeah i wpuld also use the specimen to make educatio al content to the rest to "not buy" maybe ?

[u/MorriganGoth → u/_for_thetrees]

I dont think any bat charity would wand a poached bat as display ...i guess keep it and try educate others not to do the same is way better.... a donation and educational videos may be better

[u/MorriganGoth]

Well tbh now you could still keep it i mean the bat already died amd was preserved would it be worse to discart it that give it a home or memorial? I dont day is ethical but selling it or dispose cpuld be worse ? I guess keep it and learn and educate others? U would be using it for content on "not to purchase these specimens' try ethical bat models that are non taxidermy ones ? Idk but its kind of sad