Dr. Krista Edelman, a gastroenterologist based in Richmond, Virginia, woke up to a nightmare scenario when she discovered a bat crawling into her mouth while half-asleep in her 100-year-old Victorian home, according to local news reports and her own Instagram account.
The Discovery of the Bat in a Richmond Home
According to her video account on Instagram, Edelman was waking up from a vivid dream about a field mouse getting into her mouth when she reached up and touched something slimy, hairy, and cool. She immediately realized the creature was a bat attempting to burrow between her lips and past her teeth. “This is not normal,” Edelman said in her video, noting she had never seen bats in her house before. She grabbed the animal, threw it across the room, and alerted her husband, who retrieved a T-ball bat.
Recalling her medical training, Edelman knew the animal needed to be captured alive for rabies testing rather than killed. Using gloves and a bucket, the couple successfully contained the bat and handed it over to local animal control. According to WTVR, the specimen subsequently tested negative for rabies.
Medical Response and Public Health Protocols
Following the incident, Edelman contacted an infectious disease specialist friend who warned her about the accelerated risk of transmission when an exposure occurs close to the brain. According to WTVR, Edelman and her husband visited the emergency room at St. Mary’s Hospital, where she received both an immunoglobulin treatment to immediately neutralize potential infection and a standard rabies vaccine. Dr. Adam Landsee, assistant medical director for the ER at St. Mary’s, told reporters that anyone waking up to find a bat in their living space must assume the worst because small bat teeth make bites difficult to detect.
Dr. Julia Murphy, the state public health veterinarian with the Virginia Department of Health, noted that bat submissions for rabies testing have risen this year, though positive cases have not increased. Murphy recommends safely trapping the bat and contacting local health departments or animal control immediately for guidance, noting that official testing results typically take about 48 hours.
Preventative Steps for Homeowners
Edelman concluded her viral social media post by advising other homeowners to hire exterminators to inspect attics and chimneys, particularly those living in older structures. Her post gained widespread attention online, drawing tens of thousands of shares and sparking discussions on household wildlife safety. Health officials reiterate that proactive intervention is critical because rabies has a slow incubation period but remains fatal if symptoms develop without prompt post-exposure prophylaxis.
Pro Tip: If you find a bat in your house, do not release it immediately or damage its head. Safely trap it in a container while wearing heavy gloves, and contact your local health department or animal control to arrange for rabies testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you do if you wake up with a bat in your room?
According to health officials, you should assume potential exposure because bat bites can be tiny and undetected. Capture the bat alive if possible without damaging the head, and contact local health authorities or animal control immediately for rabies testing guidance.
Why is a bat exposure near the head considered high risk?
As noted by medical sources in local reports, exposures closer to the central nervous system carry an accelerated risk of viral transmission, making prompt administration of rabies immunoglobulin and vaccines essential.
How long does rabies testing for bats take?
According to the Virginia Department of Health, local health departments can typically complete bat rabies testing within approximately 48 hours.
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