She then licks it to help it free its wings and legs, which are stuck to its body. The young bat may weigh one-fifth as much as its mother. Its eyes are closed for the first day only, and it is quite naked for the first several days. In two or three weeks it is weaned and then may be fed on regurgitated food brought home by the mother, after it becomes too heavy. By the third or fourth week, it is hunting on its own and is only 5 weeks away from full growth.
Females mate at the end of their first summer, males at the end of their second.
In some species, multiple births occur up to four. A bat may live from 10 to 20 years, depending on species and circumstances. Accidents claim some, cave temperatures that drop below freezing take those that don't move in time, but bats are more likely to live out their full life potential than most small mammals. Conservation Bats have many natural enemies and large numbers of them die while still young. Some of the hazards include Great Horned Owls, some species of hawks, Peregrine falcons, raccoons, house cats, and snakes.