Some mothers park their babies in a safe place while they look for food. Other mothers fly with their babies, even when the baby is huge and can already fly on its own.

Most bats have a breeding season, which is in the spring for species living in a temperate climate. Bats may have one to three litters in a season, depending on the species and on environmental conditions such as the availability of food and roost sites. Females generally have one offspring at a time, which could be a result of the mother’s need to fly to feed while pregnant. Female bats nurse their youngsters until they are nearly adult size; this is because a young bat cannot forage on its own until its wings are fully developed.

Bat babies are usually born feet first so the wings don’t get entangled. Some species give birth upside down and catch the babies in their wings. Others right side up, the mother hanging on with her wing claws and catching her baby with her leg-tail flap. The newborn moves quickly to the nipple under the mother’s wings and hangs on tight with its specially adapted hooked milk teeth. Baby bats are huge, some up to 40% the weight of the mother!

Edit: After suckling under the moms wing – it has now climbed onto the mothers back for a snooze