Man Finds Bat in His Kitchen Sink While Doing Dishes — Thought It Was the “Ugliest Toad” He Had Ever Seen

A Redditor doing his dishes discovered a bat in the sink and his post about the encounter is drawing attention on r/mildlyinfuriating. His first thoughtwas, "That's the ugliest toad I've ever seen," until he noticed its tail and ears.

He called up animal control. The officer removed the bat and suggested it may have entered through the home's ventilation system. The Redditor asked whether he needed a rabies vaccination.

The officer said that without any direct contact — no bite or scratch — there was no urgent need for vaccination, though the Redditor said in the post he remained uncertain about that answer.

The Redditor admitted in a follow-up comment that he had not made the connection between the bat's thirst and rabies-induced hydrophobia until after the post went up.

"I didn't even make that connection between the bat being thirsty and rabies making you afraid of water," he wrote. In the comments section, a wildlife control business owner, u/Electrical-Mail15, weighed in quickly.

"Bats detect the moisture from the sink," the commenter wrote. "It is there because it is thirsty, not necessarily sick." They added that bats turn up in sinks, showers, and "doing the backstroke in toilets."

The professional also described the bat's likely route — flying from the attic through the walls, following an air draft and ending up in the kitchen, the only available water source.

The professional advised containing the bat with a Tupperware bowl and a weight on top, then sliding a lid underneath to seal it fully for rabies testing.

Transmission requires saliva contact, usually via bite, the professional explained — scratches are possible but less common given how bats typically behave.

The professional said the decision about whether anyone in the home needed vaccination should be made by a local medical professional.

In many areas of the United States, bat roosting in attics is a common occurrence. Bats are one of the most common sources of rabies exposure in the nation, according to the CDC, so anyone who finds a bat in their bed when they wake up or cannot rule out contact should get medical help immediately.

While the Redditor reported no physical contact, health authorities recommend treating any indoor bat encounter as a potential exposure risk.
The bat is gone for the time being. Most likely, the vent is still open.

The bat has been removed but the Redditor has not yet confirmed whether the attic entry point has been sealed or whether further inspection has taken place.