[die deutsche version dieses eintrags ist weiter unten]

as stated in my previous posts containing (time-lapse) videos, i’m using the open source codec mpeg4/xvid to compress the files.
my search for a "universal codec" that just works (and doesn’t need extra installation of files etc.) AND is free to use wasn’t very successful yet, so i’m sticking with xvid for now. (however, any advice will be appreciated!) [more...]

toni’s out of town over the weekend, so he asked me to watch over his two foundlings.
it’s really fascinating work to do - the baby-bat gets a mix of prepared powdered milk, fennel tea and vitamins, which is fed through a tiny pipette.
the serotine bat, which is about 4 weeks old now, already gets maggots.

 
side notes:

• many bat species’ faces strongly resemble a dog’s face. but their head-scratching technique (with the back feet) just seems like it’s copied 1:1!
• as soon as you remove the pipette from the baby-bat, it starts searching around for teats and will try to "bite" anything (the skin between my fingers, for example). it’s really active too, always climbing around in its cuddly home (or on my hands, when i’m trying to feed it).
• today (saturday), the common pipistrelle’s right ear "unfolded". the left one is still rumpled...

sunday went by pretty fast, and before i knew, they were gone again. and although i didn’t get much sleep (again/still), it was a great experience...

 
[view photos: foster bats]

i tried to take some videos as well:

[view video: feeding a serotine bat*]
[view video: serotine bat scratching]
* by the way: i got the escaping maggot, in case you’re wondering

the .avi-files are encoded in mpeg4/xvid again, since i haven’t been able to find a "universal codec" that’s free and as space-saving...
[video help]