A method for bleeding vampire bats, Desmodus rotundus murinus
Mills, K.W.; Petit, M.G.; Lauerman, L.H.; Walton, T.
Laboratory Animal Science 26(3): 507-508
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-6764 PMID: 940316 Document Number: 104880
To obtain sufficient blood necessary for various tests including determination of specific antibody tiers to Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus, a technique for bleeding vampire bats was developed, making possible consistent collection of 0.15-0.2 ml blood, .apprx. 5% total blood volume per 30 g animal in a single bleeding. No apparent weakness of the animals was produced by bleeding the same bat every 3-4 days. This method allows for blood samples to be collected by a single individual.