Can you keep a fruit bat as a pet?

It is nearly impossible to legally keep a fruit bat as a pet. Obtaining the proper permits on state and local levels is not easy, as no state issues a permit to keep a bat without the necessary training and experience.

Any movement or transfer of bats must be done with a permit from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bats have the potential to carry rabies and other diseases. Even though bats have a very low rabies infection rate at only 1 percent (mostly consisting of non-fruit-eating bats), the CDC still considers bats a rabies vector species. Only zoos, scientific organizations, animal sanctuaries with certified educational programs and other approved facilities are allowed to keep bats