A Texas woman found an unexpected “roommate” inside her apartment after discovering a bat. The animal bit her, and she is now accusing her landlord’s staff of mishandling the situation. She says her health could be at risk.
User Madzdihaa shared the story in a detailed Reddit post. According to her account, the incident became a medical emergency and a dispute over how the property management responded.
It all started at 5 in the morning
In her post, Madzdihaa wrote that the situation began at “5 am in the damn mornin.” After the bite, she sought immediate medical attention, fearing possible rabies exposure. But before she left, she closed her bedroom door to trap the animal.
“I was discharged from the hospital,” she added, and immediately returned to her apartment to speak to the leasing agents about the incident, and found “One of the admins came to my apartment before the animal control did and OPENED THE WINDOW!!!”
She continued,
So when animal control finally came the bat is nowhere to be found (guessing the bat flew out the window) so now they can’t even test it to see if the bat did in fact have rabies. Sounds like the apartment people were just trying to save their a—s!! Because if I told u that animal control is coming, why the heck are u going in there yourself to open a window????”
“I’m a young woman, this is my very first apartment,” Madzdihaa added. “I’ve only been living here for a month now. I don’t even know what to do, and the apartment leasing agents seem shady as hell.”
She also alleged that management had prior warning of a similar issue nearby, as another tenant reported a bat in a neighboring unit about a week earlier.
Could Madzdihaa have a case?
Madzdihaa is correct that under most U.S. state laws, landlords are required to maintain rental properties in a habitable condition. That generally includes addressing conditions that could pose health or safety risks, such as pest or wildlife infestations.
If a landlord or their employees interfere with an investigation or fail to document a potential hazard, it could raise issues of negligence, depending on the circumstances.
Legal experts note that liability often hinges on whether the landlord knew about the hazard and whether they acted reasonably to address it.
And her bat bite carried real risk. Health officials warn that bats can carry rabies, even when they appear healthy. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says bat bites can be extremely small and may go unnoticed, which is why any potential exposure should be treated seriously.
A commenter on Madzdihaa’s post suggested she could consider seeking a free consultation with a lawyer, noting that she could potentially pursue a claim against the apartment complex if medical issues or bills related to the incident emerge in the coming months.
“You’ve only lived there a month,” the commenter said, “a bat should not be in there, let alone in the complex for a week,” according to the complaint from the other neighbor. “Honestly, I’d figure out which neighbor it was and get documentation or even pictures just in case. Stay safe. Hoping the best for you,” the comment said.
Published: May 2, 2026 08:21 am