Indicators at the site of the bat bite can be nearly undetectable or severely irritating. Symptoms include slight numbness or pain, open clean looking cuts or bleeding puncture wounds, bruising and other irritations.

Most people who have been bitten by a bat report a stinging or needle prick sensation. However, bat bites may not be noticed, especially if someone is asleep, and bat bites may leave little or no evidence of a wound or puncture.

Vague symptoms may include fever, headache, general discomfort (malaise), decreased appetite, or vomiting Pain, itching, or numbness and tingling at the site of the wound People often have trouble swallowing (sometimes called "foaming at the mouth") due to the inability to swallow saliva.

Bat bites do not always cause a visible mark yet can still spread rabies virus through infected saliva – so any direct contact with a bat should be assessed by a clinical or public health provider. It typically takes anywhere between three weeks to three months, though sometimes more or less time, for people to develop symptoms if infected.