The first sign of rabies is usually a change in the animal’s behavior. Animals may act more aggressive or more tame than usual. Nocturnal animals such as skunks, foxes and bats may be out during the day.
Rabid animals may stagger, tremble, or seem weak. Bats may be found on the ground, unable to fly. Rabid animals may appear agitated and excited or paralyzed and frightened. Sometimes, rabid animals do not show any signs of illness before death from rabies. If a wild animal does not run away when you approach it, it may be sick or injured. Do not try to help it. If an animal is acting strangely, stay away from the animal and call your local animal control office or the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
The only way to tell whether a wild animal has rabies is to test its brain. If a dog, cat, or ferret is alive 10 days after biting a person, the dog, cat, or ferret did not have rabies at the time of the bite.