When Sheila Kearns ordered her Christmas tree she had no idea it will be delivered with an unwanted guest - a bat. The nocturnal mammal hidden among the branches, hitched a ride on the tree and soon found itself in Kearns' home after a short trip from Holloway's Christmas Tree Farm in Nipomo.

Kearns says while she was decorating the tree she felt like being pricked, but at that time she thought it was the pine needles. However, it didn't take her too long to make out where the wound came from. The next morning, Kearns woke up to find a bat hanging upside down in her home.

It turned out that the Christmas tree farm from where Kearns bought hers keeps bats around for pest control and that one unwittingly hitched a ride to her home.

Animal control officials were called to pick up the bat, which was later tested negative for rabies.

Kearns got a tetanus shot and some antibiotics.