Almost any animal can get rabies from another rabid animal. Like they said it's a virus, transmitted by being bitten by a rabid (and dying) animal.
Rabies is UGLY and usually fairly obvious. They behave AGGRESSIVELY or are avoiding drinking water, some stagger or stare with an obviously "off" look to them. Wild ones loose their fear or avoidance of people. A wild rabid rabbit may stagger toward a person or hold still "not tuned in."
Rabies is a disease that doesn't really HIDE. Snotty, miserable, yes - foam at the mouth in some cases, or drooly. Usually animals are visibly impaired. Bats may just be lying there in the daytime. They become disoriented and weak and can't fly. They pant, they stand or sit or lay in off positions.
Don't ever buy a snotty, panting, drooling, foaming at the mouth animal of any kind. You'll avoid many diseases and infections. If it tries to bite you, don't buy it. If it's eyes are goopy, runny or cloudy, don't buy it. Behavior is a key to health. Normal behavior, friendly, calm, clean, clear eyed, no snot, no matting or wetness near anus, no drooling and you've at least got a start on a healthy animal.
If you buy from a breeder - see the breeder's facilities even if it's a yard or pen, it should be clean, free of dangerous debrie, see the OTHER animals where they sleep, their feed containers.
Foul circumstances suggest purchase or adoption else where.
Pity purchases of weak and sick animals should be left to idiot professionals like me... sigh.
