Cold air is heavier than warm air so the warm air will rise creating a vacuum. All the air around this vacuum feels like it needs to rush in to fill this space. This is what causes all the wind during weather changes. These little voids form all over the world. Because of void vacuums, air pressure (barometric pressure) changes.

The average or normal barometric pressure at sea level is 29.92 inches of mercury. A barometer measures air pressure as inches of mercury. I once use to fish. I quit fishing, even fish, and release because I got to the point when taking the hook out of the fish’s mouth I would become ill because I knew I was hurting the fish.

However, that is beside the point. Some days fishing would be awful, especially during a south wind. Was it the wind causing the disturbance in fishing? Or was it the barometric pressure?

I played with the theories for a while, trying different fishing lines, just in case it was a wind sound thing, wind zinging sound down the line like a twang (this is a highly scientific article). Then I noticed my pain seem to coincide with lousing fishing. Now we are down to the barometric pressure affecting the fishing, or because I was in pain, I was not as good at fishing.

Now, even if I wanted to fish those days are long gone since I have pretty much lost the use of my legs.

Barometric changes make me hurt so bad I want to climb in a closet and drool. I feel like my legs, back is being crushed, and my head is between a pair of vice grips.

Now, what is the point of this article, which would have been a pointless article if you hadn’t had the above information? Does the barometric pressure have an effect on exotic pets or any pets for that matter?

I have noticed that animals get more agitated or active when a strong weather front is moving in. I have heard from hedgehog owners that barometric pressure can induce very inactive periods almost like hibernation.

Rabbit owners have said they have seen the mother rabbit (dam) destroy litters more frequently during strong barometric changes.

Effect of acute anoxia with reduced barometric pressure on mast cells in rats this study showed that oxygen was reduced during low barometric pressure. I generally feel the lousiest when bad weather is coming in. That is when animals seem to be affected the most. Is low oxygen the blame?

It would be interesting to gather information from exotic pet owners and pet owners on their observations of barometric pressure changes on animals – how barometric pressure affects our exotic pets? Do they seem to be more active, perhaps in distress – any observations would be useful? In addition, if you have noticed a big difference especially with forced hibernation, loss of litters, and other drastic apparent relative affects of air pressure on our pets what have you done to reverse the problems? How does it affect you as a human primate? How has it affected fishing? :)

Please post your observations and ideas you have tried at the link below. I am sure it will generate more questions and much discussion! I am certainly looking forward to the feedback and the potential results as an article.


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Note how changes in barometric pressure affects your pets here!

Diana Geiger Exotic Pets Editoron

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