Pet Care During the Sumatra Haze - Hamsters

As a pet owner, I am naturally worried about the health status of my 2 hamsters, Fly and Nami.

They seemed to be more lethargic during this period, dozing most of the time but will return to their energetic selves whenever they hear food being added to their food containers. But their appetite do not seemed to be as good as before.

Basically, I treat my hamsters as if they are human beings during this critical period and have resorted to bring them in their cages to whichever location we happened to be in the house. If I feel that the room is getting hot and stuffy, I am sure they will feel the same too. For instance, if we are in the study room with the air conditioner/air purifier switched on, we will lug them along. Fly and Nami will usually become more active, eg: roaming about in their cages, digging here and there. Generally, the ruckus can be quite loud especially when they are with us in the air conditioned master bedroom and we are sleeping =(

I have heard of cases whereby hamsters have passed away during this haze period which makes me and my partner even more worried.

Generally, I would recommend pet owners maintain a clean air environment by closing all windows and doors and switching on fans/air-conditioners. If you do not have any air conditioner and would like to keep the home cool, you can keep the toilet area constantly wet (tends to dry up within a few hours) or even mop the entire unit. The evaporation process can really bring down the temperature of your living environment.

Please also ensure a constant supply of fresh water for your pet to keep them hydrated. You can also offer them a small portion of vegetables/fruits if they do not seem to be taking in much fluid.