Allergies to Your Rats, What do you Do to avoid them?

[AlexandraBoo]

My mother is allergic to my rats and thinks that a 2nd one will make them worse. Whenever she picks Boo up she ends up with watery eyes and a stuffy nose. she is afraid she will have a reaction again. I have heard from lilspaz68 that there are other people on here who are allergic as well. How do you deal with it?

 

[Bronwyn]

Your poor mum. My skin gets terribly itchy when their claws touch it and I break out in hives but I've never experienced those particular symptoms. I simply use a long sleeved shirt to avoid it...which is hard since they like to climb down/under it. I wish I could be of help! Is it only when she handles them?

 

[AlexandraBoo]

she is saying no, but i know it is only when she is in contact with him!

Your silly ratties. lol they sound dorablez!

 

[starfoot]

Both my mum and I are allergic to all animal hair, but we can't stay away from them... Over the years we've had dogs, cats, rats, bunnies, guineas, birds, and are both keen riders... It's a bloody nightmare to be honest!!

I seem to have gotten used to them now a bit, but still if I hug the rats too close or have them sat on me for more than say half an hour, my eyes will be watering, I'll be sneezing, and itching all over my face.... Mum's the same, but she can only bear 10 minuntes of a rat... but she loves them to death and is always hugging them and then getting alergic!!

When their claws touch us, particularly a tiny scratch off the sharper nails, we both come out in hive like little bumps that itch loads as well.

We're forever taking alergy tablets all the time, mainly Benadryl, but also Zirtek. But as I say, mum is much worse than me... the rats barely bother me these days I guess, I'm way worse with horses... it's awful.

So yeh, I'm not too bad with the rats, but it's not that uncommon for me to have to write a day off completely due to excess of phlegm and watery snot! hehehe sorry for that detail....

No rubbing faces in rats (too much) and I should be ok, with my many many tablets!

A smiley face???? Who am I kidding, I hate it!! :rant: :cry5:

 

[jorats]

Ya, I'm allergic to my sweeties. I have to take Singulair for breathing. My oldest Julien can't be in a small enclosed room with them or else he goes into a huge asthma attack. But antihistamine usually does the trick for me and him when he's playing with them.
Bedding is also a trigger for me, but using fleece bedding and litter trays with Yesterday's News really helps.

 

[mamarat2]

I have asthma to begin with, but the rat urine aggravates it. Some nights I also have to take benedryl as I have a reaction where my eyes get nice and nasty looking along with itching. The asthma I can control with me daily meds, most days.

 

[AlexandraBoo]

thanks so much guys for sharing now i feel a little more normal for having to live with someone allergic, i think i understand her needs more now, and also found out some good ways of lessoning the reaction

 

[Moon]

My fiancé just told me a couple of weeks ago that he becomes massively itchy when he handles the rats. It totally doesn't stop him, though.

 

[Fidget]

Does she keep her bare skin covered? I rarely have a problem unless their tail or claws even touch my skin, so mine don't get to be shirt divers or shoulder riders.
Also she should wash her hands with soap right after touching them - if I forget and touch my nose I get sneezing attacks, and if I touch my eyes I'm in big trouble with major swelling, redness & itching.

2 kids shouldn't be a problem, I sleep every night in my bedroom with my 6 girls as long as I keep their space clean, tho 6 really is pushing it and I frequently have to use my inhaler and/or an allergy pill - which I didn't have to do so often when I only had 2 or 3 in there.
And cleaning the cage can make me need my inhaler.

 

[MumsyRat]

This is for all of you who are willing to put up with hives, runny eyes, snotty noses, etc., etc. for the love of your pets:



:ratwave:

 

[LA]

When my girls are out and they scratch me on my shoulders they are just red and the next day in the shower they sting. But on my arms and hands sometimes they are worse. I actually get itchy. I have noticed sometimes I sneeze etc but not sure if that is just allergies to the shavings or what. I will watch it more.

I used to live on claritan, but not anymore since I don't have dogs or cats.

 

[Godmother]

I am really allergic to cats, dogs, birds, etc but (so far, touch wood) not to rats.

When a rat's claws break the skin I get a raised rash, so I just wash them with soap and put on a bit of Benadryl cream.

If I ever become allergic to rats I will wear a mask to clean their cages and I will close the door to their room except when I am inside it. I'd also keep separate clothes to wear in their room.

 

[Fidget]

Hey MumsyRat - Big hugs to you! I only put up with all that cause they not only put up with me when I stay in my jammies all day & don't brush my hair or teeth or even try to make intelligent conversation, (I just goo & coo) They actually love it when I stay in bed all day and do nothing but share it with them and itch & scratch! It's more a selfish thing really.

 

[PiedPiper]

This is for all of you who are willing to put up with hives, runny eyes, snotty noses, etc., etc. for the love of your pets:



:ratwave:

:threadjacked:

Hey! That's a GREYHOUND! Woo hoo to you, MumsyRat!

 

[Moon]

LOL, it does look like a greyhound.

 

[AlexandraBoo]

definatly a Greyhound!! bless those little souls! I love grehounds

 

[Willow Bean]

I'm very, very allergic to my boys. I break out in hives from cleaning their cage, changing litter box and bedding, but especially from holding them. If a claw breaks the skin, I'm done for! My arm breaks out in hives even if they only broke the skin on my wrist. It's like it travels through the blood that fast! The boys also make me sneeze and make my eyes water.

The girls I am pretty okay with... I break out in mini hives if they break the skin but I can mush my face into them with no ill consequences, unlike the boys... I'd hate to see what would happen if I tried that!! I down sudaphedrine like a meth-head, I guess :lol: and have lots of Hydrocortozone cream for after scrubbing my hands and arms. Even so, I sometimes itch for over 24 hours if I hold the boys for too long...

 

[AlexandraBoo]

Awwwwww

The sad thing is allergies will grow into worse deadly allergies!!

I feel so bad for you, the only thing we did to get my mom better was for me to move out Rofl, and i did, i moved out with my 2 boys, i wasnt parting with them.

I hope everything works out... you must be miserable.

 

[PiedPiper]

Wow, Willow Bean! That sounds just terrible, you poor thing! Kudos to you for standing by your ratties!

Do you have the same problem with your ferrets?