I think I may be allergic to my rats. Suggestions?

[zoocrew26]

Ok, so i've dealt with allergies my whole life, and i usually don't let it bother me, but I was wondering if there was something i could do for this one.
Whenever my rats touch my neck, or my arms, or basically any part of my body except for my hands, i get a rash. I've had a rash on the back and sides of my neck for about 3 days now. It doesn't itch, it just keeps spreading. I'm trying to keep my ratties off of me, but i have lazy males and it's their favorite place to lounge.  On rare occasions, i don't get a rash, and just the rash itself usually doesn't bother me, but if they urine mark me, especially on my neck or on more sensitive areas of my body, it burns like someone is holding a match underneath my skin. Fun, eh?
I was wondering if anyone else had this problem, and how i can deal with it? Like i said, i try and keep them off my skin, but somehow they always wind up snuggled up with me, and i just can't bring myself to disturb them. 

Oh, and i can't take most allergy medicine. I'm taking other medications, and most allergy meds contain pseudophedrine (i think that's what it's called and how it's spelled), and that causes a BAD reaction with my other meds.

This isn't a *huge* issue. I love my rats more than i hate the rashes, so the ratties are staying, but i was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions! 

[teikah]

I, too, am horribly allergic to my babies! Luckily, I can take Allegra for the sneezing/red eye thing but Allegra does nothing for the bumpy rash I get. I've devised a kind of clothing "armor" i use every time I take them out. I put on a long-sleeved, thick cotton t-shirt, then throw a tighter fitting workout tank on top of it (this prevents them from trying to sneak down the shirt) and then I cover it all with a thick fleece sweatshirt that has the bottoms with the strings you can tighten. I have three of these outfits so I don't have to constantly do laundry (I can only wear them about twice before they become too saturated to avoid a reaction.)


I ran out of long sleeve shirts the other day and used a short sleeve shirt hoping they wouldn't walk up and down my arms...well, they managed to walk all over me and it looked like i was attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes! 


It's not the most convenient or fashionable option, but its one that has worked for me and allowed me invaluable time with my girlies!

[DorseyClairebelle]

I get the rash too, as well as having breathing issues when I hold them close. I just make sure to wash any bare skin they touch really really thoroughly once I put them back and it makes it go faster.
Re:teikah's suggestion, pseudophedrine is the active ingredient in Allegra, so that won't do you any good. I'd contact your GP and see if they have any suggestions about different kinds of allergy meds. And yes, clothing that covers you is also a very good idea.

[fluffy pluffy]

My mom is pretty allergic to my rats,as my grandmother was,but luckily I'm not. Like th other two people already said (I'm too lazy to type down the usernames, sorry. ) wear some long clothes,and why not try wearing gloves,or mittens as well? It might help some. Well,that's all I have as advice right now..

[~*ChaoticSerenity*~]

benadryl allergy & cold actually helps me with my allergies a lot...but i dont think its my girls causing my allergies..i think its the changing weather thats causing me problems and my girls just add on to it..but benadryl does not contain pseudoephedrine..they also have shots a dr can give you you might want to ask your dr about it...other then that..cover yourself with clothes and wash off after handling them

[Scubbs]

If your males are intact, that will also cause more of a reaction.  Getting them neutered would help a lot. 

[Lilija]

See, I've been wondering about that, myself.  I've been sneezing, swelling up, and getting wheezy more and more, lately, but only with my boys.  I can have one of them on my shoulder for 2 minutes, and it starts.  Not so, with the girls.  I've been trying to narrow it down to either a fur/dander thing, or an allergic reaction to the aspen.  The aspen pops into my mind, because my girls hang out up high in their cage almost all the time, in the hammocks, but hardly ever down in the aspen.  My boys drag all their stuff down to the aspen, lately (just within the past few weeks, it's so odd) and sleep down there.  I've only just started using aspen within the last three months, maybe.  I really hope it's the bedding for me, and not the men.  That said, my neutered boy kills me as much as the intact boys.

Zoocrew, do you keep yours on aspen?

[zoocrew26]

Zoocrew, do you keep yours on aspen?

Most of mine are on aspen, with the exception of 8 boys, who are supposadly potty-trained and have fleece in their cage (i say supposadly, because they are lazy and never use the litter box, so i wind up picking up after them... ).
One of my boys is actually allergic to all wood shavings, so i'm picking him up some Yesterday's News. I'm allergic to Carefresh as well, the dust in it really bothers me.

[Lise]

Long sleeve t-shirts so they can't directly touch your skin!!  Yes, I know in the middle of summer who wants to do this.... but I also get hives and they itch like crazy.  A layer of clothing to prevent direct contact really does help.

[hairlessrex]

How about using a hand towel as a type of shawl for your neck? Cutting the towel about 1/2 way through to the middle would give your neck protection, attach velcro to make it stay in place. Also using another hand towel...making a sort of sleeve out of it. Then all you have to do is slip in on.
Maybe be better than wearing turtle necks in the summer

[Vibrissa]

I was allergic to them for a good two months--was afraid I would never be okay playing with them.  Had to constantly take sinus OTC meds--finally learned to wash the areas as soon as I wasn't playing with them--with soap and water.  Think now if I had just kept baby wipes and kept wiping off with them.  However, after two months of suffering--but not wanting to "get rid of" them, I was okay--suddenly I could be with them (and now it has been over 2 1/2 years with them)--ONCE in a while I still get a little red rash on my hand or arm after playing with them (not every time), and I just go and wash with soap and water and it clears right up.  I never have to take all the sinus meds now for all the runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes problems I had at first.  So there is HOPE!   Sherry

[Suebee]

I'm not as allergic as you seem to be, but I do get welts where their nails scratch me. The following items are my best friends:

- OTC, generic loratadine
- Benadryl Gel
- Soap
- Water
- Long Sleeves

[sabrinasky]

Hi, I have 7 boys and 8 girls. yes I too get bad welts were there nails touch me and sometimes yes I do get a bit itchy and nose runny etc but never put the itchy and nose thing down to the rats- mad or what.

Jan x