Ya as the title states I think I may have discovered a small issue with me...being allergic to my little pets. Don't worry this isn't going to result in me giving them away or finding new homes for them. They are stuck with me muahahahaha! :inlove:
But yes I did just realize last week a little...issue I've always had with owning rats, but I thought it was a normal side effect to having such little angels, with sharp claws... So here's the thing:
When I take my little guys out to play, usually they do scratch me up a little bit. Nothing to draw blood mind you, its just in their nature to cling to me while I pick them up and move to a different location. However I noticed, just about every time they claw/scratch me... I get these bumps... Red, itchy bumps that usually don't go away for an hour at most. At first I thought it was equivilent to just annoying scratches and my skin is reacting to it normally. But one night my husband noticed the bumps and my itching and stopped me so he could look.
He being an expert on allergies since he practically lives with them every day...He realized the bumps were actually hives...My skin was having an allergic reaction to my ratties claws!!! This was quite a shocker for me. I'm not allergic to fur, or livestock like a few of my family members are. My niece is allergic to animal fur and sneezes violently and her eyes wet or dry out. My father (RIP) was so allergic to animals that if he got wind of livestock alone, his eyes would bleed from constant sneezing. I've never had a reaction like that ever to animals, there go I considered myself ok... But now I realize my skin apparently will react to the clawing.
At this point I'm not really asknig for advice here, the clear thing for me to do would just have a towl on my arms while I pick my ratties up so they don't scratch me as much, or wear a long sleeve shirt over my regular shirt....or continue to live with it, which I've already am doing lol. I'm sure theres medicines to deal with hives but I can't be bothered...especially when these hives don't last long, an hour tops. Sure they are itchy and its annoying but again they don't last long.
I just find it funny I didn't realize it till my husband had to point it out lol
But yes I did just realize last week a little...issue I've always had with owning rats, but I thought it was a normal side effect to having such little angels, with sharp claws... So here's the thing:
When I take my little guys out to play, usually they do scratch me up a little bit. Nothing to draw blood mind you, its just in their nature to cling to me while I pick them up and move to a different location. However I noticed, just about every time they claw/scratch me... I get these bumps... Red, itchy bumps that usually don't go away for an hour at most. At first I thought it was equivilent to just annoying scratches and my skin is reacting to it normally. But one night my husband noticed the bumps and my itching and stopped me so he could look.
He being an expert on allergies since he practically lives with them every day...He realized the bumps were actually hives...My skin was having an allergic reaction to my ratties claws!!! This was quite a shocker for me. I'm not allergic to fur, or livestock like a few of my family members are. My niece is allergic to animal fur and sneezes violently and her eyes wet or dry out. My father (RIP) was so allergic to animals that if he got wind of livestock alone, his eyes would bleed from constant sneezing. I've never had a reaction like that ever to animals, there go I considered myself ok... But now I realize my skin apparently will react to the clawing.
At this point I'm not really asknig for advice here, the clear thing for me to do would just have a towl on my arms while I pick my ratties up so they don't scratch me as much, or wear a long sleeve shirt over my regular shirt....or continue to live with it, which I've already am doing lol. I'm sure theres medicines to deal with hives but I can't be bothered...especially when these hives don't last long, an hour tops. Sure they are itchy and its annoying but again they don't last long.
I just find it funny I didn't realize it till my husband had to point it out lol
