I've developed not only a rat addiction, but a severe rat allergy :(

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Wolfgirl

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2019
Messages
12
Location
Arizona
I started with my rescue girl who was pregnant, and a boy I got neutered. I ended up keeping the babies, and rescuing more.
Now I have 14 rats I love with all my heart.
I type this with my 8 girls climbing over me and my couch.
My 6 boys are not allowed out of their cage unless I have nearly overdosed on antihistamines.
Because, as I type burning blisters are forming on my skin, but my allergies to the boys is even more hostile. Just petting them, or letting them grab my my finger or lick me causes blisters, sneezing, burning throat, and trouble breathing.
i was fine for the first 6 months and now I have this horrid reaction.
i REFUSE to give my rats up. Not even my boys.
I'm about to beg my doctor to develope allergy shots for this.
does anyone have suggestions to help manage this in the meantime? I wear rat clothes when I play with them and cover the sofa
would giving them baths help?
Can I make them little allergy suits?
Should I live in a hazmat suit?
I clean cages biweekly(any more often and they pee more,and I'm allergic to the urine I think.)
im miserable and need releif but will not give them up.
No one uses rats as pets in my area.
help!
 
My partner has the same problem, and the same as you we will not get rid of our babies. She started fine and all of a sudden had issues.

She takes daily antihistamines, and also has a nose spray she uses before they come which helps to prevent allergies. She also has to use eye drops to help after they have been out to help out. For skin irritation she uses an antihistamine cream but again only once they are back home so they do not come into contact with the cream.

We previously had the cage in the bedroom but this affected her breathing over night so they are now in the living room. We put covers on the sofa so we can frequently take them off and wash them and find hoovering often also helps.

Sometimes she needs to leave the room for a while when they are playing as it gets too much.

Hope this helps!
 
intact boys have 100xs the amount of allergine in their urine thenneutered boys.
If you have access to a good vet with the knowledge and experience to sfely neuter rats, get your boys neutered

an airpuriier with a permanent hepa filter and replaceable carbon filter will help

keeing them enclosed in a room with the door shut will decrease the air quality
 
intact boys have 100xs the amount of allergine in their urine thenneutered boys.
If you have access to a good vet with the knowledge and experience to sfely neuter rats, get your boys neutered

an airpuriier with a permanent hepa filter and replaceable carbon filter will help

keeing them enclosed in a room with the door shut will decrease the air quality
It cost me $95 to neuter my last boy and I trust the vet, BUT I don't have the $500 on hand at the moment.
I already have a huge air purifier with hepa and carbon that is for 600sqft room.
But I live in a trailer with them so I can't close them off in a room at all.
I will look into trying to neuter one at a time. How old is too old to neuter?
 
I too am severely allergic! I keep my rat cage in the other room and when I clean I use a mask. I also wear long sleeves and jeans when I play with them. Their pee gives me hives (and their tails do too), and for that I just wash with soap and water and rub benadryl cream on my skin and it clears up.
 
Another thought, if you are asthmatic , an allergy is likely to make this worse. So talking to a gp about medication, dosage, etc might help.
 
I too am severely allergic! I keep my rat cage in the other room and when I clean I use a mask. I also wear long sleeves and jeans when I play with them. Their pee gives me hives (and their tails do too), and for that I just wash with soap and water and rub benadryl cream on my skin and it clears up.



I and all my children are really allergic as well. It's 99% the urine! I do this same thing. Just soap and water, when I'm done for the night, a big dose of liquid benedryl, and I have prescription eye drops. Sometimes they don't even help.... But I'll NEVER let my babies go!
 
I'm allergic too, I use a N95 mask when I clean the cages. when everything is clean I can take it off. If I don't use a mask my asthma gets really bad.
I use Nature's Miracle clean it once then vinegar +water let it sit wipe down.
I just got furniture pads to put under my liner see if it will be better.
 
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