Other Allergies

[poetree]

Aside from welts from the quills poking you, what has everyone found in regards to reactions to their fur? Do hedgies have dander? My daughter and I have a hamster and a chin because we are not allergic. Just wondering how other allergy sufferers have reacted to hedgies.

[lyndaj]

I am both asthmatic and allergic to cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits etc.

Allergies with hedgys, at least in my experience, seems to be just the skin rash from the quills. The more you handle your hedgy, the less this will occur as you get used to him/her.

I do have problems with some of the bedding products though. :)

[Jessicy]

I wonder if that's what it is cause when popples quills rub on my arm it gets itchy... I never though of allergies.

[poetree]

The allergies to cats, dogs, rabbits, as well as asthma, are also my problems. I guess I'll only really know once I handle one. Thanks for the feedback. What bedding do you have problems with?

[Jessicy]

I use fleace and flanlette(sorry my spelling is not the best)

[glamgal]

My fiance is severely allergic to pretty much all mammals because of the dander, so when I saw a hedgie in a pet store I wondered the same thing...so I did a little research online and the first thing I saw on the first site I went to was that even people who are allergic to other animals aren't usually allergic to hedgehogs unless it's to the quills...so we took a trip to the pet store, handled the hedgehog for awhile, and my fiance had NO reaction...so we left, discussed it, went back, handled the hedgie a little more, and still no reaction...sooo, we came home with our little Juni :)

Since then (2 months ago) he still has had no allergic reaction to Juni whatsoever (even from the quills, although I know some people are allergic) and we're preparing for our second hedgie who'll be here tomorrow :)

Watch out for pine and aspen bedding, if you have allergy problems you may want to use liners (usually made of fleece or vellux)...and of course, under NO circumstances use cedar...otherwise I'd say just be creative and maybe check some of the other posts on bedding to see what other people are using...

[ktgrok]

I can't be in the same room with a guinea pig or rabbit, but hedgehogs don't make me sneeze or wheeze at all. Carefresh bedding was horrible for my allergies though, the little wood particles got into my lungs and I could barely breathe. We use fleece liners and yesterday's news in the litter box.

Katie

[lyndaj]

I think that with the quills in particular it is because they annoint themselves, so in effect we are being affected by the saliva.

[Jessicy]

I think that with the quills in particular it is because they annoint themselves, so in effect we are being affected by the saliva.

Never though of it that way.

[lyndaj]

I know with dogs and cats it is saliva that causes the dander that causes the reaction. I am only assuming with hedgys.