Allergies to Rats
My poor boyfriend is definitely allergic to the rats! He’s having horrendous early morning asthma attacks. I’m cleaning the rats’ cage out about every 4 days now, to keep allergen build up to a minimum, and changing their toilet litter every day. Apparently the main cause of allergic reaction to rats is their wee! Proteins from the rats’ wee are released into the air, which can drift all over your home and remain on furnishings for years!. If you clean it up before the (stinky) ammonia smell settles in, then you can minimise the allergen content. We keep the ‘rat-room’ door shut at all times, and luckily it’s got a laminate floor, so I can easily mop up any ratty pee. Even so, it’s impossible to keep all the allergen particles out of the rest of the house, so we have decided to buy a big shed for the rats. They’re turning out to be very expensive pets! Another cause for allergic reaction to small animals is their dander (flakes of skin under the fur), so I’d advise anyone with this type of allergy to get a pet lizard instead!
Today my rats have been mostly eating toasted bagel pieces with butter!
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I love ratties, but I recently developed a rat allergy. I began feeling sick about 7 months ago and now I know that it is because of my babies! I keep getting horrible rashes but I love them so much. I am on prescription allergy medication and all different inhalers. Also, we recently got a rat from a woman who could not care for her only to find out that she was pregnant! (By finding a bundle of 12 babies last night!
Hi Alice,
Oh dear - it sounds like you’ve got a monumental problem there! All I can think of off-hand is to try and minimise the amount of allergens from your rats, and find some prospectus
owners for most, if not all of the babies.
It’s heartbreaking to find out you are allergic to your much-loved pets - I know b/c I have had to make the tough decision not to get any more rats after my current group have gone. Even though I have gone to extreme lengths to stop my boyfriend from having any contact with the rats - I have them in a heated shed - it’s just not ideal.
Here’s some ideas - keep the rats in a separate room, preferably as far away as your living/bedroom as possible.
I keep a spare full-sleeved top to put on when I’m playing with the rats, and wash it regularly. I also throw a thin fleece over my legs. Tie your hair back if it’s long. Wash as soon as you’ve finished handling the rats. I jump in the shower.
Oh and most important - keep the rats’ cage as clean as you can - you are probably allergic to their urine.
Bathing your rats might help - but some hate water.
I’m ever so sorry to hear your plight - i hope you can sort something out.
In the mean time I will try and put a blog together about this subject, I’m sure lots of people have the same problem.
Julie
I know Im a little late on the subject, but I have asthma. I bought a rex dumbo from a small pet shop when I was on vacation. I did not have a problem for the longest time. I stopped taking my allergy medication a long time before the rat, as well as my inhaler. I suffered through all of my pets and became immune to them. But now lol with my rat (Dumbar) and my new rat (Payton) I am having terrible asthma attacks and sneezing. I figured I would help out with this forum for people like me.
PS: I love my rats and they are not going anywhere lol. God gave me these things and the love for animals, ill love them until the day I die (but not soon im only 19).
I can totally understand that.. I couldn’t live without some sort of animal in my life - they can give us such a great sense of calm - and never cease entertaining us!
All the best to you - I hope you build up more immunity to your ratties.
Julie
I have a cute little rattie named Kate, and the past two nights i’ve stayed up with my right eye itching and burning and watering like crazy. I took some benadryl and it didnt help but i just tried some Claritin and it works really well.
Does anyone else have other pets that are allergic to ratties?