Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Tuesday I had an appointment with the allergist to test for asthma and of course while you are there they test for allergies too....(not my idea of fun.) So they ask what kind of animals I'm exposed to Daily or frequently, I go down my list and of course I get tested for Dogs, cats rats rabbits guiena pigs chinchllas you name it they tested it. and of course the ONLY animal I'm allergic to is RAT.
Needless to say if I even touch them I break out in hives BAdly!!! so its come down to wearing rubber gloves and long sleves to help keep the contact down. Lee Doesn't seem to mind the Gloves well he thinks they are tasty, Rosco is Completly Terrified of them. any sugestions on how to get them more used to them?
At this Point Re-homing them is NOT an option, I love them too much!!!
Sara

Gloves have a strange unpleasant smell to them. Either that or the one rat has residual ancestrial memory of bad experiences in a lab one of his great great great great great parents was in LOL

I suggest rubbing the unused glove all over you so it picks up your scent strongly, then handle the rats...they may realize the odd smell is just a new part of you. Unfortunately you will need to start off with a new pair of gloves (unless you are using new gloves each time).

Or just use alot of sweet talk, treats and comforting words and eventually the rat will get used to you again even if you are wearing the gloves.

Depending on how severe your allergic reactions are, you could tough it out till the rats have lived their lifespan and no longer own rats after that...not sure if hairless rats would help. Are you sure its the rats and not the bedding?
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PHLdyPayne

There's a product on the market called Allerpet that's made for humans who are allergic to cats & dogs.
If I were in your shoes I'd try the one for cats & see if it helps with your rat allergy. It's only a few dollars so to me it'd be worth it to test it out.
My guess is like with cat allergies, a rat allegy is going to have a lot more to do with saliva & dander than their actual hair.
You can buy Allerpet in pet stores. If you try it, please let us know if it helps you.
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PHRatz

Yep I'm sure it's the rats I"m allergic to Still have the welts from the allergy testing to prove it I will have to try that stuff PHRatz

>>Yep I'm sure it's the rats I"m allergic to Still have the welts from the allergy testing to prove it I will have to try that stuff PHRatz

Yeah been there done that with the testing & the welts.
I was so lucky I tested positive for cats & sheep.
Cats are a problem for me but it's a rare occasion that I am around sheep.. although wool clothing can be a real problem for me.

Please let us know if the Allerpet works or not.
I used to think I was allergic to my dog because I'd pet the dog then break out in a horrible itchy bumpy rash, but this was before I had the testing done. Now I know it's NOT the dog, it's the grass, weeds, etc. etc. from outdoors that gets into his fur.
That's one reason why I always have a smooth haired weenie dog instead of a long haired. Must easier to keep that smooth hair clean for me!
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PHRatz