Hy guys. In the last two years, I've suddenly developed a crazy allergy to rats and a slighty less extent, mice. Touching even the frozen ones causes me to break out in itchy rash and hives. Being around lives ones (like in the same car) gets me sneezing like a bad cold. And the crowning glory, today I was thawing some big rats at work in a bucket of hot water, breathed in the vapour and had a bad asthma-like attack. Fortunately I get hairless mice to feed my snakes...but I was wondering if anyone else has similar issues?
Ridiculous rat allergy...
- Thread starter SimonL
- Start date
I was never allergic to mice or rats until I worked in a lab at the university here. I dealt with mice and rats on a daily period for over 4 years. It got to the point that going into a room with mice or rats in it would set off itching, sneezing, rashes, and eventually caused my asthma to act up to the point I couldn't go into the room any more. It ended up being a large part of my reasons for leaving the job. I still have allergies to mice, rats, and other rodents from the experience, although they're not nearly as bad as they used to be.
ive never experience this but have you tried things like gerbils and degus, Im not sure on their feeding qualities but they have a different fur then mice and rats
This problem with allergies and asthma getting worse over time was the reason I sold my ball python collection. After the allergies and asthma got worse and worse it was a no brainer to sell them off.
I don't know what to tell you. But it might be a worthy investment to purchase a good hazmat suit. 
don't some animals need the fiber found in the hair on mice or rats? i would think that there has to be some kind of nutritional downside to the hairless version...
sorry about your allergies too mate, that sucks
sorry about your allergies too mate, that sucks