Allergic to my chin...

[Bigt1238]

I have had my Chinchilla for just over a year and a half now and ever since I got him I have basically always had sneezing and stuffy nose issues. My mom and I just thought it was a really bad case of hay fever. Well I went to have some allergy testing done and it turns out I am allergic to the little guy. Any suggestions as to what I can do as far as the allergies go? His cage is in my room and i would absolutely hate to give him up just because I am allergic to him.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Are you allergic to him or to the dust that he baths in? A lot of people are allergic to chinchilla dust (my partner for example) so I make sure to dustbath my boys in their dust bath container in the bathroom with the fan on, and make sure to frequently clean the cage, vacuum, and otherwise eliminate dust as much as possible. Air purifiers have also been known to help.

 

[Bigt1238]

I will look into purchasing a purifier, i am sure that that is part of the issue, but according to the doctor its him and not necessarily the dust.

 

[Godofgods]

Can you put his cage in any other room? Might help a lot.

I use dust masks for everything with them. Cleaning cage, changing litter, feeding hay, and sand baths.

Sand baths i do at the end of the day. I give them there sand and retreat to my room. (another reason moving the cage could help) And come out later when they are done to clean up, then go back to my room to sleep. I also have an air filter i crank up after there bath. And since i don't reuse sand, i found that dumping it in a trash can will still allow it to get into the air, so i bag it and tie it off a few times. Then throw the bag in the trash.

Basic premise being, trying to limit exposers to triggers/irritants of the allergies.

 

[kvatore]

Chinchillas have a unique and different kind of fur. Trust me, I am allergic to cats, rabbits, ferrets, and my pet chinchillas are the wonderful exception. Odds are it's probably an allergy to hay or dust. I know I sneeze like crazy every time I go to refill their hay containers. It's possible you're just more sensitive to the allergens in hay. It'd be easier to move him out of your room or to even just leave the door open so that the air can circulate

 

[Godofgods]

I think chinchillas are hypoallergenic. Their fur is so thick it doesnt have any dander. So i dont actually think its him, but its probably the hay and/or the dust.

I would imagin they are not hypoallergenic. In a scarey way, i at least hope not. Seeing as in like 2 hours im supposed to get get a blood draw for chinchilla hair/chinchilla dander allergy test...

 

[landrk11]

Hello,

I have asthma and find the dust and hay to be irritating. My little one is in a different room and I find that it helps a great deal with the allergy symptoms because my exposure to the irritants is limited to the time I spend with her each day.

Move your chin out of your room and try using gloves and a mask when you clean the cage, put hay in or give the little guy a dust bath.

Having him out of you room may make the situation much better for you as you will not have the constant exposure when you are sleeping.

Having him out of your room you will know better if it's him you're allergic to or his hay/dust if you are using a mask / glove with the known irritants.

Let us know how you are making out with this situation.

Good luck.

 

[Zoaea]

I would imagin they are not hypoallergenic. In a scarey way, i at least hope not. Seeing as in like 2 hours im supposed to get get a blood draw for chinchilla hair/chinchilla dander allergy test...

As gogofgods is doing, make sure your doctor did a specific test for chinchillas and not just general animal dander. Grill your doc (can call on the phone) as they aren't all going to be chinchilla experts and know that they don't have the hair/urine protein combo that makes people allergic to cats/dogs. Other allergens related to chins and that are very common to have include the hay, dust, and bedding. For example I'm terribly allergic to a lot of aromatic woods including pine and so I use paper bedding or Aspen if I have a chin that eats the paper and any shelves/houses I make I use safe woods that dont bother me as much.

 

[Amethyst]

It is possible to be allergic to chinchillas, it's not common but it is possible. As Zoaea said chins don't have the same kind of dander that you find in cats and dogs or even rabbits, but they do have fur and it is possible to be allergic to the fur itself. All dander mostly is is dried saliva, chins do groom but not like a cat, dog or rabbit does so they wont have much. It's also possible to be allergic to an animal's fur but not the dander too, and chins do shed and with their fur being so fine it really can get whipped up in the air and float around when they run around.