# Allergies



## kho (Oct 5, 2010)

Hi - My girls are really wanting to get a hedgehog after seeing one in a local pet shop. My husband has bad allergies to cats & dogs though. Does anyone with allergies have experience (positive or negative) with hedgehogs? Thanks! kho


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## Sheryl (Sep 9, 2010)

Both my daughter and my husband are very allergic to most all animals. Even hypo-allergenic dogs. This is the main reason we've been without a pet until now. Our hedgehog Wilson's cage, however, is in my daughter's room and she spends a lot of time with him, kissing him and cuddling him right by her face and he does not affect her allergies at all. I was actually very surprised. My husband thought he might be slightly allergic to him after we first brought him home, but it must have been something else, as it has cleared up. We bought him from a breeder that allowed us a 30 day trial period to return him if they turned out to be allergic, but luckily they do not seem to be at all.


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## cmcelroy (Sep 6, 2010)

I have terrible cat allergies- cant even be in a house with one. No dog allergies tho. I've had allergy symptoms to parakeets and guinea pigs we've had too. But so far no allergies to Apollo, and I kiss on him and everything. I would have him go to the pet store. They should be willing to let him handle a hedgie before you get one. I would handle it and then walk around a little bit to see if he gets symptoms.


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## shealynn87 (Jun 6, 2010)

My mom is a major animal person and has had many kinds of exotic and non exotic pet and never had problems with allergies. She can not handle my hedgehog with out breaking out in a rash, but she doesn't have sensitive skin. I don't live with my parents so I don't know if she would have any reaction to dander in the air but holding is unfortunately not an option for her.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

I would suggest finding a reputable local breeder and ask to visit them to handle hedgies several times. There have been several cases where allergy reactions don't happen until longer duration of exposure. Everything starts out ok, everyone is fine, then few days, weeks, months down the road, allergy reactions get worse and worse. 

Since research is needed before buying anyways, it would be good to find someone with a hedgehog where you can all interact several times and see how things go from there.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

True allergies don't typically happen immediately. It takes time and exposure for the allergy to build up. I have taken in many rescues and had numerous babies returned due to the owner or someone in the family becoming allergic. Sometimes there is a reaction immediately and it gets worse over time, but often the allergy takes weeks or months to start. Most of the hedgehogs I've taken in or have read about, the time frame before the allergy is severe enough to give the hedgehog up is 6 months to a year. 

Often people who are allergic to other pets are told they will be fine with a hedgehog. On occasion they are, but more often the person becomes every bit as allergic to the hedgehog as they are to the other animals. Unless you have owned and been exposed to a hedgehog for a year or more, you cannot truly say you are not allergic. 

Often allergies are cumulative, meaning being around one thing you are allergic to may not bother you. Add something else or another couple of things and suddenly you react.


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## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

I am allergic to the usual suspects (pollen, mold, animal dander -cat, dog, rabbit-) and was excited to handle my hedgehog Charley after we got him and not have any breathing-related reactions.

That was about a year ago, and while I still do not have any respiratory reactions I have begun to have some rash/swelling on my hands/arms if I'm prickled by a quill. This reaction is easily calmed by benadryl, so I usually take one or two about 30 mins before handling him and everything is fine.

Should note that when Charley is fresh out of a bath the reaction is not nearly as bad, so it may have something to do with skin oils or other buildup on his quills between baths.

~Katie


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

I have allergies. The hedgies bother me if my other allergies are acting up such as spring-hay-fever or "house is dusty/dusty furnace" situations. I cannot be in the hedgie room for more than about 30 minutes. Keeping the room (and rest of the house, as well) vacuumed, cages cleaned, washing my hands after handling them, using a blanket instead of having them against my clothes, has helped.

Using a blanket also helps prevent the poked-by-quills reaction in which I get tiny red bumps and itching in the area I was poked. 

I would not keep the hedgehog in her room, if possible keep it in a room with a door you can shut if it did become a problem which minimizes her exposure to them. 

When my regular allergies have died down, or if I have taken medicine for those, I can stay in the room for long periods of time. It took about 4 months for my allergies to them to show up.


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## Julie Stuhr (Mar 21, 2010)

krbshappy71 said:


> Using a blanket also helps prevent the poked-by-quills reaction in which I get tiny red bumps and itching in the area I was poked.


I have the same reaction on my hands! I thought it was only me


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