# How are hedgehogs with allergies?



## kyliegp (Feb 9, 2015)

Hi everyone I'm new here, I've been researching hedgehogs literally forever, always wanted one  The only issue is I'm living with my parents while I'm in school and my mom has asthma and really bad allergies to pretty much everything, cats and birds being the worst. She says its the dander and bedding she's allergic to, but I read online that hedgies dont really produce dander (not sure how credible it was) and I've used fleece as bedding with great success with my rats previously and rabbit at my dads house, so dust from wood shavings wouldn't be a problem. She would have no physical contact with the hedgie, but she is worried about dander circulating in the air through the house and doesn't want to be sick all the time. 

Just wondering if any of you have experience? I may have to wait until circumstances change and I'm in my own place of course... but it would be great if I didn't have to :grin:


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## sc2001 (Oct 12, 2014)

Most people only have a skin reaction if allergic to hedgehogs. People will develop a red rash in the area that the hedgie came into contact with them. I've never really heard of anyone having any other type of reaction to them. 

I don't think you have to worry  just make sure to clean the cage regularly and your Mom will be fine


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## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

The only allergies/skin reactions i know you can get from keeping hedgehogs are the following:

- if you're using a non-fleece liner bedding i.e. wood shavings, desert sand and the like
- if you use a new liner (fibre dust)
- faint red spots on your skin if get light prickles from your hedgies' quills
- dust from live mealworms constituting worm poop + degraded food for gutloading
- skin reaction from a hedgie's dirty nails
- pile stocked sacks of dog & catfood sometimes makes me sneeze as well

Those are the only ones i can think of right now. If you may have noticed, most allergic reactions listed are indirectly caused by the hedgehogs itself with the only two caused by improper hygiene and the handling person's sensitive skin.


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## Draenog (Feb 27, 2012)

Yes you can be allergic to hedgehogs, from minor skin rash to troubled breathing/asthma problems and other more severe reactions. There have been people who've had to rehome their hedgehog due to severe allergic reactions. It usually starts out with small signs and in some cases it gets worse, while others only get hives during handling.


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## kyliegp (Feb 9, 2015)

Thanks for all the input everyone, the hedgehogs cage would be in my room (which my mom doesn't go into) and she won't be touching him I just don't want her breathing problems to get worse. Maybe an air filter near the cage would help since they apparently produce so little dander?


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

THere have been people that have been allergic to a hedgehog that was just in the same house as them. Many have been rehome due to this. Your mom should spend time around a hedgehog and handle one before you get one to make sure. Even if its in your room the dander and other allergens will be on your clothes, bedding and pretty much everything in your room. This can be enough to trigger her allergy.


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## kyliegp (Feb 9, 2015)

I'm always covered in dander and fur from animals at my dads house and she's fine. I kept a hairless rat at her house once too and she was okay, I guess there's no way of knowing really until she's around one.


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