# I Think I'm Developing an Allergy :(



## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

Back when I first got Finn, he'd give me a poke and it would tingle for a while and then go away. Now, a year and a half later (I think?) when he pokes me I get a searing pain for about fifteen minutes and then small round itchy welts will start forming everywhere the quills made contact. 

I don't have any other allergies, so this is really odd for me. I have a few "sensitivities" that when combined give me pretty crazy hay fever, but that's it. Actually having a visible reaction to something is weird.

Antihistamine pills knock me unconscious so unless I want to sleep forever they aren't an option, which makes things complicated. I have the reaction right after Finnick has had a bath or if he hasn't had one in months. It makes no difference.

Is there anything I can do about it? Is it going to keep getting worse?


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## Artemis-Ichiro (Jan 22, 2016)

How about Claritin? That wouldn't make you sleepy but take few days to kick in completely. Zyrtec after few days, most people get used to it and don't get sleepy anymore.

Not sure about that type of allergy but with peanut allergy, the more times you are exposed the worse it becomes, that happens to my daughter. 


And that sucks!


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Before jumping to meds here's some things to try/ keep in mind. 
When they poke us they are nice enough to poke us with whatever gunk they have on them and whatever we have on our skin. 
Cold water, before and after. But not necessarily soap and water right before. Gentle soap. 
Well hydrated skin takes the pokes better. And really rough skin doesn't seem to be bothered much by it. 
Oatmeal is soothing to us as well so an oatmeal soap might be of some relief, also aloe could provide some relief. 
You might want to take a wash rag and give Finn a quick wipe before really bonding. This may be especially true with the dig box and anything like that. 
If nothing is giving you relief, try Hydrocortizone cream or a lotion for itchy skin conditions. 
Who all shares a room with Finn? The reptiles shouldn't have a direct effect but possibly some bedding or dust could be drifting it's way to his cage and onto him. If Pepper is one of his neighbors, the dander may be a factor. 
For me the cold water is a big help, but you've seen me suggest it so probably have tried it and wouldn't post this unless it wasn't working for you. 
Also, some body parts are more sensitive than others. If one of my hedgehogs is sitting on my belly and pokes, I'll have welts for a week.


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## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

If I give him a bath and am drying him off and he pokes me I get welts, so it doesn't seem to matter what's on him, unless I'm allergic to the Aveeno oatmeal baby wash, which I doubt because I use a similar product on my face.

Cold water right afterward stops the pain, but the itching still kicks in pretty quickly and lasts the same amount of time than if I didn't use cold water, so not much change there.

It's just Finn and a bunch of reptiles and frogs in there right now, and I have no problem with any of the snakes or their bedding or feces, but I don't usually get it in open wounds. Pepper is downstairs in the living room so I doubt I'm getting dander pokes.

So far I've only experienced a reaction on my hands. Finn only really gets spikey right when I pick him up so it's almost always my hands that get jabbed. I'm scared to see what happens if he pokes me somewhere else.

I'll pick up some hydrocortizone cream later today and see if that helps, and if not I'll probably grab some Claritin. Thanks guys!

I'm really worried it's going to keep getting worse, just like with continual exposure to peanuts in someone with a peanut allergy, or someone with a bee sting allergy who keeps getting stung. From the other threads I've seen on hedgehog poke allergies it does seem to gradually get worse with each poke. I'll have to check Finn's birth certificate but I'm pretty sure he's only a year and a half old, so that's a lot more pokes yet.


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