# Allergy to hedgehog?



## Morel3etterness (Dec 5, 2009)

I noticed after handling my hedgehog for a couple hours after coming home from a long vacation, I started to get all of these rashes. They just seemed to come out of no where. Has anyone else had this problem owning a hedgie? What can you do about it?

Hes very clean I might add.


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## Stephanie76 (Nov 2, 2009)

I am allergic to one of my hogs. I hold her and break out in little hives (not a huge breakout, it is pretty localized) and a little redness occurs. Some might recommend bathing your hog, but this hasn't helped in my case. It is such a minor inconvenience and is only bothersome for a bit, so I just get over it. :roll:


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## funkybee (Mar 27, 2009)

I know that when I first got Milo I would get a small rash wherever he pricked me, nothing too bad though and it stopped happening afer the first few weeks. Maybe if you go away for a while and come back its like your skin has to re-adjust again...or something. But I do know that the pet dander that causes people to be allergic to pets does not actually come from the fur its from saliva. When an animal licks its fur the saliva gets on it, thats why shedding animals are really bad for allergy sufferers. So hedgehogs are not exactly hypoallergenic if you are handling them.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

It does for me. Litchi is the worst. I get all red with those white-ish bump that burn like h*ll. Tangelo does that to me but in a much less sever way. When they are just out from the bath it's less irritating, but still. I just wash my hand thoroughly and sometime I put Benadryl cream on the parts where I have a rash to help with the burning/itching.

I also get watery eyes (like with my cat allergies) when I "fight" with Litchi to cut her nail, again, with Tangelo I almost feel nothing, just like I'm allergic to only certain cats!


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## leannem (Mar 27, 2009)

Sadly, I'm also allergic to my hog  But like Stephanie, I just got over it. lol. I get hives anywhere his spikes scratch my skin, even just a little. The palms of my hands get really itchy also but no hives, just dryness from itching. I've found that just making sure I have a long sleeve shirt on when I cuddle with him helps. I don't end up getting the hives, just little bit itchy and some redness that goes away within 15 minutes or so. The hives usually last almost an hour. Hand sanitizer also helps if you put it on immediately after handling. I'm almost positive it's from his saliva. I find i get it the worst when he pokes me with his lower back quills and the one's right behind his head, which are the 2 places he usually annoits.


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## nessariel (Mar 3, 2010)

I'm uber super allergic to grass (and every other pollen), which sucks cause it's EVERYWHERE. Among a million other symptoms, it gives me a rash wherever it touches me, but the pollen in the air also causes me to get a rash on my hands come spring time. What I do is take an over the counter allergy medicine daily (they're safe to take on a regular basis) and then spot-treat with an OTC hydrocortisone cream. 

It's possible that this could be a reaction to something else entirely, and it just happens to be showing up on your hands. Now is about the time when a bunch of fun pollens come out to play. Do you know if you have any other allergies?


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

I only break out when Whyte actually pokes me, bristles up. Oh, which would be EVERY time.

No reaction to Riley as I don't think he knows how to huff. Ok I admit it, I'm in love with a hedgehog.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

I get them too. Sometimes on my hands, but it's usually localized to the other parts of my body that might have accidentally been poked while he's curled up on me or next to me. So sometimes, my thigh would get poked while he sleeps next to me, and it'll get red and itchy, and I do my best to ignore it and it'll go away. Some sort of cold compress helps too.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

There have been a few times when I've gotten really bad itchy rashes on my fore-arms. Man does that hurt! it lasted a good day and a half. I think the cause was either Quigley or dog saliva. All I tried was aloe and goldbond allergy cream neither worked.


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## cloverandtimmy (Oct 30, 2009)

I am allergic to hedgehogs. For me, it is a reaction to their quills when they poke me. Apparently, for me, it is due to their self-annointing and saliva. It's not that much of a worry though. It get hives and itch for half an hour at the most- like on my hands or on my stomach if they have been lying on my belly while I watch tv


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## nationofamanda (Jan 19, 2010)

my fiance is allergic to animal saliva and dander, but oddly he seems least bothered by our hedgies...he gets mild hives if he handles them for a long time, but other than that he's fine.

...i should add that he can't even be in a house that has a dog or cats in it for very long without having severe breathing trouble, and needing an inhaler. we had heard (like many people, that an allergy to hedgehogs can be less severe, since often their allergens are not airborne, because they have quills instead of fur all over.) he is still allergic to their saliva, but we have found it a great compromise me needing a pet, and him falling in love with them and being ok with needing to wash up afterwards and occasionally take a benadryl. in return, i do all the hedgie cleaning "chores" since that would probably make him sick.


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## allisonsnickers (Sep 13, 2009)

I get rashes too. If it's nit from Dewey, then it's usually from my belt. Ugh. I'm pretty sure that, for me, it's his annoint.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Allergies take time to develop. It isn't an immediate reaction the first time you are exposed and takes time, sometimes months or even years to develop. Hives can be the start of the reaction and over the next few weeks or usually months, it can continue in severity often to respiratory issues. 

I have taken in more hedgehogs than I care to think about from owners who over the months became more and more allergic. Usually it takes about 6 months to become severe enough that rehoming is necessary but I have gotten a couple that it took almost a year. 

For those who will say allergies are just an excuse, well I have had people sitting in tears as they gave up their beloved pet. We've also been talking and discussing for months prior ways to try and help lessen the severity. 

Sometimes people can be allergic to one specific hedgehog and not others. My Smokey caused me to react and I don't know why he did when others don't. 

Sometimes the hives and little bumps are an initial reaction to the quills and will stop happening after a week or two.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

Nancy said:


> I have taken in more hedgehogs than I care to think about from owners who over the months became more and more allergic. Usually it takes about 6 months to become severe enough that rehoming is necessary but I have gotten a couple that it took almost a year.


Exactly, it tooke me about ver a year to become alergic to Litchi



Nancy said:


> Sometimes people can be allergic to one specific hedgehog and not others. My Smokey caused me to react and I don't know why he did when others don't.


Exactly what I said. But in that case the saliva theory doesn't work for me because Tangelo, the one I have almost no reaction, annoints himself a lot more and will lick me like a dog (and nom he never bites) and it won't phase me at all.


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## allisonsnickers (Sep 13, 2009)

Ahhh now I feel nervous... This rash on my wrist that I got right after holding Dewey last week is getting worse . I know that I could be scratching in my sleep, but it's still bad. I have a really bad allergy to cheap metal as well, and the rash from my belt is getting to an unbearable point. I haven't even worn it more than twice a week (it was necessary). Neosporin and Cortizone aren't helping anymore. I need to go to the doctor before any of it gets worse.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I have the same allergy to cheap metals and one way you can save your belt is if you coat the part that comes in contact with your skin with clear nail polish. It doesn't work for earrings and rings for me cause it tends to flake off but has worked on belts. Just something to try if you really love your belt. Benedril allergy cream works great for areas already affected. Im not allergic to my hedgehog but the Benedril works really good to other things Im allergic too when they cause a rash or hives.


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## Morel3etterness (Dec 5, 2009)

Hey guys

Sorry it took awhile to reply to the post, I have been very busy.

I took someone's advice and bought the benadryl cream and the rash in between my hips and ribs stopped itching but its very much so still visible. I have had Egon for about 5 months now. I love him to death and DO NOT want to give him up. I have no desire to. The only way I would even consider it is if a close friend took him so I could visit him or a breeder took him because I know he would be in good hands.

I look forward to seeing the little guy every time I come home. Its actually the first thing I do-run up to my room and check on him. Hes usually sleeping though haha. It seems like the rash came out of no where... like I woke up with it. I posed the question on here to see if anyone else had this problem and how they solved it. I really would not want to give him up-he would be heart broken. I gave him to a friend while i was on vacation and my friend told me he was very unfriendly the entire time. As soon as I came home, he climbed right into my hand... no hisses of huffs. haha.

I LOve the little noodle. Just needed a quick solution for the rash he may have caused. :mrgreen:


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## allisonsnickers (Sep 13, 2009)

Aww That's a cute story. Egon is just soooooo cute! 

I'll tell my dad about the cream and throw some nail polish on my belt. I've tried it with rings before, but it didn't occur to me that it would work on the belt hahahaha.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Morel3etterness said:


> Hey guys
> 
> Sorry it took awhile to reply to the post, I have been very busy.
> 
> ...


The rash may have been a one time thing and may not have even been from your hedgehog. I hope you don't have to give him up. I have allergies to various metals, animals and plants sometimes I get random reactions that are worse than others and it's almost impossible to figure out what triggered it. usually it's a one time thing and it doesn't come back very often. Allergies don't always get worse like Nancy said. I hope that your reaction doesn't.


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