So you’ve read up on everything you possibly can about pet rats, bought and decorated a cage, found a reputable breeder, waited weeks and weeks, and finally brought your new babies home. And then… the sniffling began.
As a giant animal lover who’s also allergic to anything furry, I can relate.
Happily, because rats are so small, allergies tend to be milder than with larger, furrier animals. For me, as long as I wash my hands religiously after playing with rats, I’m fine.
Still, it’s not much fun to find out you’re allergic to your pets! Read on to discover some tips for dealing with allergies.
Signs of Pet Rat Allergies
Allergies happen when your immune system over-reacts to different triggers, like your rats! Milder allergies can have many different symptoms:
- Red, itchy eyes and nose
- Runny or stuffed nose
- Irritated skin in spots where your rat’s nails scratch you
- Sneezing, coughing
More severe allergies can even cause wheezing and trouble breathing. Pet allergies can cause or worsen asthma for some people, which usually gets better when you’re not around your rats. If your allergies are severe, you might want to think about rehoming your rats.
It’s possible for allergies to get worse over time. Allergies don’t always get worse, but you could find that sniffling and sneezing progresses into breathing troubles over time.
It’s also possible for allergies to improve over time! This is called exposure therapy or desensitization.
Causes of Pet Rat Allergies
You can be allergic to your pet rats’ dander, saliva, or even their pee. (In my case, it was all three.) Sometimes, it’s a simple case of being allergic to the substrate you’re using for their cage, which is easy to fix!
Dander
Dander is essentially dead skin cells, or dust that comes off your rats! Of course it gets trapped in their fur, or rubbed off on you, which can make you sneeze if you’re allergic to it. Dander is the reason that so many people are allergic to furry animals!
Saliva
Proteins found in rats’ saliva can cause itching, redness and skin irritation. Pet rats clean themselves throughout the day by licking themselves, so the saliva gets distributed through their fur.
Urine
Often, rat owners are allergic to their rats’ pee, rather than the rat themselves. Most rats keep themselves very clean, but some do have a bad habit of laying in their own pee! They can also pick it up on their nails, which transfers to our skin when they climb on us. If you notice that little rat scratches turn red, itchy, or raised, chances are you’re allergic to their urine – or their substrate.
Substrate
Surprisingly, even the bedding material you use in your rats’ cages can contribute to allergies. Rats kick it up when they scuffle around, sending little particles flying in the air. They also spend most of their time in it, so little bits of it get stuck in their fur.
It’s also possible for rats to be allergic to their own bedding. Finding a bedding material with minimal dust can help both you and your furry little buddies. If you notice them sneezing too, see if a different material helps.
Managing Pet Rat Allergies
If your allergies are fairly mild, you don’t necessarily need to give up your pet rats! There are a few different things you can try:
Hypo-allergenic rats
There are varieties of rats that are less likely to cause allergies! Depending on whether you’re allergic to your rats’ fur or their pee, you might have better luck with hairless or rex rats.
Your allergies might also be milder around female rats, just because they’re smaller than males and don’t produce as much oil or dander.
Cleaning Tips
Dust and dander inevitably gets stirred up when rats scuffle around and play inside their cage. You can help cut the dust in the air by:
- Cleaning the cage from top to bottom 1-2 times a week
- Scooping out any poops or wet bedding daily
- Minimizing hard, flat surfaces in your rats’ cage where urine could collect – for example, replace any plastic shelves with branches, rope ladders, etc.
- Using bio-friendly cleaning products that neutralize the urine smell on plastic surfaces, hammocks, etc.
- Really scrubbing or soaking in between the cage bars where pee can build up over time.
- Vacuuming up any scattered bedding from underneath the cage, or putting up an acrylic barrier around the bottom of the cage to keep the bedding contained.
- Bathing your rats in warm water from time to time can help reduce the dander, saliva and bedding material that collects in their fur. If your rats hate baths, try turning it into a fun activity like fishing for peas or corn.
- You can air out the rat room from time to time by opening the window(s). Just be cautious about keeping your rats too close to an open window or a fan, as they can be quite sensitive to drafts and temperature changes.
Minimizing exposure
Because rats are so small, it’s pretty easy to interact with them without triggering milder allergies. Here are a few things you can try:
- Washing your hands and arms every time you handle your rats or clean their cage, being careful not to touch your face in the meantime. I really like dish soap for this purpose because it gets all the oils, pee, etc. off.
- Keeping your rats in a dedicated room of your house that’s separate from where you eat, sleep, and spend most of your time.
- Wearing a long sleeve shirt each time you interact with your rats, so they can climb on you without touching your skin. Sleeves with thumb holes can really help – I love athletic shirts and hoodies because they’re not too hot, but still protect your skin.
- Changing your clothes after interacting with rats. You could even keep a set of clothes that you only wear when playing with your rats.
- If you want to protect your hands, you could even wear gloves. Especially while cleaning their cage to minimize contact with their pee and bedding.
- If needed, use a face mask while cleaning their cage. This is a good idea for anyone so that you don’t breathe in dust.
Using an Air Purifier
Air purifiers continually trap dust particles, allergens and other contaminants floating through the air. Some are even designed to keep odors down, which is a plus in any rat room.
Air filters are a great idea not just for allergies to pet rats, but they also help you and your rats breathe more easily indoors. Because rats are so prone to respiratory troubles, every little bit helps.
An air purifier can be pretty expensive, so you might consider one if you plan to keep owning rats for a long time.
Medications
If your allergies persist in spite of your best efforts, there are a few different medications that can help with pet allergies:
- Antihistamines: These are commonly available over-the-counter medications that work by blocking histamine receptors in the body. They can quickly relieve itching, sneezing, and nasal congestion. Claritin, Zyrtec or Reactine are some well known antihistamine brands, and they help with seasonal and environmental allergies as well.
- Decongestants: These medications work by narrowing blood vessels in the nasal passages, relieving nasal congestion. They’re not considered as safe as antihistamines for long term use. Some antihistamines are combined with decongestants, so check the package.
- Nasal sprays or rinses: These can be used to clear your nose when you find your allergies bothering you.
- Eye drops: Eye drops meant for allergies can help relieve red, itchy eyes when you get dander or dust in them.
- Inhalers: Your doctor might prescribe you an inhaler to help with breathing troubles around your pets. They can relieve respiratory symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, etc.
As with many drugs, it’s not ideal to use these medications every day over the long term. If your allergies to your pets are severe, you might want to consider rehoming them or not getting new rats after your current group.
Natural remedies for allergies
If you don’t like to use medications, you can try rinsing out your nose, sinuses and throat with a neti pot for relief when you get dander in your eyes or nose.
Some natural antihistamines for milder allergies include quercetin (found in the skin of citrus fruits) and stinging nettle (an herb).
Frankincense and eucalyptus oil have also been found to improve allergies in some people when you rub them on your skin.
Alternative pets
If you find yourself allergic to furry friends, you might be okay around furless animals like reptiles or amphibians. Certain varieties of frogs, snakes and lizards can actually be more companionable and affectionate than you’d think!
Birds are sometimes more tolerable to people with allergies than animals with fur, although it’s possible to be allergic to their feathers too. When in doubt, try spending some time around these animals at a pet store or with a friend to see if they bother your allergies.
Conclusion
It’s not much fun having allergies to your pets. If you allergies are mild and you still want to keep pet rats, there are lots of things you can do to reduce and alleviate symptoms. A little prevention goes a long way! I hope these tips help you enjoy your furry friends more without the sniffling and sneezing.