Seriously? Just my luck!

**Gayle** · 05-21-2009, 02:52 PM

Ok I have had rats as pets since I was a child! I have never had any problems really with them. The two females I just got, Precious and Lil mama are just as sweet as candy! They love to be held, they love to sit on my shoulder and my daughters shoulders too. Precious has this very odd habit of going in my shirt, and then on to my shoulder. IDK I guess she likes having a blanket. The only problem is that I am allergic to the two new girls. I get the worst itchy whelps from them!!! It sucks!! Esp with Precious going in my shirt. My hands get to itching so bad it makes me crazy! The males do not do this to me, and none of the other female rats I have ever had have done this to me. My friends female rats do not do it to me either, just these two! So I figured I would give them a bath as it may be the bedding they were kept on before or something from the other home. That did not help! I did a skin scrape on them, and no mites or bacterial infections or anything! They have been here for several days and are on the same bedding as the males, and eat the same food as the males. I guess it is just that they are a different breed maybe. I have no idea, but this stinks!! There is no way I am going to get rid of them, and there is no way I am going to stop loving on them, or letting them crawl all over me. LOL I already take allergy meds everyday. So yeah I guess I will just be an itchy mess! Oh yeah and I am the only one who gets the itchy whelps from them. My daughters both have no problems, my ex husband had no problem, my friends had no problem and even my own mom has had no reaction. Just my darn luck!!!!!!!!

**Northernguy** · 05-21-2009, 02:54 PM

I am allergic to dander! Cats really get to me.
I take Reactine daily to deal with it!
Give it a try!

**Gayle** · 05-21-2009, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Northernguy

I am allergic to dander! Cats really get to me.
I take Reactine daily to deal with it!
Give it a try!

I will ask the DR about it. I am not allergic to pet dander, I have never really been allergic to any animal, usually just medications and dust, pollen type stuff.

**William** · 05-21-2009, 04:28 PM

Could she have used any special schampoo or other treatment on them that take a while to get rid of. A simple bath might not be enough to get rid of chemicals.

**Red** · 05-21-2009, 04:30 PM

That sucks gayle, maybe try buying rodet shampoo or something. I hope you find out whats wrong :(

**Gayle** · 05-21-2009, 08:32 PM

No she did not give them baths or anything. I am wondering maybe if it may have something to do with them being prego, the hormones or something. I used the plain blue unconcentrated Dawn dish soap! Believe it or not, but it works great on lil creatures. We use it on puppies and kittens that are too small for flea shampoos. I will just wait it out and see what happens.

**Algenco** · 05-21-2009, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Gayle

No she did not give them baths or anything. I am wondering maybe if it may have something to do with them being prego, the hormones or something. I used the plain blue unconcentrated Dawn dish soap! Believe it or not, but it works great on lil creatures. We use it on puppies and kittens that are too small for flea shampoos. I will just wait it out and see what happens.

as good as any flea shampoo

**Gayle** · 05-21-2009, 09:43 PM

Yep and totally safer for lil ones!!! Much cheaper too!!!

**Little Embers** · 05-21-2009, 09:49 PM

Yes! that totally sucks gayle...I'm sorry. I love their names BTW!!

Don't know if you have read this at all, but you may find this interesting.

Allergies to the urine are not uncommon and manifests itself as red, itchy, welts on the skin caused by small scratches from the rat's claws. Your boyfriend would have to be handling Badger in order to be allergic to the urine. Wiping badger's feet with a wet cloth when you take him out of his cage to play with him is all that is required to prevent this allergy from occurring. And clipping the claws to prevent scratches.

The above is taken from http://en.allexperts.com/q/Pet-Rats-...-rat-urine.htm

Perhaps you are onto something about the hormones and it has changed their urine and you are the only unlucky one that is having severe reactions to it for some reason.

**Gayle** · 05-21-2009, 10:19 PM

Yeah I think it has to be that. Not much else it could be. I clipped their nails the day I got them, as this was something the lady did not do either.