OH NO!! have to give away hammies and gerbils :(

[tikeyas_mom]

I am sooo incredibly sad right now, you have no idea. As most of you know I have the WORST allergies right now and my hamsters and gerbils beddings are causing them to be worse. .
My mom said she is going to buy yeasterdays news cat litter and see if my allergies let up, if they dont, then I am forsed to give all my rodents away !!!!! .
I am freaking out here, I cryed. I dont want to give them away . I have had them so long, I love them so much. I hate this. I cant even take meds because I am on Zoloft and that would react to antihistomys. ....
I have had Spur *hamster* for 4 years, I love him with all my heart, I have been through 2 litters with Cuddles, and Whisky is my rescued hamster, Why does this have to happen to me???

[Aspen and Misty]

o this is so sad! Isn't there anything else you can do?

Ash

[popcornbird]

Oh no! How so very sad! What did your doctor say? Is there any way you can put them in another room? That's just so horrible. If you've had them for so many years, didn't you have any allergic reaction before? The only rodents you got recently were the gerbils. Do you think you could be allergic to them only and not the hammies?

[cali]

one word: SAND, my gerbils are allergic to bedding so they are housed in sand, they love and are a LOT calmer in it and i dont see why hamsters coul dnot be housed in sand, it is VERY cheap, only needs changed every 6 mos. or so, all you do to clean it is sift out the poops basicly, try it, it means the difference between keeping them or not i use traction sand i find it works the best, although i have used play sand as well

[tomkatzid]

So sorry to hear this. Will all med's like Zoloft react to the Antihistamines? Maybe your Dr. knows of another drug that would work, another Zoloft type or another antihistamine type. It may be worth asking. DO NOT stop taking your med's. Maybe this new bedding will work. We will keep our paws crossed for you.

[tikeyas_mom]

Originally posted by popcornbird
Oh no! How so very sad! What did your doctor say? Is there any way you can put them in another room? That's just so horrible. If you've had them for so many years, didn't you have any allergic reaction before? The only rodents you got recently were the gerbils. Do you think you could be allergic to them only and not the hammies?

they are in another room right now, but my mom doesnt want to care for them, and they are in the darkness all day. I cant even go near the cages without sneezing to death.

I never had an allergick reaction befor, But every single one of my cousins have deveoped allergies when they were around 16-17 years old.

I think it is the dust in the bedding not the actuall gerbils and hamsters, but I dont know what eles I can do other then change the bedding.

I dont think the sand isdea is a good one, because it isnt digestible.

[cali]

sand should not be a problem, it IS there natural habitat after all, or you can also use polor fleece towels/blankets, you can cut a bunch of peices to the size of the cage/tank that way to clean it all ya gotta do is lift and the old one and pop in the new one, i know several people who do this because of their own bedding allergies

[CathyBogart]

I'm allergic to pine, carefresh, and several other beddings. I've had the best luck with Aspen, Cellsorb, and just plain towels (although the towels have to be changed and washed daily with the rats) I've also heard good things about using newspaper (with soy-based ink), and paper towels (Again with the changing daily)

Also, why not use a large-grain sand so you don't have to worry about them eating it? I've seen a lot of gerbil setups where they used sand or sandy soil, and the gerbils really seem to enjoy digging in it. I'd probably just go with newspaper for the hamsters: it's cheap, easy to get, and they'll love shredding it.

Edit: Don't give up after trying just ONE other bedding, try as many as you can until you either find one that works or find out that it is the critters after all.

[Cookiebaker]

are you sure your allergies aren't just a result of spring/summertime??? It hardly seems fair to give up on your pets only for your allergies. Is it life threatening? It very well could be for your pets if they get into the wrong hands. Just a thought.

[wolfsoul]

Don't give them away!!! There are solutions out there, for sure there are! Go to the doctor and get tested before you fret over any of this...And then, when you figure out what is stimulating the allergies, you can get rid of it, or if it isn't riddable, than you could take the necessary precautions to make sure that you are as happy as can be

You'll have to vacuum alot. Even if it isn't the dust you are allergic to, it still helps.

You can take special needles that can help.

Buy inhalers.

Got to the hospital and get tested for asthma. Astma and allergies have alot to do with one another, strange as it may be...And if it comes out positive, than you can treat the asthma and the allergies might go away.

It's not AT ALL uncommon for someone to develop allergies to animals later in life. I've read of people who have had pets their entire lives, and then suddenly develop an allergy 20-30 years later

Best of hope, my pets send their love and luck

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by Cookiebaker
are you sure your allergies aren't just a result of spring/summertime??? It hardly seems fair to give up on your pets only for your allergies. Is it life threatening? It very well could be for your pets if they get into the wrong hands. Just a thought.

That's what I was wondering. My dad gets allergies in the spring, but its not because of the birds. Its because of the pollen and he always had it even before we got them. Is it possible for a friend to care for them until your allergy season is over? (You didn't have it a few months ago, so I'm wondering how you got allergies all of a sudden unless its seasonal. ) Maybe the thing is you have too many cages in your room. Personally, I would never keep that many cages in a bedroom, no matter how big it is. You shouldn't breathe that stuff all day, all night. Can't you relocate them to another room? Is your house tiny that that's not possible?

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by popcornbird
Personally, I would never keep that many cages in a bedroom, no matter how big it is. You shouldn't breathe that stuff all day, all night. Can't you relocate them to another room? Is your house tiny that that's not possible?

Her room is VERY big, the cages aren't near her bed, and they are all grouped together, save for one. I don't think that it's the amount of cages at all...

The cages are in a different room right now, they are in the basement I think she said?

[tikeyas_mom]

Originally posted by Cookiebaker
are you sure your allergies aren't just a result of spring/summertime??? It hardly seems fair to give up on your pets only for your allergies. Is it life threatening? It very well could be for your pets if they get into the wrong hands. Just a thought.

I dont know it seems to act up worse when I am around their cages. and it isnt my choise it is my moms.

[tikeyas_mom]

I have a 4 bedroom house. I cant pout them anywhere. I have them in my TV room right now, there is no windows and no lighs .. i dont know what eles to do bcause I cannot be around them. I have to get my brother to bring cardbord to the gerbils and see if all the rodents have food and water. I hate this soo much.

[Cookiebaker]

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
I dont know it seems to act up worse when I am around their cages. and it isnt my choise it is my moms.

I really don't mean any offense or anything, but it really is your choice. What I mean is, how bad are your allergies, really? I have really bad allergies this time of year, and yes they are exacerbated by having my pets around. My eyes are runny, I sneeze a hundred times a day, I'm constantly blowing my nose, my throad and ears itch and yes, it's very annoying. But I live with it, and I play with my pets all the same.

Your mom is probably saying that you have to get rid of them because you are constantly complaining about your allergies or something. So don't complain, and show/prove to your Mom that you can take care of your responsibilites and live with your allergies. Or make the responsible decsion that hamsters and gerbils and rats don't live with your lifesyle (read allergies) and find a warm and loving home that won't give them up due to allergies.