Allergic to Leos?!

[gibbrishclown]

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/pet/328368830.html

We have a wonderful leopard gecko for adoption. He is a big and healthy two year old who loves to be held and comes with his complete set-up including glass habitat, hiding cave, tree, water dish, peat moss, heating source, and heat lamp. We adopted this guy last week from Craigs list and my boys absolutely adore him but unfortunately, my husband is allergic so we must part with him.

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I snipped the adoption fee info and there's pics at the link too, but wth? Can someone clue me in about reptile allergies?

[Freakie_frog]

Thats a first allergic to a reptile...:eek:

What about him is he allergic to???

[JLC]

Doh....I thought YOU were trying to get rid of a leo!


I've never heard of anyone being allergic to any reptile. And if someone were, I would imagine it would be an allergy to whatever enzymes are in the saliva from a bite. Which makes it highly unlikely that he's really allergic to the gecko. (So far as I know) I'll bet they're using some sort of dusty substrate, if he's really allergic to anything.

More likely, they got it...decided it was boring or too much effort or the kids lost interest after the first 30 minutes of "oooooh, aaaahhh"....and they just want to unload it. At least they're willing to find it a new home, rather than let it languish in a forgotten corner of the home like some folks do when they get tired of their "cool" pet.

[gibbrishclown]

Sorry JLC... it does read that way! I emailed this person asking about symptoms... could there be any critters that could be on this guy making his skin crawl? I also mentioned the substrate. The ad says its nice, so I kinda doubt it's been biting him... I told them that I had reptiles and had worked in stores that sold reptiles for years (years ago) and that I'd asked people who kept, bred, and generally understood reptiles, and that there wasn't anyone that really had heard of anyone being allergic to reptiles... I hope they reply or at least call someone to find out if their claims are even POSSIBLE... thanks for your speedy replies!

[daniel1983]

I have not heard of any allergies concerning reptiles....However, there are tons of people with allergies to feeders such as crickets, mealworms, mice, rats, etc.

[Kristy]

Actually, I don't see anyone being allergic to leos. However, I myself am somewhat allergic to my cresties. Everytime I handle them I get blotchy spots all over where they walk, on my arms and hands and I stuff up really bad. I also know several people who aren't able to keep them because they have such an allergic reaction to their feet. Sounds really weird I know. But leos, no theres nothing to be allergic to. I don't think.

[mlededee]

yep apparently some people are allergic to the lamellae (the ridges and hairs that make up the sticky pads) on cresteds' toes. but it is not common at all--kristy, you are only the second (confirmed) case of this i've ever heard of.

as for the leo it could be something more of a skin sensitivity rather than an allergy that this person is experiencing. often times when i handle any of my geckos that have a little more claw on their toes (leo, gargoyles, chahoua, leachie) i will get red, raised scratch marks from them on my wrists and arms that itch slightly. they usually go away within a few hours and aren't that bothersome, but it is kind of like the skin on my arms is just sensitive to their claws or something, even though they aren't really scratching or breaking the skin when they walk there.

[rabernet]

Interesting! In any case, that leo doesn't look like he has any missed meal cramps! LOL

[mlededee]

about the craigslist ad though--if the husband is experiencing some similar "allergy" to what i describe you would think he could just not handle him. i'd be more inclined to think maybe he is allergic to the moss or something in the cage or maybe an insect they are feeding it. in which case--take out the moss, don't have the husband feed, etc. it seems like something that could be remedied if it is actually the truth.

[Mendel's Balls]

An allergic reaction has a very specific medical defination that differs from the lay defination. For example, a lot of people beleive that lactose intolerance is a food allergy when instead it is a metabolic condition. In order to be classified as a allergen a substance must elicit a IgE meditated antibody reponse. (IgE is the class of antibodies involved in allergic reactions)

While reports of Allergies to reptiles are rare, they are not completely unheard of.

There are several reports of people being bitten repeatedly by venomous snakes and developing an allergic reactions to the venom. (Think of it as a bee sting.....at any exposure you could develop an an anaphylactic allergic reaction.) See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_DocSum

There are also a few of reports of people developing allergic rhinoconjunctivitis to iguana scales and/or urine.

See http://www.jiaci.org/issues/vol16iss...issue03-11.htm (Western blots rock!)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=10932082

There has also been a report by a German group of allergies to

Ergenia cunningami

So it possible, but without laboratory confirmation you cant verify that the symptoms are due to allergic reaction.