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  1. #11
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    Re: Incredible allergic reaction to rats, please help!

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkL1561 View Post
    Man that sucks, I’ve never heard of such an allergy. Do you live alone? If not maybe you can have someone else prepare the food and feed the snakes. Otherwise you could get a respirator. Probably sounds dumb but it might work.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I live with my fiancé and her son.
    The issue is, frozen I can handle them seemingly fine. Thawed out the whole house is a death trap. We’re thinking of feeding outside next time. It’s gotten worse with each feeding over time. Used to be no issue.
    Hoping they will take to other prey items.

  2. #12
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    Re: Incredible allergic reaction to rats, please help!

    Quote Originally Posted by Caitlin View Post
    I hope this isn't too off-the-wall, but what about ASF? I'd suspect their dander and hair is significantly different from the domestic strain of Norway rat commonly sold as feeders - perhaps the difference is significant enough that you can handle being around them.

    If it does come down to looking at other types of snakes, I'd like to cosign the recommendation that you consider the Antaresia pythons - they are hardy, active, curious little snakes with big personalities.
    I’m not sure the difference or where to even get them locally to try. I’m faster to try ordering a different animal completely vs the 75 after shipping on a bunch of rat like critters. I currently get my rats the day I feed, frozen, and thaw out within the day. Frozen they are not dangerous to me, as long as I wash my hands.

    I know guinea pigs and birds don’t cause
    This issue, nor do mice, it’s specifically rats, and I’m willing to bet it’s something in their urine that causes it. Male rats cause a more
    Serious reaction vs females.
    Had a frozen rat claw scratch my finger
    And it swelled like a balloon at work. It’s honestly heartbreaking. I can get rats at work dirt cheap (I’m a pet store manager) but now I’m kind of stuck hoping these other random options work out.
    I’m pretty confident that the bci will not be an issue, they seem to eat whatever, but I know my bp’s will be a challenge.

  3. #13
    BPnet Veteran Caitlin's Avatar
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    Unless you live in a state where ASF are illegal you might want to see if you can get your hands on one via pet shop connections, but I sure do understand why you wouldn't want to place an order and pay shipping for a bunch of ASF if you aren't sure about them. The other thing you could consider is checking Craigslist for local ASF breeders and/or seeing if there's a local herpetological society near you. If someone there feeds ASF they'd likely be willing to let you try one.

    There are some decent options foodwise that you have already touched on, so I have my fingers crossed that you can find a viable alternative. Please be sure to let your allergy doc know how severe your reaction is; as your response has escalated, it might be worth having an epi pen around just in case.
    1.0 Jungle Carpet Python 'Ziggy'
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  4. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Caitlin For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (01-01-2020),Solidsnek (01-01-2020)

  5. #14
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    Re: Incredible allergic reaction to rats, please help!

    Quote Originally Posted by Caitlin View Post
    Unless you live in a state where ASF are illegal you might want to see if you can get your hands on one via pet shop connections, but I sure do understand why you wouldn't want to place an order and pay shipping for a bunch of ASF if you aren't sure about them. The other thing you could consider is checking Craigslist for local ASF breeders and/or seeing if there's a local herpetological society near you. If someone there feeds ASF they'd likely be willing to let you try one.

    There are some decent options foodwise that you have already touched on, so I have my fingers crossed that you can find a viable alternative. Please be sure to let your allergy doc know how severe your reaction is; as your response has escalated, it might be worth having an epi pen around just in case.
    Haven’t gone to an allergy doc yet but I will when I get a day off work.
    I think asf are not legal here unfortunately, would be worth it to try but again even if I could legally get them frozen here might not be worth the risk being so similar.
    I’m placing an order for quail, simply because they get pretty big, a local shop I know of can get them frozen possibly (wouldn’t be tied down to ordering 10-20) and I have no issues with birds.
    So long I guess are the days of getting the food the day of for my 2 snakes.

  6. #15
    BPnet Veteran Caitlin's Avatar
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    In states where ASF are illegal, the laws are just about having the live animal; it isn't illegal to have them as frozen food items. And honestly I'd be pretty surprised if you had a similar reaction to them, as they are an entirely different genus and species from Norway rats...but I get that it's just not an easily accessible option. Your ball pythons are really lovely snakes, and I very much hope you can get something sorted out so that you can keep them.
    1.0 Jungle Carpet Python 'Ziggy'
    1.0 Bredl's Python 'Calcifer'
    0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa 'Mara'
    1.1 Tarahumara Mountain Boas 'Paco' and 'Frida'
    2.0 Dumeril's Boas 'Gyre' and 'Titan'
    1.0 Stimson's Python 'Jake'
    1.1 Children's Pythons 'Miso' and 'Ozzy'
    1.0 Anthill Python 'Cricket'
    1.0 Plains Hognose 'Peanut'
    1.1 Rough-scaled Sand Boas 'Rassi' and 'Kala'
    1.0 Ball Python (BEL) 'Sugar'
    1.0 Gray-banded Kingsnake 'Nacho'
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  7. #16
    BPnet Senior Member CALM Pythons's Avatar
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    Re: Incredible allergic reaction to rats, please help!

    Didnt read through all the replies but my wife is the same and I had to stop breeding Norway Rats. I know breed Asf’s. The first breeders I had were evil little things, striking at me ones they had litters and killing their young. Then I found a guy who spent a lot of time with his Asf’s as a hobby. For the last couple years ive had no problems with these. The only thing that i dont like is the growth Rate. Takes months for them to be a decent size. Also when your new it takes a long time to understand how to care for them. You have to use feeders for the Lab Block or they chew 24/7 turning it to dust. I had to make feeders out of 1/2” hardware cloth and also use hardware cloth around the water bottles or they chewed the plastic around the the fill cap. Yes even on the glass bottles there is a spot they can chew. They are wild like that. I have 6 fourty gal breeder tanks i use with zilla lids and they chewed all the plastic around the rim of the tank till it was gone. Doesnt effect anything but that just shows how they chew. If you can find a frozen seller for them id try those. My wife has no reaction to them at all.


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    Name: Christian
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  8. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to CALM Pythons For This Useful Post:

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  9. #17
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    Re: Incredible allergic reaction to rats, please help!

    Quote Originally Posted by CALM Pythons View Post
    Didnt read through all the replies but my wife is the same and I had to stop breeding Norway Rats. I know breed Asf’s. The first breeders I had were evil little things, striking at me ones they had litters and killing their young. Then I found a guy who spent a lot of time with his Asf’s as a hobby. For the last couple years ive had no problems with these. The only thing that i dont like is the growth Rate. Takes months for them to be a decent size. Also when your new it takes a long time to understand how to care for them. You have to use feeders for the Lab Block or they chew 24/7 turning it to dust. I had to make feeders out of 1/2” hardware cloth and also use hardware cloth around the water bottles or they chewed the plastic around the the fill cap. Yes even on the glass bottles there is a spot they can chew. They are wild like that. I have 6 fourty gal breeder tanks i use with zilla lids and they chewed all the plastic around the rim of the tank till it was gone. Doesnt effect anything but that just shows how they chew. If you can find a frozen seller for them id try those. My wife has no reaction to them at all.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I’m honestly going to try the other options first just to play it safe. Snakes will be fine until that order gets here and if they won’t eat I guess I’ll figure that out. Already looking for a new home just in case but can’t seem to find anyone near me :/ don’t want them going just anywhere

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  11. #18
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    Re: Incredible allergic reaction to rats, please help!

    Quote Originally Posted by Solidsnek View Post
    Haven’t gone to an allergy doc yet but I will when I get a day off work....

    I'd love to be "a fly on the wall" when you do though...I'd LOVE to see the look on his or her face when you explain WHY you need to control your allergy to RATS!

    But seriously, I do think you should get some help with your allergy...just in case it extends to other rodent species in the future, and to be prepared for any accidental exposure to rats meanwhile.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  12. #19
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    Re: Incredible allergic reaction to rats, please help!

    Alright guys I’d like update everyone that was nice enough to follow along.
    My iPhone died and I have since gotten a new one so here we are lol.

    First feeding no one wanted anything to do with quail. I kind of assumed that would happen. A week later offered my snakes new quail (frozen thawed) zero interest from all but my large coral glow blast ball python, but he’s a pig and would eat a hamburger if I put it in there.
    Waited until today to try a third time.
    I was concerned for the bci, but him and my grumpy fuss bp decided today was the day.
    I’m glad I can say that at this point I’ll probably be keeping my small collection but won’t get anymore.
    The bci scared the crap out of me eating too, I’m used to pb mostly bopping and eating, he almost ripped it half striking it.

    Thanks for all the suggestions, sfr if legal would have been my next try for sure.

  13. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Solidsnek For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (01-30-2020),GoingPostal (01-31-2020),Team Slytherin (01-30-2020)

  14. #20
    BPnet Veteran Team Slytherin's Avatar
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    Re: Incredible allergic reaction to rats, please help!

    Wow, I’m so sorry this is happening to you!! I personally love Layne Labs. The feeders are always high quality and they at least purport to strive for healthy diets, enriching environment, and humane euthanization for their feeders and I like supporting that🤷🏻:cens0r:♀️ I know people say BPs can be finicky (I haven’t had one since I was a kid and back then, I didn’t know about options anyway!) but each snake is an individual. It might be super easy to switch him over! Your BCI should be no problem. Chicks, quail, guinea pigs...a varied diet is always my preference anyway!

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