Can people be allergic to gerbils?!
Question: I just got two gerbils sunday and my parents think they are allergic to them, they have a stuffy nose, headaches. But also it's spring and could it be springtime allergies.
Answers: I just got two gerbils sunday and my parents think they are allergic to them, they have a stuffy nose, headaches. But also it's spring and could it be springtime allergies.
Gerbils, like many other furry animals (cats, dogs, horses, ferrets) have a protein in their saliva and urine that causes an allergic reaction.
This protein adheres to the skin and fur. It can be shed when the skin or fur is shed or it can dry up and flake off and become airborne and then inhaled. Bunnies also cause lots of allergies. You can use a solution called Allerpet/C on the gerbil to denature the protein. The C solution is for cats, but it is safe for small rodents also. My daughter used to put it on Oreo and Gimpy her hamsters and it never caused a problem.
I'll give you a link.
yes,like cats its their fine fur which give off filaments of dust particles which inflame the sinuses of those prone to allergies such as asthmatics.
yes, gerbils have skin dander and that is one of the things that cause pet allergies.