Does your chinchilla make your skin itch after holding?

[Fergggie]

After I hold my chinchilla, any skin that my chinchilla may have touched becomes very itchy. I have to make sure and wash it off after holding him. My skin doesn't break out or anything, just becomes itchy and red when I scratch it. Could it be the dust bath drying out my skin? Or the Timothy hay? (I'm allergic to grasses). Anybody else??

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

It could be either of those things, neither of which would be particularly uncommon. You might also have an allergy to their urine (which could be on their feet) or their poop (again, on their feet).

Edit: To find out for sure, a dr would need to do an allergy test. Alternatively you could try doing one of your own at home by rubbing a bit of each of those things on different spots on your skin and seeing what happens.

 

[Encantadora]

You may also be reacting to the dust or hay. It's hard to tell but no, that's not normal.

 

[saphire]

It does that to me when I pick one up after he has a dust bath not too long before. I rinse my arms and am okay after.

 

[Godofgods]

my skin did the same thing when i would come in contact with my chins when i let them out. A little bit red, a little bit itchy, but no break out or anything. I just recently had a chinchilla allergy test done and I'm not allergic to them. So it must be something else with them. I to am allergic to all kinds of grasses/trees, so it might be that. Also my skin doesn't react well to overly dry things like there sand.

 

[Carleigh]

It's probably the dust; you may be sensitive or allergic to it. I can't hold my chinchillas close to my face or touch my face after holding them or I have an allergic reaction, which I've noticed is much worse right after they've bathed. I'd just recommend washing your hands/arms/wherever they've touched you right after holding them. Really, you should wash your hands after touching any animal.

 

[Stackie]

Any time their nails slightly scratch my skin I get a big red itchy welt. Usually in this cage it's the urine. I also react by sneezing/itchy red watery eyes to their dust and hay.

 

[tiffyskaar]

I'm actually having the same issue except severely worse. I have two beautiful hetero beige boys and my allergy has gotten worse over the years. My allergy is actually so severe now that I can't even be in the same room without breaking out into an asthma attack and starting to itch. I also broke out into a hive so hugely combined that it covered my whole forearm.

My fiance actually has to be the one to care for them now and it breaks my heart. This is actually why I am posting (I haven't been on in quite some time) because I need to post a classified on here for these amazing little guys
I am not exactly sure what causes my allergy except I know I am already allergic to hay, and I get a slight asthmatic problem when I start breathing in their air. I've tried different bath dusts, everything!

I usually wash my hands and arms right afterwards but now I have to wear a mask and that's just not fun

Good luck on your endeavors and I hope that it doesn't get worse for you like it did mine! Perhaps try taking an allergy pill an hour beforehand if possible to see if that helps? I've heard that from other people!