After I got done holding her my hands were numb for at least a half an hour. any one else get that???
My hands get a tingly/numb feeling occasionally--only if Quentin is really quilled up though. As you hold them more often and your hands get used to it, that tends to stop.
Is your rash just a few red dots that go away after an hour or so or is it an actual painful rash that blisters up? If it's the first, it tends to go away after repeated experience handling; it's just your skin's reaction to getting poked. If it's the second, you might want to reconsider, as rashes like that would make it hard to spend quality time with a little one of your own.
Most of the time, skin reactions are from saliva on the quills (anointing definitely comes into play with that). Giving the hedgie a bath can help combat them.
Different people have different reactions; some get rashes, some get breathing problems, etc. If you're so allergic that you have breathing problems at night from being in the same room, you should probably pick a different pet. If it gets to the point where you're living on allergy medicine just so you can interact with your pet, you might want to reconsider too. A slight rash that goes away shouldn't be a problem, I think most people get that at first, but if it gets worse (and sometimes it does) don't punish yourself and your pet by suffering through daily interaction or giving the pet less attention--try to have a backup plan for a good home.
Like I said before, though, most people get a slight red rash from handling at first; if not the rash, definitely some itching. That's a normal reaction in most cases. Maybe spend some more time with your friend's hedgie to get acquainted?
