Tank Update Thread

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Orlandochins said:
the lady said she was allergic to either him or the dust bath and would itch like mad whenever she touched him
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That's bull, her being allergic to him or the dust, I checked before long before I started asking Josh (the bf) for one of his grandmas chins, because I am severely allergic to most substances such as soap and what not. Chinchilla dust is basically hypoallergenic, and Chins don't have dandruff, which is what humans are allergic to if they are allergic to animals. That makes me angry, the only kind of dust I was told that you could ever be allergic to is the scented stuff.

I may not know much about chins yet, but I do know about the potential allergies you could get from having one.
 
I'm allergic to fur and feathers, and I am allergic to my chin. If I don't keep his cage clean I have a reaction to the hay and the dirt. When I play with him I usually end with a sneezing fit. I have a cold right now because fall is an allergy season for me and last night's playtime ended with tightening in my chest. Asthma is in my family. My mother is allergic to regular household dust which is a byproduct of the common dust mite found in every home.

I will go on steroids before I neglect and abandon my chinnie. I'm hoping exposure will eventually bring immunity, but right now it's looking more like I may have to go on medication. Doctors are our friends!
 
No, it isn't bull to be allergic to the dust. The dust darn near kills me. I have to wear a mask and shower immediately after dusting or it will throw me straight into an asthma attack. I itch, my fingers swell. I don't know who told you you "can't" be allergic to dust, but they were the ones full of bull.

You can be allergic to the dust, the shavings, the hay, the feed, the wood you give them, and even the chins themselves. Chins have dander, it's just that it rarely reaches the surface for you to be exposed to.
 
tunes said:
No, it isn't bull to be allergic to the dust. The dust darn near kills me. I have to wear a mask and shower immediately after dusting or it will throw me straight into an asthma attack. I itch, my fingers swell. I don't know who told you you "can't" be allergic to dust, but they were the ones full of bull.

You can be allergic to the dust, the shavings, the hay, the feed, the wood you give them, and even the chins themselves. Chins have dander, it's just that it rarely reaches the surface for you to be exposed to.
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Same here. I have asthma attacks everytime I dust if I don't wear a mask. I have to run my air purifier on full blast for 2 days after I dust or I am constantly experiencing a tight chest, itchy eyes, and congestion. Same with the hay..as soon as I touch it I have itchy bumps and welts.

Crysta, it looks like you are doing a great job with Tank. I'm sure he is much happier. :))
 
tunes said:
I don't know who told you you "can't" be allergic to dust, but they were the ones full of bull.
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My doctor told me that you couldn't be allergic to the dust. They said that you can be allergic to the surrounding of the dust which may cause the reaction to the dust, I'm allergic to regular house hold dust and dust mites plus I have chronic asthma and am in and out of the hospital because of it. But I've never, ever had any issues with the dust.
 
The dust itself is stone but in such fine particulate to set off asthma by irritation alone. Once a chin has used it, it has dander in it. Now it's also an allergin. It's so fine it hangs in the air and is easy to breath in. My mom and I are set off by smoke from fires. It's the ash in the air, not just what's being burned.
 
Crysta--that is amazing he looks so much better in that last picture!!! I can't believe those people wouldn't let him go for less than $100. I mean, they probably got him for around that much and he's most likely in worse condition than they got him in...ugh. But I'm very glad you have him now!!

I think the dust can be irritating by itself because it is so fine. It probably sticks to your tissue inside your noise and lungs and at least irritates it. I know I am reactive to the dust and hay. I've never had an allergy test for the dust, but timothy I have and I am allergic to it. So I don't know if it has a reactive effect on people besides purely physically, or if it creates an immune response like allergies do--no idea about that.
 
I have a good friend that owns a chinchilla....She is allergic to either the dust or the chinchilla. When she dust him she wears a mask and a long sleeve t-shirt...when she holds him she uses a towel as a barrier....and she washes her hands as soon as she handles him....if she does not do this she breaks out in hives...I have seen it myself or else I wouldn't have believed.....she loves her animal so much that she has changed her routine and I wish more people would do that but at least we got this one out of there and he is already looking beautiful!
 
That is amazing! He is so beautiful. Hard to believe that its the same little guy! I dont understand the money issue either, if they really didnt want him then they shouldnt be asking for money, if anything they should be paying you for taking him off their hands and giving him the BEST home he could ever ask for.
 
Aww poor Tank! I'm glad he's in good hands now. It really isn't hard to take care of ONE chinchilla. People will always amaze me with their laziness.

And kudos to all of you who would never abandon your babies due to allergies. I know when I was a child I was allergic to my pets but I wouldn't give them up, I took medication for years and luckily I don't have much of a reaction anymore. I don't think I'm actually allergic to chin dust but I know it makes me itchy. After his bath & playtime I usually shower.
 
Maia said:
Aww poor Tank! I'm glad he's in good hands now. It really isn't hard to take care of ONE chinchilla. People will always amaze me with their laziness.

And kudos to all of you who would never abandon your babies due to allergies. I know when I was a child I was allergic to my pets but I wouldn't give them up, I took medication for years and luckily I don't have much of a reaction anymore. I don't think I'm actually allergic to chin dust but I know it makes me itchy. After his bath & playtime I usually shower.
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Hehe... I developed asthma this February. I have been suffering from hay and chin allergies since I got them. But, this February, I thought that I would die. But, I started taking prescribed asthma pills, as well as inhaler and nasal spray, to keep me going with my chinnies!!! They cost (copayments) abotu $100 a month, but my chins make me so happy, so it's worth it, I guess. Plus, once you develp asthma, there is no cure, anyway. You have to keep taking pills... oh, well...

So, it is doable to keep chinnies despite allergies!!
 
Well Tank has a definite eye infection. When I picked him up it was wet but I thought that could have been from him having a dust house in his cage all night. It didn't let up and got a bit worse. It also started to get that slightly milky discharge. I started him on an eye ointment today. I have searched everywhere for my drops since they are much easier to use and don't make as much of a mess, but for the life of me I can't flippen find them. He's being a good boy though and letting me put the ointment in his eye.

That large mat is still on his side. He seemed stressed yesterday and today (not drinking anything, small poos) so I didn't want to stress him even more.
 
He is now mat freeeeeeee! He still isn't happy about all this negative attention (in his eyes) but I'm hoping in time he will be 100% back to the way he should be.

His poos are still super tiny and he now has 3 water bottles around his cage. I'm leaving him alone other than to put the eye medicine in and to change out food and water. He is eating, though mainly hay. We're just trucking along.
 
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