Help allergic to hammie?

[Tams_pets]

I just got a 4 week old Syrian hamster from a litter...I visited him a few times and never had this problem. Basically my right hand is red (not itchy) and dry. My left hand not as much. Is this an allergic reaction to him? I can't be sure it isn't razor burn or something but it certainly scares me! I don't have asthma, I have rabbits, cats and a dog though and I'm not allergic to any of them. I realize I've been washing my hands quite a bit so I'm praying it's just dry winter skin...any advice?

[cypher]

It's quite hard to be really certain exactly what's setting an allergy off, if you're not prone to allergies & ok with other animals it's less likely to be your ham, also it does sound more like irritation from washing but try using gloves when handling him for a bit & see if that makes a difference.

[lizzie45]

Hi, it sounds more like a reaction to excessive hand washing so I'd use some unscented hand cream and see if that helps, aqueous cream from chemists is good. I agree with Cypher to use gloves just in case but Im sure its not due to your hammy x

[Pebbles82]

Aveeno cream is brilliant for sore hands or eczema - it was prescribed to me by a Doctor but you can buy it in the chemist. It's made from oats and supposed to have excellent skin healing properties. It isn't scented but smells quite nice and feels lovely - not greasy either.

I get eczema on my hands which breaks out occasionally, usually if I've eaten too much sweet stuff or had a lot of milk, but also sometimes when handling animals. Because I get it anyway I'm not sure if handling Charlie affects it or not, but I've found a hamster to be one of the least allergic pets.

I should just give it a bit of time and see if it settles. If you are allergic to the hamster it will probably start itching within minutes of you handling him, but it is manageable - the main thing is that it doesn't give you asthma. Dogs and cats give me asthma, but hamsters don't - maybe because they are small!

If you do turn out to have a slight allergy, then if you use the aveeno cream regularly it should help, and if you put it on before handling the hamster it will provide a kind of barrier.

It could be 'contact dermatitis' which is a kind of eczema that breaks out when you have contact with something that aggravates your skin - like a lot of soap and water, cleaning chemicals, animals etc. I find washing up makes my hands worse than handling the hamster!

[Thin Lizzy]

Hi, try unscented, perfume free soap/hand wash.
Also there's a cream and lotion called E45 that's good for skin conditions.
The fact that you have other pets, I don't think it's an allergy.
I know that when I tend to over do my hand washing, my skin can become red and sore and I automatically use the above and it really helps. Also while you treat this, wear some cotton gloves.

Try Sanex, Simple or E45 hand washes.

[Pebbles82]

I forgot about E45 - you can buy a huge tub very cheap in boots. I can't use it because I'm allergic to lanolin! But most people can - but the Aveeno is lanolin free.

[Munchalot]

I get really bad eczema on my hands, particularly on my right hand. I can't touch cleaning products, hand soap, nothing. :L I'm also asthmatic, and have horrendous allergies.
I adore Longhaired hammies, but I've realised I'm really allergic to them. All I have to do is give Tansy or Jack a quick snuggle, and my hands itch and crack, my throat starts itching, I sneeze and my eyes start streaming... But it doesn't stop me haha.

For my hands I use something called Dermol. You can get it at the chemist. Its brilliant stuff. Its a moisturiser that is also anti-microbial, so you can use it to wash your hands instead of soap. As I can't use soap on my hands, it's ideal (even things like Simple make my hands flare and itch so bad they bleed). Only thing that has ever worked for me, and my hands have had everything from E45 to steroids. :L

[Tams_pets]

THANK YOU EVERYONE I can't tell you how helpful you've been, you literally just saved my life haha <333