You need to make sure you spot clean your guinea pigs cage daily and deep clean their cage once a week.
Allergy free bedding for guinea pigs.
Here are the reasons.
Immunotherapy allergy shots for guinea pigs is the best option as successful treatment is a cure rather than treating symptoms with drugs.
For many years wood was the preferred bedding option when housing small animals.
Deligating your pet s cleaning and avoiding contact with your furniture will help to reduce the impact of the allergies.
Historically there have been 3 types of guinea pig bedding.
Shown below are some of the most common allergic reactions that people experience when in close contact with guinea pigs.
If you are interested in scientific research in the guinea pig allergy field i would recommend a paper and references available.
Now what actually is an allergen.
If you are experiencing the allergy symptoms listed above and have switched your guinea pigs bedding without success then you may well be allergic.
It may be the hay or the bedding materials aspen pine.
Remember when i said any warm blooded animal which has hair fur or feather can cause an allergy to a human being.
In general when people say they are allergic to guinea pigs then that means they are allergic to one of the allergens the guinea pig carries.
Wood guinea pig shavings.
Asthma perhaps the most common allergic symptom asthma is a respiratory reaction that makes it difficult for a person to breathe.
Guinea pigs are not always the cause of your allergy.
You might need to change or wash the bedding as per the debris buildup in the cage.
However times have progressed and you should not use wood shavings for guinea pig bedding.
When you call the allergist to make an appointment be sure to tell them you want to be tested for guinea pigs as they may need to order the serum.
The earlier that you are able to validate your allergy to a guinea pig the better.
Types of guinea pig bedding.
If you re allergic to guinea pigs it s important to remember that the protein responsible for that allergy is mostly found in the animal s saliva and urine.
Get tested for guinea pig allergies.
Most commonly reported allergic reactions to guinea pigs are manifesting as.
Bedding allergy is another most common type of allergy in guinea pigs.
Try to switch materials or omit them completely for 1 week.
Most of the time bedding allergy is due to the improper living environment.
However that protein can be transferred to the guinea pig s coat or skin during grooming or passing waste and may be transferred to your skin if you handle the guinea pig or its bedding.