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Posted by: haic, purplecrayonhr@aol.com
Subject: Allergic to leadbeaters...
When: 5:15 AM, 02 Dec 2000
IP: 152.163.207.188
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Turns out my gliders are fine with the leadbeaters, but I'M allergic to it *LOL*.

No, I'm not eating it, but after the two of them took a bath in it (hopping in the dish, smearing it on each other, rolling in it) I took them out of the cage to give them a real bath with water. Of course they scrammbled across my hands and arms with their paws covered in it (and the rest of their little selves too) and afterwards I couldn't help but notice the itchy welts wherever their paws had been. Ugh!

I'm now giving them their dinner in much smaller dishes that they can't get in. I think their disappointed, but at least they won't have to have another bath in water anytime soon. They didn't bite or even crab during their bathes. They just looked at me with pitiful expressions on their little faces, then cuddled beneath my shirt as if saying, "Hold me. That was terrible, and scary, and we're poor babies."



Follow Ups:

Posted by: KarenE, KarenElfrank@aol.com
Subject: none
When: 6:36 AM, 02 Dec 2000
IP: 64.12.104.26

After reading your post, I am thinking that perhaps you are having a reaction to the scratches made by their claws rather than the leadbeaters.
In order to determine whether or not it is actually the leadbeaters or their claws, have you tried putting a small amount of leadbeaters on your skin? Do you have allergies to specific foods that you are aware of?
Most people do have a reaction to the scrathces which are made by their glider's claws ... they will usually notice small red whelps with itching ... very similar to mosquito bites.



Posted by: Kerry
Subject: Something to consider . . .
When: 9:05 AM, 02 Dec 2000
IP: 152.163.195.178

I think that it's possible it could be the Leadbeaters. I get scratched all the time by four differant sugar gliders, and never get welts with one exception. One of my sugar gliders is QUITE fond of my tinyatiel's eggs and sneaks into her cage to steal and eat them. EVERYTIME he has just been eating these raw eggs, after he gets it all over his paws, where ever he scratches me I get the ichy welts/hives. I am not allergic to eggs to my knowledge (at least not cooked ones) but I started reading about hives just because I was curious if that was what I had, and it said that egg was one of the possible triggers. So, it's quite possible that some ingrediant in the Leadbeaters could be 'causing the same reaction.
And, oh, I forgot to add, he has to SCRATCH the skin! Just getting on my skin is not enough, it has to get in a scratch!
Anyway, just wanted to share that story smile

Kerry (with Jack and Gus-Gus)



Posted by: haic, purplecrayonhr@aol.com
Subject: none
When: 11:52 AM, 02 Dec 2000
IP: 205.188.192.47

I think it must definately be something in the leadbeaters. I get scratches from them all the time without any reaction. It's ok. It just means I won't be using leadbeaters as a skin cream. wink



Posted by: Bourbon
Subject: none
When: 12:58 PM, 02 Dec 2000
IP: 216.248.35.250

LOL okay lets see if I can explain what has happened, they were "rolling in it" therefore that means it is up under the nails ans in places that it normally wouldn't be. Their nails are super fine and tapes to a point that can just getinto a pore of your skin, what i do suuggest, and no I am not crazy is a simple alcohol solution.. We take cosmetic pads and put them in a airtight resealable container and douse them whicth the alcohol, after play time, we rub our arms, legs etc where ever they scratched at.
I work with Severe biters, and I always pour the alcohol, right over the bite holes. I have learned this works much better and quicker than anything else we have tried over the years, those that have "finally" started doing it, also agrees, it works extremely well, the burn only last for a second, but there is no welts, no burning and no itching. This is something I highly suggest




Posted by: Barb, blooprints@yahoo.com
Subject: none
When: 2:32 PM, 02 Dec 2000
IP: 63.180.48.15


LOL



Posted by: Kerry
Subject: none
When: 8:28 PM, 02 Dec 2000
IP: 64.12.105.41

Well, I'll try the alcohol thing next time and check back with you if it works smile Thing is, it's not like an infected scratch, it's like actual hives (not just whelts like you would think, odd shaped, bumby, ichy hives!)where the scratches are! Like an alergic reaction, so not really a matter of just "killing germs". However, cleaning what's 'causing the reaction might help if it can be caught in time. Anyway, I am just glad I am not the only one who has had this problem smile

Kerry (with Jack and Gus-Gus)



Posted by: chrissy, crisi13@aol.com
Subject: none
When: 12:19 AM, 03 Dec 2000
IP: 152.163.197.62

JUST my opinion but, I have the same reaction from the gliders climbing on me, even before the leadbeaters, do you have any allergic reactions to cats? I do when i have been scratched badly by a cats the same thing happens.......



Posted by: chrissy, crisi13@aol.com
Subject: none
When: 12:25 AM, 03 Dec 2000
IP: 152.163.197.62

Haic, How old are your gliders? and how old where they when you got them started on leadbeaters? I ask this cuz when i first got my gliders and they would climb on me I never had a problem ....... then after a few mnth it got really bad, every time they climbed on my arms this would happen and it was bad itched like crazy!!!!!!!! (like how kerry described) well anyways the reason that I ask the age thing is, are you clipping there nails, since i have been keeping their nails clipped things have been much much better....just a suggestion.



Posted by: chrissy, crisi13@aol.com
Subject: none
When: 12:28 AM, 03 Dec 2000
IP: 152.163.197.62

forgot something..... raspberry sorry
the alcohole thing, well i try that and it helps at first take away the itching because it burns but only will power NOT TO SCRATCH takes away the itch and welts.. raspberry raspberry



Posted by: Kerry
Subject: none
When: 3:23 PM, 03 Dec 2000
IP: 152.163.195.177

I don't have any allergies to anything, which is what makes the raw egg/glider scratches thing so wierd!!! I had never even had hives before! And it happens everytime my gliders gets raw egg on his paws, and that is the only time it happens. It's not like just an infected scratch. That's my experience, anyway.

By the way, does anyone else have problems with their sugar gliders stealing their birds' eggs?

Kerry (with Jack and Gus-Gus)



Posted by: Debbie, delliott@telocity.com
Subject: none
When: 8:38 PM, 03 Dec 2000
IP: 216.227.111.97

Maybe if you made your leadbeater's with boiled rather than raw egg you wouldn't react to it so badly (?)



Posted by: Judie, RichJHausmann@cs.com
Subject: none
When: 3:26 AM, 04 Dec 2000
IP: 205.188.199.33

Since the Sugar Glider is an omnivore and it does eat small birds, I would guess that if they can get to bird eggs in the wild it is a natural thing. One of my gliders named Kiwi, if given the chance, will get into the cage with my conure and eat his sunflower seeds. Paco the quaker conure just sits and looks at him.