Budgie Allergies?

[blizzard]

I'm really wanting a budgie, but I wont be getting one until around September time, I've been reading a lot of websites, asking friends who own or has owned budgies for advice, and I know the basics of owning and caring for a bird due to information I have picked up on my university course (Animal Behaviour and Welfare)...

It all seems so great, but then I came across a thread on the older version of this forum about Budgie dander and dust, about how it would be best to have an air purifier? I think it was started by someone called "Barrie Shutt"? Then it occured to me, what about allergies?

Now, I'm not at all allergic to animals, but my boyfriend is allergic to cats and horses, not serverely allergic, but if he pets a cat and then dosn't wash his hands afterwards, or if he's in my parents' living room (they own 3 cats), which is where the cats spend most of the time, he starts getting a mild allergic reaction (red, teary and itchy eyes, runny nose, that kinda thing). To top it all off, he's also asthmatic... He isn't allergic to most animals, but we're unsure if he'll be allergic to budgies, so we're going to go to a pet shop this weekend to see if budgies trigger a reaction. If he's not allergic them, then YAY! but if he is...

I was wandering if anyone is allergic to their budgies and how can you combat/manage it?

[Gaile]

I know that a few people have strict cleaning routines to keep the dander & dust down!!

[MattJ]

I'm allergic to cats (same symptoms) and dogs but not budgies

With the cats, I actually got over it when we moved into this house, the people who live upstairs cats would come in our house all the time (they've gone now) - and over time with exposure I got completely used to them. I hadnt had a reaction to a dog since being licked as a child until recently when I went to a friends who owns 3 Burmese mountain dogs lol

[Marianne Marlow]

If you even suspect that your boyfriend could be allergic to budgies then make sure he is tested before you get them.

It will be heartbreaking if you have to give them away and also not fair on the birds.

I was admitted to hospital a year ago today with severe breathing difficulties. It was a 5 day stay on 24 hour oxygen and strong steroids before I was discharged.

I am still on steroids and various other medications.

They told me that I had to give up my birds or I will basically die a slow (or fast according to them..) painful death. Turns out I am allergic to my birds droppings and dander. I am also allergic to pigeon droppings and dander and grass pollen.

Needless to say I am stubborn and did not give up my birds. Not a chance.

More than half of my birds are rehomings and I do not feel that they should have to suffer and be uprooted. I gave them a home for their entire life and I am not about to go back on that.

My cleaning regime changed dramatically when I left hospital, we also got an air purifier and vacuum with a HEPA filter to trap as much for the dust and dander as possible.

I'll probably be on steroids for as long as I have my birds though!

[blizzard]

Does the air purifier help at all or a lot? I was thinking about getting one anyway for his sake to be honest, because he really does struggle being in stuffy/dusty rooms.

He does take "piriteze" to combat being around the cats (When we're at my parents' house), which does work, to a point. In the evenings, when the pill affect has run out, he struggles to sleep sometimes because of allergy. And i'm sure he dosn't really want to be taking piriteze everyday for the rest of the budgie's life.

But I really hope he's not allergic! Like I said, we're going to try and find a pet shop around Gloucester and then he's going to see if he is allergic to budgies or not.

[Marianne Marlow]

To be honest I hope it helps, how do you tell?! (the air purifier) but it's no substitute for a good cleaning regime!

Just going into a pet shop will not be enough to see if he's allergic. I had no idea anything was wrong with my breathing because it crept up on me. It was more than a year before enough damage was done to send me in an ambulance to hospital.

[barrieshutt]

The air purifire is a must for any budgerigar keeper as is ventilation

[blizzard]

Then I really hope he's not allergic to budgies! He's not allergic to my mum's chicken though... but then I guess they have different dander...

[Marianne Marlow]

Jan 26, 2012 10:18:24 GMT barrieshutt said:

The air purifire is a must for any budgerigar keeper as is ventilation

Absolutely Barrie. I agree.

We have good ventilation now as we made some structures for the windows so that they can be open even when the budgies are out.

Basically I live in an aviary!

[blizzard]

Wow, that's pretty impressive, but unfortunately, I won't be able to do that to the windows in the house I'll be moving into. Neither can I have a room dedicated to the budgies.

[Marianne Marlow]

Jan 26, 2012 11:09:00 GMT blizzard said:

Wow, that's pretty impressive, but unfortunately, I won't be able to do that to the windows in the house I'll be moving into. Neither can I have a room dedicated to the budgies.

That is my living room!

We have a one bedroom flat.

[samwiseg]

Marianne/Barry - Does it depend on how many birds you have though? I am asthmatic and I only have one and live in a 1 bedroomed flat where Monts resides in the lounge - but would imagine you weed need to purify the air with the more birds you have? P.S You have a lovely lounge Marianne

[barrieshutt]

Jan 26, 2012 16:15:12 GMT samwiseg said:

Marianne/Barry - Does it depend on how many birds you have though? I am asthmatic and I only have one and live in a 1 bedroomed flat where Monts resides in the lounge - but would imagine you weed need to purify the air with the more birds you have? P.S You have a lovely lounge Marianne

I bird will not help your asthma , there are some cheap air purifires at argos

[samwiseg]

Thanks Barrie - I knew you would know! May have to invest in one of those then