Dealing With Hay Allergies…

[Hamsterz4Life]

I desperately want a pet rabbit. I want only one, who I can love and care for like a baby! However, I am allergic to hay(all of it, orchard whatever). I don’t want this to stop me though…

I would have him/her outside in a hutch with an attached run. In the upper hutch about 1/3 of it has a piece of wood seperating it from the rest of the area, so its darker. I would store the hay only in there so it is away from me but readily available! Also, they would be outside so it would not be as strong.

I would bring him/her inside… my question is: Would the hay stick to his/her fur to still cause hay problems even if I bought him/her indoors to play?

Thanks, any suggestions or problems with the above will be fantastic! x

[Stickerbunny]

If you intend to keep bunny outdoors, be SURE your area does not get extreme weather. Heat (90+) can be DEADLY to our domestic rabbits. Rabbits in the wild sleep in cool burrows under ground, in a hutch, they don’t have the cool, damp earth to keep them from over heating. Also, be sure you can predator proof it. Outdoor bunnies can be scared literally to death by predators and you’ll need to make sure no dogs/cats/foxes etc can dig under the fencing.

Yes some hay particles will likely cling to the bunny’s fur. If your allergy is severe, it could be a problem.

Why not look into a pet that will not set off your allergies and you could keep inside with you, so it could be part of the family?

[Hamsterz4Life]

To be honest, keeping him/her outside is not due to allergies but as that is what I have heard is best. Our area is normally about 14 degrees celcius. I am from england and 90 degrees is like a blue moon here. The hutch will have a thermal cover and is predator proofed. There aren’t really any predators in my area anyway. Thanks

[LongEaredLions]

It is definitely not best to keep bunnies outside. It will expose them to many more diseases and predators, whether you think they are there or not. I would not get a bun unless you could keep them inside, where they could be part of the family.

[Stickerbunny]

Not sure why anyone would say it’s best to keep a bunny outdoors. o.O Did they give you reasons?

Inside they can be part of the family, sleep in the bed if they learn to behave/want to (some can, some can’t), have run of the house (once they are trained well enough), get constant attention, etc. My buns sleep at my feet, one used to sleep in my bed and they are more like cats than anything. They come to me when they want attention, they let me know when the food is empty, they just hang out all the time I am home.

Outside, they only get attention when you have the time to devote to JUST them (instead of curling up on the couch to watch a movie with the bun beside you), are vulnerable to fly strike, predators (a cat, dog, hawk, fox, rats, ferrets, possum, etc etc), diseases from outdoor animals (mice, spiders, snakes, wild birds, etc), parasites from the dirt/other animals feces, weather. Plus, if there are any weeds/plants/flowers that are toxic to them, it’s deadly. And if they get sick (gas, GI stasis, tooth issues, various other common health issues) you are less likely to see it if they are outside vs inside where you can pretty much always see them. My two have had tummy issues twice, both late at night before bed and both required attention to avoid becoming full on stasis… if they had been outside, I wouldn’t even have noticed until the next morning since I would have gone to bed instead of walking by and noticing the loafing and uncomfortable looking rabbit.

For allergy control – you can get an air purifier to keep the hay particles out of the air some. Daily vacuuming can help. Wash your hands after handling bunny or hay. If you keep any food inside, you can store it in a plastic container so it is contained a bit.

[Standard_Procedure]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Delonghi-AC230-Compact-Purifier-Filtration/dp/B009DFZLBQ/ref=pd_sim_kh_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BFWW5EMDPWA2G3PXG2G

Buy this and you can have the rabbit indoors. You’ll never see fur or hay dust flying around ever again. I use this and it works wonders. Looks like you currently can’t buy this model from Amazon cause a customer made a fuss. I use this and the other reviews are also positive. Not sure why that one particular customer is having problems.

[LongEaredLions]

I was just going to suggest an air purifier-they help a lot. Also, keep the hay in tightly closed bins and change clothes and was your hands after handling the hay.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Are you allergic to all hay? I hear Timothy is one of the most common hay allergies. But people can switch to like meadow or oat hay and not have any allergies at all. But Timothy is a very common irritant.

Also, if you go the air purifier route. Make sure to turn the ionizer off if it has one. They do have health risks. If it’s used in a small room. I have a purifier and keep the ionizer off for the most part.

[Hamsterz4Life]

I am allergic to all hay unfortunately. What about grass… I know none of you were doctors but as I am allergic to hay, do you think I will be allergic to grass? Thanks everyone x

[LongEaredLions]

You are likely allergic to the dust in the hay, so you probably would be fine with grass. However, your bunny would need to have access to fresh grass 24-7 if you were to exchange it for hay, and many bunnies don’t do well on a grass diet.

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