I am allergic to the Timothy Hay….

[sinistermooess]

Are all hays pretty much the same allergen or should I try other kinds to see how I react.  It feels as though I am in the height of my allergy season, and handling the hay gives me bumps and itchiness for hours afterwards.  I have started wearing a plastic grocery bag over my hand when I am handling it, that helps a little. 

Is the hay you can order fsell at the store from the BB Store good?  It’s cheaper then the stuff they sell here, I was thinking of ordering it.  Any recomendations?

[Sarita]

That’s pretty common. Sometimes it depends on where the timothy hay is harvested as well as to allergy problems. I understand that most people are most allergic to the timothy hay too.

The BB hay is excellent but it’s only 40 oz’s and I use mine as a treat rather than as the main stay hay for my rabbits – but I should mention I also have 9 rabbits so those who use BB hay’s that have 1 or 2 rabbits might be a better judge if that would work as a mainstay hay in that quantity. I would recommend that you try Orchard grass too as a hay.

[wendyzski]

I am allergic to timothy hay.  Some ways I minimize my exposure are:

Handle with my hands in plastic carrier bags, and wash thoroughly afterwards.

I have my hay in a hanging rack over the litterbox.  My bun is now free-range, but this is what I used to use:

It’s a cardboard box zip-tied to the side of the cage.  The leftover bits mostly fall in the litterbox, and she can pull the strands through the bars.  I made is pretty big so I only had to fill in (and therefore handle the hay) once a week or so.

I also roomba pretty regularly and keep a small broom and dustpan to catch any spills/

 

 

[jerseygirl]

Often it’s the hay dust too that triggers the allergies. Brome, Orchard and Oat hay are good alternatives I hear. Perhaps you could get someone eles to handle the hay in the meantime?

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hi! I also have some allergy to the hay as well and I give it a good shake outside before bringing it inside for my rabbits. What I have also done since Daffodil has allergies is buy a smaller model of air purifier and placed it next to their cage. I have a larger one in the main hallway of the house too and it has helped considerably. You might also want to try switching brands of hay as well. Some hay has more pollen & dust than others.

[bitterepiphany]

As I posted in another thread, Meco’s hay is stored in a rubbermaid bin far away from our clothes (in the disused coat closet by the door…actually, it’s not disused, we store the Christmas tree there.) When we have to give her more, M takes it on the patio, with gloves, gives it a shake, puts it in her dish and then brings it back into the house. For major handling (i.e., to fill the bin) we use a mask on the patio. We don’t store the masks by the hay and the gloves are kept in the ktichen to keep them from being contaminated by the hay.

We only give her what she can eat in a day at a time to prevent us from being exposed to too much at a time. It seems to work for us, and I’m practically a bubble child

[dmh426]

I am allergic to everything living that grows in the ground. LOL. I’ve always just assumed that I will have to suffer through my hay allergies to keep Sophie healthy. Orchard grass is a good alternative to timothy hay and if you get KayTee brand, it’s compact so there is less hay dust. That’s really the only thing i’ve found, and that doesn’t even really help. Hay racks are messy, and I swear that I can see the hay dust in he air when i’ve used a hay rack before. if you find an answer to our prayers, let me know! please!

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