Cat allergic to Hissing Roaches

[Gail]

So... I got back into the roach hobby about a year ago after having had bad allergic reaction myself. Found that if I kept the numbers small and kept them very clean with a HEPA filter in the bug room, all was well and I could enjoy them again. I did try the totally natural route with substrate, cleaner bugs, etc. but that backfired when the tanks matured and 'shrooms started growing which caused a reaction, so I am back to bare floor, twice a week cleanings. The 'shoom and mold issue also had me end up getting rid of my millipede tanks too.

Then enter a new kitten 5 months ago. Swore there would be no more cats after we (painfully) lost the last one to a vets incompetence. But well... you know how that goes. And now, the mystery of the red eyed cat has been solved as he managed to open the lid and get his head into the big hisser tank - he is severely allergic to the hissers :-(

So, once again, I am contemplating how to find new homes for this last batch of hissers (just your standard hissers but this colony seems to throw a lot of large dark morphs so I suspect that either it wasn't a pure line or a nymph or two of my giant black hissers got into the tank somehow). I know I could try to keep him out of the room, but well, you know how kittens/cats are. And he seems to have a problem just from sniffing me when I have been in there. And honestly, it is getting to be a bit tedious to keep a HEPA filter running, use gloves to clean/handle and disinfect the tank twice a week so that I keep my own reaction down. I already got rid of my colony of giant black hissers this past summer as having two hisser tanks was too much for my nose.

I'm thinking of packing them up and taking them to the Pittsburgh Reptile show next month to trade them off. But... the problem is that I have gotten into the geckos now and so I actually need some type of feeder I can keep on hand and raise. Are there ANY roaches that don't cause a reaction, or at least that are less likely to cause an allergic reaction? .... or maybe I just need to start keeping some other type of critters as a hobby that don't cause problems LOL... like maybe fish ha!

 

[The Snark]

It appears you are better versed in deducing an allergen than most of us. As you are probably aware, as a specialist would explain, the allergy is rarely species specific. In allergies of this type, if memory serves, you have some degree of sensitivity to all arthropods, a greater sensitivity to certain families, and a degree of hypersensitivity to certain genera.
IE, the actual diagnosis, identifying the culprit, is up to you, an expert, and your immune system having a chat and working out the specific details.
Very typical of allergies is sensitivity to shellfish and many sufferers are so sensitive it can never be narrowed down below the family level. Arthropoda are similar.

That said, you are on the right track with your filtration and isolation. Much better than playing a juggling act guessing game with certain animals and antihistamines. It pretty much comes down to you doing the sleuthing, keeping in mind some allergens are also synergists.
Have you checked out home allergen test kits? Pro-Lab makes some very reasonably priced ones.

 

[The Snark]

As far as your cat's allergy goes, atopy, this is a job for Sherlock Holmes. If the HEPA filter reduces or eliminates it the cause is environmental. Or at least the symptoms are. The cause could still be food related with it's immune system geared up to cope with protein X and airborne contaminant Y just getting in on the game.
The methodology for deducing the cause is always the same. Complete change of diet and isolation until no symptoms persist over a given period of time. Then a slow, methodical reintroduction to one, food or environment. This can take years to properly deduce and diagnose.

 

[JAFUENTES]

It could be a type of bacteria or mold that grows on there fecal matter.

 

[Gail]

It could be a type of bacteria or mold that grows on there fecal matter.

Yes, from what I have read, I believe it is the mold which grows on the roaches themselves.

 

[Gail]

As far as your cat's allergy goes, atopy, this is a job for Sherlock Holmes.

In this case, I think even Sherlock Holmes himself would say "it's elementary"
Cat is fine until said cat puts his nebby nose into the roach tank when I have the lid off to clean them. And sadly, my own reaction which had been quite minimal with the air cleaner and regular cleanings, seems to have been increasing, so I have still decided that I need to let them go. Problem is finding someone to take them who won't be an idiot with them - use them to scare friends, try to feed 4.5 inch roaches to a pet which would result in a tortured roach and an injured pet. etc. - hopefully I will have luck at the reptile show. I know they are "just bugs" but I feel a responsibility to them. I have raised them and cared for them, and although I do feed the small roaches to my lizards, the adults are used to a gentle and caring environment. I don't like to think of them getting mistreated or cruelly stepped on due to someone's idiotic joke.

 

[Hisserdude]

In this case, I think even Sherlock Holmes himself would say "it's elementary"
Cat is fine until said cat puts his nebby nose into the roach tank when I have the lid off to clean them. And sadly, my own reaction which had been quite minimal with the air cleaner and regular cleanings, seems to have been increasing, so I have still decided that I need to let them go. Problem is finding someone to take them who won't be an idiot with them - use them to scare friends, try to feed 4.5 inch roaches to a pet which would result in a tortured roach and an injured pet. etc. - hopefully I will have luck at the reptile show. I know they are "just bugs" but I feel a responsibility to them. I have raised them and cared for them, and although I do feed the small roaches to my lizards, the adults are used to a gentle and caring environment. I don't like to think of them getting mistreated or cruelly stepped on due to someone's idiotic joke.

Then put up an add here and sell them to a responsible hobbyist, you'd probably have better luck posting on the roach forum though. You should find someone willing to take them who will take good care of them, there are a lot of roach hobbyists out there!