Tarantula induced respiratory problems?

[Keith Richard]

Dear all,

Must wife is currently, and has for the past 8 - 10 weeks been experiencing some fairly significant respiratory problems...heavy wheezing, coughing, difficulty in breathing etc. She has completed a course of antibiotics which appear to have helped not one bit. She says the condition is at its worse when she is in our home. I suspect that this is totally non related to my collection of three Ts (B smithi, G pulchra, G aureostriata), but I have to be certain. Is it at all possible that the presence of new world Ts could contribute towards this condition? The Ts have been around for a couple of years and as far as I can tell, absolutely nothing within the indoor environment has changed. I have no ill effects whatsoever. The attic is full of that disgusting shredded blown paper type insulation which I suspect is not helping. I will have this replaced shortly. Do you folks have any experience of similar conditions attributed to tarantulas? I want to discount, or otherwise this theory before some smart arse doctor suggests it in lieu of not being able to come up with any other better suggestion (no offence to anyone in the medical service, but I have known stranger things to happened).

Thanks in advance.

 

[mebebraz]

You could always try putting them in a room that she doesnt enter. My son had kind of the sam e problem, he lives with his mother, divorced, and when he came to stay with me, his eyes would always get red and crusty, same breathing problems you described, turned out it was mold spores in the carpeting, he would lay on the floor in front of the tv and play playstation. Since then, we have him sitting in a chair to play it now, problem gone. Talked to his Dr. about it and he said no matter how many times you vaccuum some mold spores you just cant get rid of.

 

[Windchaser]

I have not heard of any respiratory problems associated with T's. Also, I don't believe there should be much a problem with the urticating hairs spreading very far from their enclosures, unlike pet dander that will be spread throughout a house due to the pet's roaming.

Does you wife interact with the T's much/at all? This should be the only way for her to become exposed to the urticating hairs.

It sounds more like there is a mold or mildew problem in your house that is causing the problem.

I hope you find the source of your wife's discomfort.

 

[jaswong00]

Respiratory problem

Hi, there is a possiblity that your wife might be allegic to Tarantulas. My girlfriend went to see an Allegist and the Dr. took my P.irmina sample skin to test her and see if she is allergic to T's. Luckily, the result was negative. This proved that it is possible to be allergic to T's just like cats, dogs, any other fury animals. No matter where you put the T's. The danduff of the T's still exist. Do you have any other animals beside T's? It might be other animals that your wife is allergic to. Good luck with your investigation.

Jason Wong

 

[Palespider]

I have no idea if it could be your tarantulas causing this, but sounds likely that it is something in/around the house is causing the condition.

Here's a horror story I read a while ago:
http://www.sustainableenterprises.com/fin/Victims/JillT.htm

 

[Elizabeth]

Hi, there is a possiblity that your wife might be allegic to Tarantulas. My girlfriend went to see an Allegist and the Dr. took my P.irmina sample skin to test her and see if she is allergic to T's. Luckily, the result was negative. This proved that it is possible to be allergic to T's just like cats, dogs, any other fury animals. No matter where you put the T's. The danduff of the T's still exist. Do you have any other animals beside T's? It might be other animals that your wife is allergic to. Good luck with your investigation.

Jason Wong

No, no. The dander of furry animals is not found on Ts. You have to have skin in order to have dander. Furry animals walk around and spread their hair, dander, snot and whatnot. It might be possible to be allergic to Ts. However, usually Ts aren't walking around the place, spreading their urticating hairs. I think the wife would have to be more directly in contact with the Ts or their housing to suffer allergic effects, if indeed, she was allergic.

I think mold (spores) is much more likely, too. I don't know who you would call, but I worked in a building once, and some gov't agency was able to come and test the air quality when we started getting headaches, etc, at work. It was mold spores in our case. Could you find someone to test the air at your home?

 

[Sheri]

Well... I really have no clue what the possibilities are, but both of my kids have been diagnosed with mild asthma in the past 6 months... Its hard not to at least consider that it might be the damnb hair kickers. But they are really spread throughout the house, I have about 30 in the bedroom, where we all sleep. But I have been reducing the collection and will be trying hard to restrict myuself to just a few NW... it's hard though!
But the kids will soon be in their own room, with no spiders in it, so I'll see if that seems to make a difference or not.

Eventually, I hope to have most of the animals in a room dowstairs, once I build it. I will, of course, keep a dozen or so favorites upstairs for my continual viewing pleasure.

If you don't find mold to be the problem, then maybe keep all the T's in one room with a HEPA filter near.

 

[cryptly]

I had a similar experience once with respratory symptoms just like your wife's. At first I thought I was sick, saw the doctor and several expensive prescriptions later I was no better. Then I thought I may have developed an allergy to the cats. Had all sorts of allergy tests run, and found out I wasn't allergic to the cats, it was mold. The basement was full of it, and the spores were spreading through the house via the air ducts. I suggest your wife talk to a doctor about the possibility of allergies, as well as finding somebody who can test the air in your house for mold spores. A doctor or health agency should be able to point you in the right direction.

The only way a T with irritating hairs could cause these symptoms is if it was close to the face and the hairs were breathed in when it started kicking them.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

Hi, there is a possiblity that your wife might be allegic to Tarantulas. My girlfriend went to see an Allegist and the Dr. took my P.irmina sample skin to test her and see if she is allergic to T's. Luckily, the result was negative. This proved that it is possible to be allergic to T's just like cats, dogs, any other fury animals. No matter where you put the T's. The danduff of the T's still exist. Do you have any other animals beside T's? It might be other animals that your wife is allergic to. Good luck with your investigation.

Jason Wong

I fail to see how a negative result proves that you can be allergic to Ts :?

Anyway, I don't know what kind of reaction a T can or can not create in a human, but about mould I know that it is one of the most sneaky and toxic things ever to invade our homes. Being a fellow T keeper you certainly understand the problem with warm moist spots... I can only suggest to check and double check any kind of place where it is dark, moist and relatively warm (even if you had to pull some furniture or other away from the walls that would fall into that category, it's worth it.) I'm rather freaked out about mould I have to admit, I guess a little more than some others may be. I'm studying to become a teacher - in that line I am often meeting fellow teachers who have been teaching in very bad buildings for many years. A far too large number of them have serious resperatory problems today .

Other than that I only would be able to think of furry pets you might have, but in case you had any you would certainly have thought of them already...

I hope you find the source of it all and best wishes!

 

[bugsnstuff]

interesting thread.

i am diagnosed ( have been for about 12 years) with asthma too and two things set it off:
Lasiodora (no other genus affects me funnily enough) urticating hairs and Rats

if i have short exposure i end up, a few hours later, feeling like i have a weight on my chest, then i start to cough, but because of the incapacity to breathe in deeply this causes more coughing...ever decreasing circle. but this then happens for a few days.
with longer exposure the coughing gets so bad i can end up spitting blood, but it hasn't been that bad for a few years, last time was when i got a face full of parahybana hairs

 

[critterz]

T's can not have dander. To have dander, you must shed your skin in very small pieces (mammals, birds, etc.). Invertebrates shed their skin all in one piece, so it cannot diffuse into the air. And as many others stated, I do not believe the hairs are small enough to float around the house and cause problems from indirect exposure.

 

[Schlyne]

I would suggest you look into getting your ducts cleaned if you have central heat and air. a lot of mold, dustmites, etc can build up.

Have you tried airwashers/air purifiers yet?

 

[bonesmama]

Sounds like one of my asthma attacks! I spent years as a kid going for shots-I was never allowed any pets that had hair or feathers! It was so bad for a while that my parents pulled up all the rugs and I was home-schooled! Then, when I "grew up"-lol- I decided I wanted to groom dogs. It didn't seem to make it any worse. It's gotten steadily better over the years, I don't know if I just grew out of it or what, but IMHO - (and in my case, anyway) I think it was more dust, pollen, wtc than evil animal dander ;P . In any case, good luck!

 

[NoS]

Mold is a bigger, and more serious problem then most people realize. It has nearly killed whole familes before. Central air units can leak and cause mold in the walls and carpet. Bathrooms and kitchens that are not sealed correctly can also do the same. Vacuum cleaners that have not been cleaned properly can hold mold in them and when you go to use it it shoots spores everywhere. Look for discoloring in the walls paint. Feel around for moist or soft spots in the walls. If you can, pull up some areas of the carpets and look for mold. There are companies who can come in and test for mold as well. May be expensive but your health is more important.
Mold is a very serious thing. Don NOT take it lightly.

 

[Socrates]

NoS just basically took the words right out of my mouth. I'm in no way, shape or form any kind of medical expert, but "mold spores" came to my mind as well.

Keith, have you had an abnormal amount of moisture/rain in your area?

I do doubt that your wife's condition is related to the Ts.

Good luck, speedy recovery for your wife, and please keep us posted if you find out the culprit.

---
Wendy
---

 

[Elizabeth]

The last 8 to 10 weeks is the bulk of the rainy winter season here. Oh yeah, he's had moisture!

 

[Keith Richard]

Thanks for all for the excellent responses. A couple things I should have included: wife has no physical interaction with the Ts other than topping up water bowls and dropping in food to the enclosures. None of the Ts kick hairs...they're very content. As mentioned, the Ts have been around for few years, but this condition has only manifested itself over the past 10 weeks or so.

Point taken re mold spores...will call in a professional. We have noticed that around this time of year, when it rains, there is quite a heavy residual green "powder" (spores?) when the ground water dries up. We tend to have windows open throughout the day. Also, wife enjoys yoga and spends quite some time on the floor.....hmmmm....it's starting to become clearer as to what might be going on here. Wifey is asthmatic and takes steroid inhalers as necessary. I am not in favour of the long term use of steroids. Are there any alternative treatments for asthma type conditions that do not contemplate the use of steroids?

Thanks again.

 

[Tony]

I'll drop my problem...After nightly feedings I would experience eye irritation, wheezing etc...I couldn't fathom becoming alergic to my T's...I began to think it was those filthy crickets, and I was right. But it takes hand contact and then rubbing my eyes..I discovered this at a swap, after I fed a cricket to a pede with my left hand. I rubbed my left eye and it looked like hell after that. I no longer allow myself to touch my eyes until I scrub thoroughly, nor do I put my head anywhere near the tub like I used to...
T

 

[Keith Richard]

Damp In The Basement Causing Mold And Consequent Spores. Need To Re-route Some Guttering, Tear Out Some Sheet Rock And Replace With Panelling. Carpet Has To Be Trashed Also. Been Advised To Pipe In Some Heat From The Furnace.

Strange As How I Have Never Experienced Any Of These Ill Effects, Particularly As The Basement Is My "den".

Thanks Again All.

P.S. I knew it couldn't have been my "hairy" girls ;-)

 

[Cirith Ungol]

I'm happy it's not your Ts, nontheless I'm sorry it's mould! Is what you described all the stuff the professionals found out?

Good you are getting underway to get everything rebuilt. I think in time you too would have been developing symptoms. I hope and wish you get it all sorted out so that all of you can be living in a much healthier environment soon!