Allergic to mealworms and dubias?

[TomasH]

I have become allergic to mealworms and have tried to feed crickets and dubias instead to my leos. Now I just heard that dubias is onething you can be really allergic to and some people has been having bad asthma attacs when feeding dubias to their geckos!
In one "bug keepers forum" where I'm a member, alot of people wrote about their dubia-allergy and people seemes to be allergic only to dubias (and hissing cockroaches)!
So, I'm thinking of stop feeding with dubias and then I'm stuck with the crickets. Have anyone heard about severe allergy to cricket?

 

[reps4life]

I have become allergic to mealworms and have tried to feed crickets and dubias instead to my leos. Now I just heard that dubias is onething you can be really allergic to and some people has been having bad asthma attacs when feeding dubias to their geckos!
In one "bug keepers forum" where I'm a member, alot of people wrote about their dubia-allergy and people seemes to be allergic only to dubias (and hissing cockroaches)!
So, I'm thinking of stop feeding with dubias and then I'm stuck with the crickets. Have anyone heard about severe allergy to cricket?

I am also allergic to roaches but not crickets. Have you tried wearing disposible gloves while entering the bins?

 

[Wild West Reptile]

As someone who has never been allergic to anything.....what happens?

 

[reps4life]

As someone who has never been allergic to anything.....what happens?

Your one lucky one It depends on the severity of your allergies. Itching, hives, sneezing. Trouble breathing in most who have allergies and asthma.

 

[reps4life]

The problem is that it's not only skin contact when it comes to roaches. It's also respiratory, so gloves will only lessen the severity of the allergy attack.
You can try phoenix worms, silkworms and hornworms. I have never had a problem with those.

 

[grboxa]

As someone who has never been allergic to anything.....what happens?

:O....lucky:main_angry:

 

[Kotori]

You can buy 'Household dust masks' at a hardware store. They look silly and smell funny but they are cheap and work well, at least for pollen.

I had to wear one whe working on my garden because I had a lot of ragweed in my yard...not fun.

 

[Wild West Reptile]

Oh, so it's basically like allergies to pollen and such. That really blows! I guess we don't get much pollen in the air out here in California...at least where I'm living. I feel sorry for those of you who are allergic to feeders though.

 

[jermh1]

I am allergic to dubias' and it sucks because I need to use them and dont have any other choice with the amount of animals I have.
I have a nice respirator, its a silicone mask with filters for paint. Then latex gloves on top of that, and I can work easily with them. Unless one crawls up my arm it will leave an intense itchy hive trail.
Basically you can sensitize yourself to just about anything if you overdue exposure, and I think the breathing of the dust from the colonies is what did it for me. I kept them for well over a year before I had any reaction; it started as slight wheezing here and there to needing an inhaler and hives on contact. No reaction to hissers though.

I would seriously recommend wearing a respirator and gloves to anyone who is breeding any feeders, At least during feeding and cleaning. I even use them when working with supers and mealies even though I am not allergic as of yet.

 

[cheeseball705]

I just got tested they only test for cockroaches but mealworms I guess from same family. We use superworms and they bother me alot less than mealies but sometimes my breathing still bad if alot of dust and feces but managable