Dealing with Rabbit Allergies

I, like a surprisingly high number of rabbit owners, am a little allergic to bunnies. This may come as a surprise since they are such a large part of my life, but it’s true. I realized this fact back when I got my first black tort Holland Lop, Hansel, but I fell in love with the breed and decided I would just have to deal with a little sneezing every once in a while. It’s worth it for the cuteness, right? Over the years I’ve learned what helps to minimize these allergies and what to totally avoid. If you find yourself in a similar position but don’t want to give up your little fluffball, take a look at these points. Of course, this is no substitute for actual medicine or allergy testing, so make sure to put your health first!

Investigate Other Allergens:

For many owners, rabbits aren’t the real issue. Personally, I find that many hays and beddings will set me off. Dusty Timothy hay is one of the biggest offenders. Consider switching to a company that sifts their hay, and trying some different varieties. One Ear Up’s Meadow Medley is one of my favorites, as it is literally devoured by our buns and pretty much dust-free. 

Wood shavings are another possible cause. If you use Aspen or Kiln dried pine shavings, you may want to try pelleted or paper beddings. They are far less dusty and usually contain the smell just as well. 

Grooming:

To lessen the amount of rabbit hair floating around your house, you may want to groom your rabbit during its molt. You can check our full article on grooming here, but here’s a quick summary. Rabbit brushes work, but I haven’t found any that stand out from the crowd too much. The SleekEz is nice, and the FURminator isn’t too bad. I usually use those to get the bulk of the fur out. Then I’ll move on to petting the bunny with damp hands, which will get the finer fur out of their coat. Depending on how hard of a molter your rabbit is, you may need to do this anywhere from once a week to daily. 

Protecting yourself:

Since cage cleaning likely is when you come in contact with the most rabbit related allergens of your day, it helps to add a little extra barrier between all of it and you. Try wearing disposable gloves and a mask during cleaning time. This will help lessen the effect of dander, bedding, and hay when you come in contact with most so you can spend quality time with your bunny later. 

Have any of your own tips or tricks? Comment below to let me know. Thanks for reading!