Hey everyone,
I have been breeding blaptica dubias for about 3 years now. Also i have been having this bad cough for about as much time ( or more ? ). I never thought of them being the problem since i was at the doctor for similar problem about 8 years ago ( weak voice, cough ).
I tried everything for this cough. Taking acid meds and sleeping on lifted bed, taking anti asthma meds, taking claritine , bought anti mites thingys for my bed...
I never blamed roaches for a simple reason..i dont have the same symptoms as i have when in contact for, lets say, cats. They make my eyes watery, my nose full, my mouth itchy, ikeep sneezing. Its not same when i do work around roaches, i barely feel anything...exept 24/7 coughing ( i cought soo i can speak normaly, hoarse voice and all, feeling of something being on my vocal chords ).
Well yesterday i did a test for roach alergy. Pinched my hand, mixed some of roach droppings with water and put it on. Also did the same with mealworm bedding and another pinch for a test. Test was no reaction ( as intended ). Mealworm bedding was also no reaction ( surprised me though, i have a strong allergy to mites and i was pretty sure i have at least some in mealworm bedding... ). Roach poo was different, there was a reaction. It was not huge as for instance when i tested for mites at the doctors but it was quite clearly an allergy reaction, indeed very very clear. Now, 1 day later its still itchy from time to time.
Now the reason for all this writing....i dont want to sell my roaches. They save me lots of money and as i student, i also sell them to make a few extra bucks a month. I have roaches, mealies and supers in a closet that is tightly shut with 1 fan blowing air in and 1 fan blowing it directly out of my apartment. Soo basicly the only contact i have with them is when i handle them ( lets say i can limit this to once a week ). What if i use some googles and face mask ( what kind of mask btw ) while dealing with them, and maybe plastic gloves ? Also i heard that most of the allergens are in the poo. What if i put a mesh under the box in which i have them and make a tunel that would put all the poo directly into a bucket under it. And then after it is full i just take it out into the toilete. I am a handy man and can make it pretty good i think...
The only other option is to move them somewhere else which could complicate things a bit.
I have been breeding blaptica dubias for about 3 years now. Also i have been having this bad cough for about as much time ( or more ? ). I never thought of them being the problem since i was at the doctor for similar problem about 8 years ago ( weak voice, cough ).
I tried everything for this cough. Taking acid meds and sleeping on lifted bed, taking anti asthma meds, taking claritine , bought anti mites thingys for my bed...
I never blamed roaches for a simple reason..i dont have the same symptoms as i have when in contact for, lets say, cats. They make my eyes watery, my nose full, my mouth itchy, ikeep sneezing. Its not same when i do work around roaches, i barely feel anything...exept 24/7 coughing ( i cought soo i can speak normaly, hoarse voice and all, feeling of something being on my vocal chords ).
Well yesterday i did a test for roach alergy. Pinched my hand, mixed some of roach droppings with water and put it on. Also did the same with mealworm bedding and another pinch for a test. Test was no reaction ( as intended ). Mealworm bedding was also no reaction ( surprised me though, i have a strong allergy to mites and i was pretty sure i have at least some in mealworm bedding... ). Roach poo was different, there was a reaction. It was not huge as for instance when i tested for mites at the doctors but it was quite clearly an allergy reaction, indeed very very clear. Now, 1 day later its still itchy from time to time.
Now the reason for all this writing....i dont want to sell my roaches. They save me lots of money and as i student, i also sell them to make a few extra bucks a month. I have roaches, mealies and supers in a closet that is tightly shut with 1 fan blowing air in and 1 fan blowing it directly out of my apartment. Soo basicly the only contact i have with them is when i handle them ( lets say i can limit this to once a week ). What if i use some googles and face mask ( what kind of mask btw ) while dealing with them, and maybe plastic gloves ? Also i heard that most of the allergens are in the poo. What if i put a mesh under the box in which i have them and make a tunel that would put all the poo directly into a bucket under it. And then after it is full i just take it out into the toilete. I am a handy man and can make it pretty good i think...
The only other option is to move them somewhere else which could complicate things a bit.