Odd request

[badfish!]

A lot of people are allergic to the bedding materials used for small animals, so that is something she will need to consider while pet sitting. Maybe looking for animals that can do without the wood shavings, or use an alternative (I know when I used to work at a pet store you could get this fluffy paper stuff instead). She should look at spiny mice, they are very social (in my experience, more social than hamsters). I used to have a hedghog, and I never used any shaving type bedding, he was ok with a towel and I put a small area rug with the rubberized backing on the floor of his cage.

[sphelps]

Have they considered a hairless cat? Pretty cute, no?


Or maybe you can make one of these


Worst case, skinny pig

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Or maybe you can make one of these

What on earth is that??????

She has a bunch of birds so she didn't want to try a hairless cat. She did say she was thinking of a skinny pig.

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by fishoholic

What on earth is that??????

Not sure but my guess is it's the love child from kien & lastlight, it does have an uncanny resemblance.

[magikof7]

Just an FYI, If she is allergic to dander or saliva rather than fur a hairless anything will put her in a bad way.
There have been people that are allergic to saliva or dander and have gone to a sphynx cat breeder and have left in an ambulance.
Rodent pets food is also hay based that can also be an allergen along with bedding.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by magikof7

Just an FYI, If she is allergic to dander or saliva rather than fur a hairless anything will put her in a bad way.
There have been people that are allergic to saliva or dander and have gone to a sphynx cat breeder and have left in an ambulance.
Rodent pets food is also hay based that can also be an allergen along with bedding.

It usually is the dander and not the fur. A vet recommended using better food to help reduce.

Good luck.

[intarsiabox]

Mini Rex bunnies are more or less hypoallergenic (will still depend on the person). My wife is allergic to cats and even our dogs to some extent but was okay holding the mini rex, I do not own one so I have no long term experience with them. I have owned hedgehogs (get as babies only and handle them all the time) and guinea pigs and both made good pets with no complaints from the wife. I only had one guinea pig that I really loved, it always wanted to be held, the rest just never had the same personality. I still have a hamster but I don't think you want to borrow it, the thing is 4 years old and somehow still alive. At one point it went gray, then bald and now the fur is growing back. Last week it was cold and stiff and I thought it was finally dead, the I saw it breath a bit so I had the my daughter cuddle it in front of the fireplace and it came back to normal life. For the last year it snores all night so the daughter had to kick it out of her room. The hamster never bites and was very playful and doesn't mind strangers but I would still prefer a guinea pig over a hamster but it's not my pet.

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Not sure but my guess is it's the love child from kien & lastlight, it does have an uncanny resemblance.

I think cat and dog dander is different from hamsters etc. but I'm not sure. That's why she's hoping to borrow one for a week to see if she has an allergic reaction to it or not before just getting one then finding out they can't keep it.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Not sure but my guess is it's the love child from kien & lastlight, it does have an uncanny resemblance.

just when i think i don't need to read ALL of a thread i find this hidden treasure to confirm that thought.

[SanguinesDream]

Try a bearded dragon. The are low maintenance and are very, very interactive and snuggly.