Thinking of buying a reptile?

Posted: 17th February 2018 | Posted by Costa

Thinking of buying a reptile?

Over the last two decades, reptiles have become increasingly popular as house pets in the UK. Bearded dragons, snakes, and lizards are all cold-blooded amphibians that warm the hearts of many households. Part of the reason so many people turn to reptiles as a pet is the desire for a house pet but not being able to handle a cat or a dog because of their allergenic fur. But they can also bring their own allergy problems, just not in the way you think. The issue is insect allergy.

Compared to cats and dogs, reptile pets typically have a diet of insects, some of which are hotbeds for aggressive airborne allergens. When these are brought to the home, you have the risk of introducing a new form of domestic allergy to your house. Namely grasshoppers and locusts.

A cautionary tail

In one case, after getting a bearded dragon for his eighth birthday, one boy developed asthma and severe bronchial hypersensitivity within four months of getting his new pet.

After continual symptoms, his parents took him for an allergy test. An IgE immunoblot prick-to-prick test confirmed that he had an insect allergy, namely grasshoppers — his pet’s favourite meal. Four years of allergen avoidance proved useful. But after on single exposure, the same child saw a severe asthma attack.

Sadly, this isn’t the only case in which reptiles in the home trigger allergens. Where the reptile isn’t usually the trigger in the first instance, they can’t help what they eat but the insect allergy can cause issues.

Thinking of buying a reptile for the family? While they make for fantastic pets, not many people realise the potential allergens that come with them. Before picking out a new snake, lizard, or dragon, it is a good idea to make sure you won’t start suffering from allergies further down the line. While getting a reptile in the home won’t guarantee the trigger of an IgE allergy, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Especially with young ones in the house.

Before you introduce a new member to the family, why not take one of our home tests or book an appointment with one of our consultants first to test for any possible insect sensitisation.