Allergies to chitin

[Katt]

Does anyone find they get allergic when handling crix or mealies? I know Vanan and I get sniffly and running when handling the insects.

[Scotty Allen]

Yes. Not so much with crickets but a large colony of mealworms gets me all red-eyed and runny nosed especially if it is an old colony with a lot of dust. Same thing with the giant roaches, (Madagascar Hissing, Death's Head etc.) I pick up a handful of these guys and I break out in hives. Eeeeewwwwww.

[Jaylyn]

The mealworms really bothered me - I finally had to throw them out (none of the critters really cared for them anyway). I'm pretty diligent with keeping the cricket cages clean (I clean once a week) and really scrub after handling them that seems to help.

Jaylyn