Allergic to rats? Is there any hope?

[Amiee]

I have kept female rats since I was a kid. A few years ago I got a pair of males and after a few months started getting hives any where there feet touched (I presume I'm allergic to the urine) and asthma if I was in the same room as the cage.
Since then I have been on a mission to find a pet that is as good as rats and i have failed. I love my guinea pigs but there no where near as interesting, cheeky, intelligent, etc. I have would love a dog but can't be in the house all day so I'm unable to get one at the mo.
I am also allergic to the GP's but not anywhere as badly as long as they don't scratch me when I pick them up I have no reaction at all.

any advice on the allergy aspect? Or on good pets as alternatives. I have tested weather I'm still allergic a few times and I definitely still am.

Have you tried spending time with some degus? Rat sized, very cheeky, not as easily trained but rather pretty.
Or if you wanted to get in to exotics proper I've heard great things about kinkajous, just be prepared for a shock at the price tag!

I used to have degus

I came down one morning and they had all killed each other -it was like a blood bath!

Are you keeping your animals in wood shavings? Wondering if that's what you are allergic to and the scratchy feet are just aggravating it

I have male rats and my when my dm has been she says that she thinks she's allergic (she has asthma). Her eyes go puffy and she gets a runny nose. I dismissed it tbh, didn't know you could actually be allergic to them! Lucky i read this, will keep her away from them when she comes.

How about chinchillas, they are large, furry and mischevious, my aunty used to have 4 of them. They were beautiful

Definitely not the bedding, I used the dust free paper stuff. I've considered chinchillas before but was told they don't really like to be handled same with degus??