Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Caution

Can Alpacas Eat Lamb's Quarters?

Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album) — a weed. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Use caution — it depends on the amount and the situation.

Occasional nibbles are usually tolerated, but problems occur with large amounts, certain plant stages or vulnerable animals.

Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album)
Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album). Photo: Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Caution
Scientific name
Chenopodium album
Family
Amaranthaceae
Plant type
Weed
Also known as
Fat hen, Goosefoot
Toxic parts
Leaves and stems in quantity
Toxic compound
Nitrates and oxalates

Why it matters

Commonly nibbled and usually harmless; dangerous only in large amounts from high-nitrate soils.

Signs of lamb's quarters poisoning in alpacas

  • Brown or chocolate-colored blood and gums
  • Rapid breathing, gasping
  • Weakness, trembling, staggering

If your alpaca ate a lot of lamb's quarters

  1. Remove access and estimate how much was eaten.
  2. Watch for the signs listed above over the next 24–72 hours.
  3. Call your vet if any signs appear or if a pregnant, young or sick animal ate a large amount.
  4. Reduce the plant in your pasture and keep good forage available so alpacas aren't driven to eat it.

About the plant

Chenopodium album is a fast-growing annual plant in the flowering plant family Amaranthaceae. Though cultivated in some regions, the plant is elsewhere considered a weed. Common names include lamb's quarters, melde, goosefoot, wild spinach and fat-hen, though several are also applied to other species of the genus Chenopodium, for which reason it is often distinguished as white goosefoot.From Wikipedia — “Chenopodium album”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 551,216 recorded observations of Chenopodium album L. worldwide, including 24,967 in the United States. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, together with Halogeton, Kochia, Redroot Pigweed. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is lamb's quarters poisonous to alpacas?
It can be. Use caution — it depends on the amount and the situation. Commonly nibbled and usually harmless; dangerous only in large amounts from high-nitrate soils.
What part of lamb's quarters is toxic to alpacas?
Leaves and stems in quantity.
What are the symptoms of lamb's quarters poisoning?
Brown or chocolate-colored blood and gums, rapid breathing, gasping and weakness, trembling, staggering.
Is dried lamb's quarters safe?
Drying does not reliably make poisonous plants safe. Treat dried leaves and contaminated hay with the same caution.

Keeping pastures safe

  • Walk every paddock and fence line each season and remove toxic plants, including roots.
  • Never throw garden, hedge or lawn clippings over the fence.
  • Check pastures after storms for fallen branches (cherry, red maple).
  • Buy hay from known sources and inspect it for weeds.
  • Keep pastures well managed — hungry alpacas eat plants they would normally avoid.

Browse the full toxic plant checker, the printable list of poisonous plants and the list of safe plants.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.

Data: plant status compiled from veterinary toxicology references (see sources); taxonomy and occurrences from GBIF; identifiers from Wikidata Q158610.