Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Toxic

Is Rhubarb Poisonous to Alpacas?

Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) — a garden plant. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Yes — rhubarb is toxic to alpacas.

Keep it out of pastures, hay and reach of fences, and never feed trimmings.

Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum)
Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum). Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Toxic
Scientific name
Rheum rhabarbarum
Family
Polygonaceae
Plant type
Garden plant
Also known as
garden rhubarb
Toxic parts
Leaves (stalks less so)
Toxic compound
Soluble oxalates, anthraquinones

Why it matters

Garden waste is the usual source. Do not feed rhubarb leaves or stalks.

Signs of rhubarb poisoning in alpacas

  • Weakness, trembling, low blood calcium
  • Depression and lying down
  • Kidney damage (reduced urination)
  • Death after large meals in hungry animals

Signs can appear within minutes (cyanide, cardiac toxins) or only after weeks of exposure (liver toxins). Many poisoned camelids are simply found dead, so prevention is everything.

What to do if your alpaca ate rhubarb

  1. Move the herd away and remove any remaining plant material, clippings or fallen leaves.
  2. Call your veterinarian immediately, even if the alpaca looks normal. Say what was eaten, roughly how much and when.
  3. Bring a sample or clear photo of the plant to help identification.
  4. Do not give home remedies, oils or try to make the alpaca vomit unless your vet tells you to.
  5. Keep the animal quiet, in shade or shelter, with water available. Write down the time and every symptom you see.
  6. Check every other alpaca that had access, then remove the plant permanently (including roots).

Emergency: call your veterinarian immediately. If you cannot reach them, contact an animal poison control service (in the U.S., the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center or Pet Poison Helpline; fees may apply). Bring a sample or photo of the plant.

About the plant

Rhubarb is the fleshy, edible stalks (petioles) of species and hybrids of Rheum in the family Polygonaceae, which are cooked and used for food. The plant is a herbaceous perennial that grows from short, thick rhizomes. Historically, different plants have been called "rhubarb" in English. The large, triangular leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid and anthrone glycosides, making them poisonous and therefore inedible. The small flowers are grouped in large compound leafy greenish-white to rose-red inflorescences.From Wikipedia — “Rhubarb”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 14,783 recorded observations of Rheum rhabarbarum L. worldwide, including 339 in the United States. It belongs to the Polygonaceae family, together with Buckwheat. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is rhubarb poisonous to alpacas?
Yes. Yes — rhubarb is toxic to alpacas. Garden waste is the usual source. Do not feed rhubarb leaves or stalks.
What part of rhubarb is toxic to alpacas?
Leaves (stalks less so).
What are the symptoms of rhubarb poisoning?
Weakness, trembling, low blood calcium, depression and lying down, kidney damage (reduced urination) and death after large meals in hungry animals.
Is dried rhubarb 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 Q7535.