Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Deadly

Is Tobacco Poisonous to Alpacas?

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) — a crop / ornamental. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Yes — tobacco is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill.

Keep alpacas completely away from this plant, including clippings and fallen leaves.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Photo: Jom / Joachim Müllerchen, CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Deadly
Scientific name
Nicotiana tabacum
Family
Solanaceae
Plant type
Crop / ornamental
Also known as
cultivated tobacco
Toxic parts
Leaves (fresh or dried)
Toxic compound
Nicotine and anabasine

Why it matters

Includes ornamental Nicotiana and tree tobacco (N. glauca), which is naturalized in the Southwest and California.

Signs of tobacco poisoning in alpacas

  • Trembling and incoordination
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Collapse and paralysis
  • Birth defects in pregnant 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 tobacco

  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

Nicotiana tabacum, or cultivated tobacco, is an annually grown herbaceous plant of the genus Nicotiana. N. tabacum is the most commonly grown species in the genus Nicotiana, as the plant's leaves are commercially harvested to be processed into tobacco for human use. The plant is native to Bolivia, commonly grown throughout the world and often found in cultivation. It grows to heights between 1 and 2 metres. Research is ongoing into its ancestry among wild Nicotiana species, but it is believed to be a hybrid of Nicotiana sylvestris, N. tomentosiformis, and possibly N. otophora.From Wikipedia — “Nicotiana tabacum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 29,813 recorded observations of Nicotiana tabacum L. worldwide, including 2,373 in the United States. It belongs to the Solanaceae family, together with Angel's Trumpet, Bittersweet Nightshade, Black Nightshade, Deadly Nightshade, Horse Nettle. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is tobacco poisonous to alpacas?
Yes. Yes — tobacco is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill. Includes ornamental Nicotiana and tree tobacco (N. glauca), which is naturalized in the Southwest and California.
What part of tobacco is toxic to alpacas?
Leaves (fresh or dried).
What are the symptoms of tobacco poisoning?
Trembling and incoordination, rapid heart rate, collapse and paralysis and birth defects in pregnant animals.
Is dried tobacco safe?
No — the toxin in this plant remains active when dried, so contaminated hay and dried clippings are still dangerous.

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 Q181095.