My guinea pig ate an orchid. Are orchids poisonous? What should I do?

Question

(Guinea pig, male, about 3 months old, NOT neutered) I was letting him (Popcorn) roam around and he accidentally got away to under the sofa. I managed to retrieve him, but I'm worried he possibly ate some brown orchid petals that had fallen off the houseplants we had since he hid around that area. He may have eaten none, I'm not sure. Should I monitor his droppings and/or behavior, or should I just call a vet ASAP, or is this nothing to worry about? Is the plant poisonus to guinea pigs? Pet's info: Other | Unknown - Other | Male | unneutered

Jeffrey Milner · Accepted Answer

Certain plants, usually those that are flowering, can be toxic to guinea pigs and other rodents. There is no definitive toxicity associated with orchids in guinea pigs to my knowledge, but to get a absolute answer to your question I would recommend contacting the pet poison helpline. Toxins for animals such as dogs, cats, and horses are well known and highly documented where as animals such as guinea pigs are a little bit more of a mystery. This is why I am inclined to recommend you contact someone who deals with toxins all day, every day. However, should you choose to take a wait and see approach, my belief is that things will probably be fine apart from some possible gastrointestinal upset. Obviously if this turns into severe diarrhea, I would recommend immediate veterinary care before dehydration occurs. Hope this helps and that Popcorn ends up OK!

My guinea pig ate an orchid. Are orchids poisonous? What should I do?

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