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Re: is this flower safe?


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Anole Forum ]

Posted by ALanolis on April 20, 2003 at 12:24:10:

In Reply to: is this flower safe? posted by anoleboy11 on April 19, 2003 at 22:17:51:

Poinsettia: any of several spurges (genus Euphorbia) with flower clusters subtended by showy involucral bracts; especially : a showy Mexican and Central American plant (E. pulcherrima) with tapering usually scarlet bracts that suggest petals and surround small yellow flowers.

They are indeed known by most herpers as "harmful" plants, though every botanical literature I've read said they were completely harmless. But if they were, why do so many house pets go to their vets at alarming rates during the holidays on account of eating these plants?? But Anoles are insectivores, meaning a lot of deadly plants aren't so deadly when used in a naturalistic enclosure. But...

An interesting fact: Many plants in this family ooze a milky sap. I'm not a poinsettia expert, but if the ones you wish to use do this, I'd say avoid them to be safe. If the sap ever mixed with the water droplets you provide for drinking water, it could theoretically be harmful.

Reasons for being harmful
Euphorbia spp. (EUPHORBIA, MILK BUSH, POINSETTIA, SNOW-ON-THE-MOUNTAIN, SPURGES); latex; gastrointestinal tract affected by the toxin euphorbin; may contain toxic levels of nitrates; plant also causes dermatitis.

~ALanolis




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