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Is Rubber Tree Poisonous To Pets? [ Here’s The Answer ]

Is Rubber Tree Poisonous To Pets? [ Here’s The Answer ]

If you happen to be a pet lover while having a fondness for rubber trees, here’s something vital for you. Rubber trees may be harmful to pets depending on the risk profile of the latter.

Certain varieties of rubber trees may poison cats and dogs. According to International Cat Care, more indoor cats than outside cats may gnaw on a rubber tree, presumably out of boredom.

In addition to older dogs, puppies as young as six weeks are at risk. Since puppies continuously eat and taste, pups are more vulnerable to poisoning by a plant than older dogs. In this post, you will get to know how susceptible your pets are to rubber trees.

Is rubber tree poisonous to pets?

Yes, rubber trees might prove poisonous to pets. The intensity of toxicity might depend on several factors. However, as a pet owner, you should take adequate guard to ensure that the animals remain safe and secure. Sometimes, dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals might happen to nibble or chew rubber plant leaves. In these situations, it might lead to poisoning in the animals.

Is a rubber tree plant poisonous to dogs?

To protect themselves from any danger, rubber plants create poisons. They produce enzymes and poisons to keep animals and rodents away from them. Since everyone loves rubber plants as they beautify our house, how safe are they for the four-pawed animals in the house?

What do you think – are rubber plants dangerous to your pets? Yes, rubber plants may injure dogs and cats, as well as other animals. For both animals and human beings, caoutchouc, an active ingredient found in the sap of Ficus elastica, causes significant health problems. It may also cause discomfort in the mouth or stomach and allergies in some instances. Toxic to animals, rubber plants have thick, glossy leaves. When Ficus elastica stems and leaves sever, they produce an unpleasant sap. That doesn’t mean we’re going to forbid you from owning one of these beautiful plants of course! But we do want you to be well-informed on the risks involved before you get one or if you currently have one.

You should also know what to do if your pet comes into contact with one of these pathogens. Rubber plants have a modest degree of toxicity. However, the extent of toxicity largely depends on the size of the bite. The bigger the edge, the more severe the consequences will be.

If your pet has bitten into your rubber plant, you’ll notice some signs like swelling of the mouth, vomiting or drooling. You can also check the rubber plant to get a sense of how many times your dog has bitten it.

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley estimate that the rubber plants they studied have a toxicity level of 4 out of 10 (least dangerous). They trigger with skin contact and need a trip to the doctor; although they are readily treatable.

Immediately contacting your veterinarian rather than attempting to treat yourself on your own is vital. Delay in such cases can make things worse. It might affect their gastrointestinal system and the area surrounding the mouth might if your dog chews or consumes rubber plants.

Is a rubber tree plant poisonous to cats?

It’s true that people are increasingly decorating their houses and offices with plants and other natural gifts as working arrangements are evolving currently. Working from home might be exciting if you have close contact with nature, which offers several health advantages as well. A simple way to bring character into your home office is to buy a few indoor plants. However, bringing in new plants necessitates sharing space with other members such as dogs and cats.

Curiousness is one of the noticeable traits of cats; this trait makes them particularly vulnerable to hazardous indoor plants such as rubber plants. This is true if your kitty pal is a kitten and is naturally curious.

So, what measures should you take next? Is it possible to preserve rubber plants safely in the presence of a cat? Cats, dogs, and other domestic pets may be safe to houseplants if you keep the plants out of their reach (on a shelf, at the rear of a group of plants) or if the homeowners place them in a location that the pets do not venture into frequently.

Popular indoor rubber plants can have many varieties, many of which have physiological traits such as more compact growth, larger leaf structures, and a wide range of coloration and patterning. Many rubber plant variants like the Indian rubber tree are presently popular as indoor plants. All rubber plant types are toxic to cats, despite their differing appearances, since the latex from each variety has the same chemical qualities.

Are rubber plants toxic to rabbits?

It is certainly essential to keep rabbits away from rubber plants and rubber-made substances. All of the elements of rubber figs and rubber items are not suitable for bunnies. These include leaves, twigs, branches or rubber fabric, carpet, soft rubber materials, or rubber toys. Ingestion of fragments that break off from rubber plants might block the gastrointestinal system.

What if my cat eats a rubber plant?

Do not panic if you find that your cat has chewed on a rubber tree. It is typically not deadly, but you should take the furry pet to the vet.

What if my dog eats a rubber plant?

The gastrointestinal discomfort of your dog caused by ingesting rubber tree plants may need a veterinarian’s administration. Your loyal pet might benefit from anti-nauseate medication. Your veterinarian may prescribe activated charcoal if your pet has consumed the plant a long time back.

How can rubber plants be kept out of the reach of pets?

No wonder, your houseplants, and pets are both important to you. So, you don’t have to part ways with either. You just need to keep the rubber figs out of reach of the pets.

How do you keep your dog away from your rubber plants?

Keep your rubber plant at a safe distance from your dog, even if the pet stretches to reach the plant. Store on a shelf or a long stand to avoid tipping over the plant.

It’s a common belief that citrus fruits are irritating to dogs because of their strong aroma. You will observe that your dog avoids places with citrus sprays. So, you can spray some lemon juice, lemon fragrance, or keep peels of lemon, orange, etc. near rubber plants to keep dogs away.

Take a handful of pepper powder, sprinkle it on your rubber plant, and see the magic. Your dog will get irritated by the pepper spray. To keep your dogs away from your rubber plant and other such plants, you may buy repellent sprays from the market. You can spray anywhere you feel your dog should stay away from. Just make sure that the sprays are entirely safe to use for both the plants and pets.

Spray such things frequently near rubber figs; it will definitely keep your dogs out of danger. To keep your dog away from the rubber plants, you can consider spraying potting marigolds.

How can you keep cats away from rubber plants?

Well, cats will flee if they get a whiff of citrus fruits such as lemons, oranges, and the like. Lavender and rosemary are effective deterrents for cats when planted around your rubber plants.

If your rubber plants are in the shade, you can put lemon juice or orange slices around them. Also, you can use stones to surround rubber plants, this will keep your cats out of the way of the plants. They usually forage on the sand and other soft materials.

How do you keep birds away from rubber plants?

You can keep birds away from rubber plants using aluminum screening. Birds will be at bay if there is a metal screening surrounding the rubber plant.

You may decorate a rubber plant by tying a few helium-filled balloons to the stems. Using these balloons, you can deter birds from going near your rubber plants. You can also hang rubber snakes from the rubber plants to scare birds away. Birds will stay away from rubber plants since they are afraid of snakes. Additionally, you can place decorative scarecrows around the plants for further protection. Surely, your birds will never approach them.

Conclusion

Rubber plants may cause a wide range of symptoms to your pets depending on whether they have just bitten, chewed, or consumed. With high toxicity, your pets might be in danger. So, take necessary precautions to keep your pets secure, while protecting the rubber plants from unnecessary damage.