Oleander

Not listed does not mean safe.

Alvesgaspar · CC BY 2.5 · Photo source · shows: Nerium

Nerium oleander

Also known as: Rose-Bay

Family: Apocynaceae · ASPCA plant record

Verdict at a glance

🐱 Cats⚠ Toxic 🐶 Dogs⚠ Toxic 🐴 Horses⚠ Toxic 🐰 Rabbits⚠ Toxic 🦜 Pet birds (general)⚠ Toxic🦜 Budgerigars (budgies)⚠ Toxic🐤 Canaries⚠ Toxic 🐢 Tortoises⚠ Toxic 🦎 Iguanas⚠ Toxic 🐐 Goats⚠ Toxic

Each tile reflects collected claims for that animal. Missing animals are listed below.

Evidence by animal

Sourced plant verdicts — read the original wording and scope
Animal	Verdict and evidence
Companion mammals
🐱 Cats	Cats: ⚠ Toxic ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — ⚠ Toxic Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses Read original source
🐶 Dogs	Dogs: ⚠ Toxic ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — ⚠ Toxic Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses Read original source
Horses & livestock
🐴 Horses	Horses: ⚠ Toxic ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — ⚠ Toxic Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses Read original source
🐐 Goats	Goats: ⚠ Toxic Cornell University — Plants Poisonous to Livestock — ⚠ Toxic Nerium oleander \| Oleander \| horses, cattle, sheep, dogs, humans, goats \| all, leaves, stems \| nerioside, oleandroside, saponins, cardiac glycosides Cornell lists Nerium oleander; parts poisonous: all, leaves, stems; poison: nerioside, oleandroside, saponins, cardiac glycosides. Read original source UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine — Toxic Plant Garden — ⚠ Toxic Toxic to cats, dogs, horses, cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, birds UC Davis Toxic Plant Garden entry: Oleander (Nerium oleander) Read original source
Small mammals
🐰 Rabbits	Rabbits: ⚠ Toxic House Rabbit Society (rabbit.org) — Poisonous Plants — ! Caution Oleander rabbit.org list "Poisonous Plants" (compiled by the University of Illinois): plants "normally thought to be poisonous"; "others may cause a reaction in some but not in others". Not a graded risk. Read original source Wisconsin House Rabbit Society — Classes of Toxic Plants — ⚠ Toxic Oleander Wisconsin House Rabbit Society chapter list (G. Flentke, 2012): Class 1 — "Do NOT expose rabbits to these plants." Read original source UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine — Toxic Plant Garden — ⚠ Toxic Toxic to cats, dogs, horses, cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, birds UC Davis Toxic Plant Garden entry: Oleander (Nerium oleander) Read original source
Birds
🦜 Pet birds (general)	Pet birds (general): ⚠ Toxic Avian toxicoses: a review (Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2025) — ⚠ Toxic Many ornamental plants are toxic, such as Coronilla varia, Ericaceae family (for example Rhododendron spp.), Kalanchoe spp., Nerium oleander, Taxus media, Digitalis purpurea, and Euphorbia pulcherima (81). Review section "Toxic plants (miscellaneous)" on pet birds. Read original source UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine — Toxic Plant Garden — ⚠ Toxic Toxic to cats, dogs, horses, cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, birds UC Davis Toxic Plant Garden entry: Oleander (Nerium oleander) Read original source VCA Animal Hospitals — Plants That Are Toxic to Birds — ⚠ Toxic Oleander* VCA: asterisk = "plants that are specifically reported to be harmful in birds". Read original source
🦜 Budgerigars (budgies)	Budgerigars (budgies): ⚠ Toxic Avian toxicoses: a review (Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2025) — ⚠ Toxic Oleander \| Budgerigars Canaries (E) Table 2, "Some plants are toxic to pet birds" (C = clinical report, E = experimental). Basis: experimental. Read original source
🐤 Canaries	Canaries: ⚠ Toxic Avian toxicoses: a review (Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2025) — ⚠ Toxic Oleander \| Budgerigars Canaries (E) Table 2, "Some plants are toxic to pet birds" (C = clinical report, E = experimental). Basis: experimental. Read original source
Reptiles
🐢 Tortoises	Tortoises: ⚠ Toxic Tortoise Trust — Toxic Plants and Tortoises — ⚠ Toxic Oleander* Tortoise Trust toxic-plant list (from Highfield, The Tortoise and Turtle Feeding Manual, 2001): marked * = "credible cases where mortality has been reported following consumption". Read original source
🦎 Iguanas	Iguanas: ⚠ Toxic Tortoise Trust — Toxic Plants and Tortoises — ⚠ Toxic tortoises have died as a result of eating daffodils and green iguanas have died after consuming azalea and oleander Tortoise Trust article text: green iguanas died after consuming azalea and oleander. Read original source

No reliable data for 13 animals

No reliable data for: Guinea pigs, Hamsters, Rats, Mice, Chinchillas, Ferrets, Parrots (macaws, Amazons, African greys…), Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Finches, Pigeons & doves, Bearded dragons, Chickens & other poultry

No supported claim has been collected for these animals. Not listed does not mean safe; do not infer suitability from another species.

Toxic principles

ASPCA, as published: Cardiac glycosides Source

Clinical signs

ASPCA, as published: Drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea, colic, depression, death Source

Last verified (ASPCA record): 2026-10-26. Source access dates and limitations.