Christmas cactus, toxic?

[teemu]

So somehow leaves from our christmas cactus managed to find their way into our kitchen where the degus have their playtime. I totally failed to realize this because they had somehow gotten into a corner under the table and they definitely had not been there 12 hours ago (and the plant is on the other side of the house).

In any case, Limppu managed to eat half a leaf before I realized she was eating something out of sight. Now I can't find any consistent information on whether they're toxic or not. Most sources say that they're not toxic to rabbits, or at most mildly, but that eating a notable amount might cause intestinal problems. And I'd say she ate a pretty notable chunk...

Does anyone know how bad the situation is with this? I can't even reach a vet before tomorrow...

[yasmin]

I don't know for sure but I'd say it is more than likely not toxic because it is non-toxic for other creatures. (BTW: There is a photo of a Degu eating Christmas cacti flowers on the Degus International Forum.)

[teemu]

Yes, it seems that the leaves are not toxic, but some people mention that they may be hard to digest and can cause stomach issues. I'll have to keep an eye on her in any case. I wonder if I should try to get her to eat more than normal, or if it would be better if she didn't eat too much right now?

[moletteuk]

It's non toxic and I don't think the fibre should be a problem to a degu like it might be to other pets. I think I would just let Limppu eat normally.

[teemu]

Yeah, nothing seems to be off with her and she's been eating normally, so it seems that everything will be fine