My wife has had this "cactus", it's actually not a cactus, sometimes called a false cactus, or more commonly Candelabra cactus. Anyway, she's had it since like junior high. So I decided to bring it down from our attic window and put it in the kitchen window. The whole I'm I'm moving it I'm getting poked, etc. Then I broke off some pieces to stick down in the dirt to form more chutes.
A couple hours later I start feeling funny. I start itching, everywhere. My scalp was the worst, thought I was going to tear it off from sctraching. Something wasn't right. I then see what loks like a bug bite on my left forearm, strange since I had on long sleeves. So I took some benedryl because I figured it was some kind of allergic reaction. Turns out it was the cactus! Things got worse though, I broke out in nasty hives, something I can never remember happening to me. They were worst around my pelvic area, har har, and around my neck, lower back, and my arm pits. My ears felt really hot and they were red. WTF!
The Benedryl may have helped, but it slowly went away. For awhile I was freaked out because I didn't know it was the cactus and thought it could have been from something I ate, or some strange bug.
So if you have one of these in your home, they are a some what common house plant, don't let it poke you, or don't let the milky latex sap get on you! Especially not your eyes!
Oh yeah, it gives you the shits too, and could make you vomit.
Blips
I hope you don't have any pets / its not in the reach of any of your kids.
Anyway sounds like a shittey day. Thanks for the tip for th rest of us :D
WadeFulp
It's crazy because we've had it so long, I've handled it before, and I figured it was harmless.