Sedation in African Grey Parrots

Bird · Psittacus erithacus · typical adult weight 0.40–0.65 kg

7 cited drugs treat Sedation in african grey parrots: Butorphanol, Ketamine, Meperidine, Midazolam, Midazolam Injectable, Phenobarbital, Xylazine.

Pharmacologic sedation for diagnostic procedures, minor surgical interventions, and pre-anaesthetic premedi-cation. α2 agonists (dexmedetomidine, medetomidine), phenothiazines (acepromazine), and benzodiazepines (midazolam) form the backbone of veterinary protocols.

The overview above describes Sedation across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to african grey parrots — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.

Butorphanol(Torbugesic, Torbutrol)

Analgesic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	1–4 mg/kg	q2-4h	As needed	Pain management, sedation	Moderate	Curro TG. Evaluation of the isoflurane-sparing effects of butorphanol and flunixin in psittaciformes. Proc Annu Conf Assoc Avian Vet; 1994:17-19.; Curro TG, Brunson DB, Paul-Murphy J. Determination of the ED50 of isoflurane and evaluation of the isoflurane-sparing effect of butorphanol in cockatoos (Cacatua spp.). Vet Surg. 1994;23:429-433. doi:10.1111/j.1532-950x.1994.tb00502.x — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.448 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929
IM	1–2 mg/kg	not stated in source	As needed	Acute pain, sedation adjunct	Moderate	Sanchez-Migallon Guzman D, Flammer K, Paul-Murphy J, et al. Pharmacokinetics of butorphanol after oral, intravenous and intramuscular administration in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). J Avian Med Surg. 2011;25:185-191. doi:10.1647/2009-054.1 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.448 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Full Butorphanol dosing in African Grey Parrots →Calculate for this african grey parrot →

Ketamine(Ketaset, Vetalar)

Anesthetic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	10–30 mg/kg	once	Single dose	Sedation, anesthetic induction	Moderate	Doneley B. Avian Medicine and Surgery in Practice: Companion and Aviary Birds, 2nd ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL; 2016.; Hawkins MG, Barron H, Speer BL, et al. Birds. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 4th ed., Elsevier Saunders, St. Louis, MO; 2013:183-437. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.451 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Current Therapy in Avian Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781455746712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781455746712

Full Ketamine dosing in African Grey Parrots →Calculate for this african grey parrot →

Meperidine

Analgesic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	1–4 mg/kg	Not stated	Sedation; analgesia	Weak	768. Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ. Formulary. In: Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ, Harrison LR, Abridged, eds. Avian Medicine: Principles and Application; Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth, FL; 1997:227-253. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.454 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Full Meperidine dosing in African Grey Parrots →Calculate for this african grey parrot →

Midazolam(Versed)

Anesthetic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	0.5–2 mg/kg	once	Single dose	Pre-anaesthetic sedation / premedication (use lower doses)	Moderate	Abou-Madi N. Avian anesthesia. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2001;4:147-167. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.454 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Full Midazolam dosing in African Grey Parrots →Calculate for this african grey parrot →

Midazolam Injectable(Versed)

Neurological

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	0.5–2 mg/kg	IM	As needed	Sedation, seizures	Moderate	Abou-Madi N. Avian anesthesia. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2001;4:147-167. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.454 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Full Midazolam Injectable dosing in African Grey Parrots →Calculate for this african grey parrot →

Phenobarbital(Luminal, Solfoton)

Anticonvulsant

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	1–7 mg/kg	q12-24h	Feather picking; mild sedation	Weak	952. van Zeeland Y. Medication for behavior modification in birds. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2018;21(1):115-149. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.474 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.10 (Psychotropic and Antiepileptic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Full Phenobarbital dosing in African Grey Parrots →Calculate for this african grey parrot →

Xylazine(Rompun, AnaSed)

Sedative

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM, IV	1–2.2 mg/kg	once (in combination with ketamine)	Sedation / anaesthetic adjunct with ketamine	Weak	43. Bailey TA, Apo MM. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine, 3rd ed., Mosby Elsevier, Edinburgh, Scotland; 2016:637-678. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.456 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Avian Medicine (Samour) — ISBN 9780723438328, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780723438328

Full Xylazine dosing in African Grey Parrots →Calculate for this african grey parrot →

All drugs cited for Sedation →All drugs for African Grey Parrots →

Other conditions in African Grey Parrots

Bacterial Infections Pain Management Seizures and Epilepsy Endoparasites General Anesthesia Hypocalcaemia Coccidiosis Systemic Fungal Infections

Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice. Verify against current literature before clinical use.