Sedation in Corn Snakes
Reptile · Pantherophis guttatus · typical adult weight 0.20–0.90 kg
4 cited drugs treat Sedation in corn snakes: Acepromazine, Alfaxalone, Butorphanol, Hydromorphone.
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 corn snakes — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.
Acepromazine(PromAce, Atravet)
Sedative| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.05–0.25 mg/kg | not stated | Preanaesthetic sedation | Weak | Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.234 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
Alfaxalone(Alfaxan)
Anesthetic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 15 mg/kg | not stated in source | Sedation / chemical restraint | Moderate | Rockwell K, Boykin K, Padlo J, et al. Evaluating the efficacy of alfaxalone in corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus). Vet Anaesth Analg. 2021;48(3):364-371. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.234 doi:10.1016/j.vaa.2021.01.004 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a). 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 |
Butorphanol(Torbugesic, Torbutrol)
Analgesic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC, IM | 0.4–1 mg/kg | not stated | Sedation; preanaesthetic | Weak | Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.252 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530 |
Hydromorphone(Dilaudid)
Analgesic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.1 mg/kg | not stated in the cited source | Sedation for surgery | Anecdotal | Gastric Intussusceptions in a Red Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) Associated with Cryptosporidiosis. Case Reports in Veterinary Medicine. 2017; Article ID 4270904. DOI 10.1155/2017/4270904; PMID 29955428; PMCID PMC6005285. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6005285/ |
Other conditions in Corn Snakes
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.