Reptile · Python regius · typical adult weight 1.00–2.00 kg
Buprenorphine is dosed at 0.02–0.1 mg/kg IM q24-48h in ball pythons, per Verified against BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part B: Exotic Pets, p.58 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.58' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.44; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.44. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712. Buprenorphine is used in ball pythons for Pain management. Routes documented in ball pythons: IM. A typical adult ball python weighs 1.00–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Buprenorphine in ball pythons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Simbadol, Buprenex
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.02–0.1 mg/kg | q24-48h | As needed | Pain management |
| Verified against BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part B: Exotic Pets, p.58 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.58' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.44; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.44. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.01–0.1 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.58 | Doses of 0.01-0.1 mg/kg i.m. q24-48h have been suggested but analgesic efficacy is not established. Administ |
| 38 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 38 mg/kg SC27 Analgesia & sedation;4 hr; ED50b in leopard frogs27 |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your ball python's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Partial agonist at mu-opioid receptors with high receptor affinity. Provides analgesia with a ceiling effect on respiratory depression.
OTM (oral transmucosal) absorption effective in cats. Ceiling effect limits maximum analgesia. Difficult to reverse with naloxone due to high receptor affinity.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for ball pythons may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Buprenorphine dose range in ball pythons, with cited source references: IM 0.02–0.1 mg/kg q24-48h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Buprenorphine in ball pythons: IM.
Cited course lengths for Buprenorphine in ball pythons include: As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Buprenorphine is indicated in ball pythons for: Pain management.
These are general warnings for Buprenorphine across species; consult the ball python dosing table above for species-specific guidance. OTM (oral transmucosal) absorption effective in cats. Ceiling effect limits maximum analgesia. Difficult to reverse with naloxone due to high receptor affinity.
Why a species-specific page? Buprenorphine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in ball pythons — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.