Reptile · Python regius · typical adult weight 1.00–2.00 kg
Diazepam is dosed at 0.2–0.8 mg/kg IM once, in conjunction with ketamine in ball pythons, per Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed. Elsevier, St. Louis, MO -- 2019:1191-1211. Carpenter Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles). The held copy is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the TABLE, not the page, is the citable location. SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter Exotic Animal Formulary -- ISBN 9780323833929. Diazepam is used in ball pythons for Muscle relaxation as part of ketamine anesthesia. Routes documented in ball pythons: IM. A typical adult ball python weighs 1.00–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Diazepam in ball pythons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Valium
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.2–0.8 mg/kg | once, in conjunction with ketamine | Muscle relaxation as part of ketamine anesthesia | Weak | Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed. Elsevier, St. Louis, MO -- 2019:1191-1211. Carpenter Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles). The held copy is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the TABLE, not the page, is the citable location. SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter Exotic Animal Formulary -- ISBN 9780323833929 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 0.5 mg/kg IM, IV232 All species/seizures |
| 2.5 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 2.5 mg/kg IM, IV282 Most species/seizures |
| 0.2–0.8 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 0.2-0.8 mg/kg IM295 Snakes/use in conjunction with ketamine for anesthesia with muscle relaxation |
| 0.2–2 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 0.2-2 mg/kg IM, IV298 Snakes, lizards |
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.
Enhances GABA-A receptor activity by binding the benzodiazepine site, increasing chloride ion conductance, producing sedation, anxiolysis, muscle relaxation, and anticonvulsant effects.
HEPATOTOXICITY in cats (oral use — acute hepatic necrosis, sometimes fatal). Short duration in dogs (rapid redistribution). Avoid IM (erratic absorption). Reversible with flumazenil. Controlled substance.
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.
Diazepam dose range in ball pythons, with cited source references: IM 0.2–0.8 mg/kg once, in conjunction with ketamine. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Diazepam in ball pythons: IM.
Diazepam is indicated in ball pythons for: Muscle relaxation as part of ketamine anesthesia.
These are general warnings for Diazepam across species; consult the ball python dosing table above for species-specific guidance. HEPATOTOXICITY in cats (oral use — acute hepatic necrosis, sometimes fatal). Short duration in dogs (rapid redistribution). Avoid IM (erratic absorption). Reversible with flumazenil. Controlled substance.
Why a species-specific page? Diazepam 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.
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.