Reptile · Python regius · typical adult weight 1.00–2.00 kg
Ketamine is dosed at 20–60 mg/kg IM once in ball pythons, per 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. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.241 (2026-08-01).. Ketamine is used in ball pythons for Sedation, 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 Ketamine in ball pythons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Ketaset, Vetalar
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 20–60 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, anesthesia | Moderate | 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. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.241 (2026-08-01). |
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.
NMDA receptor antagonist producing dissociative anesthesia. Provides somatic analgesia, amnesia, and catalepsy while maintaining pharyngeal reflexes.
Increases intracranial and intraocular pressure. Causes increased salivation (premedicate with anticholinergic). Eyes remain open under anesthesia — use lubricant. Do NOT use alone in dogs/cats (muscle rigidity) — combine with a sedative.
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.
Ketamine dose range in ball pythons, with cited source references: IM 20–60 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Ketamine in ball pythons: IM.
Cited course lengths for Ketamine in ball pythons include: Single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Ketamine is indicated in ball pythons for: Sedation, anesthesia.
These are general warnings for Ketamine across species; consult the ball python dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Increases intracranial and intraocular pressure. Causes increased salivation (premedicate with anticholinergic). Eyes remain open under anesthesia — use lubricant. Do NOT use alone in dogs/cats (muscle rigidity) — combine with a sedative.
Why a species-specific page? Ketamine 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.