Bird · Taeniopygia guttata · typical adult weight 0.01–0.02 kg
Midazolam is dosed at 1 mg/kg IM not stated in the cited source in zebra finches, per 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. Midazolam is used in zebra finches for Premedication/sedation prior to isoflurane anesthesia induction (given 10 min before induction), Preanesthetic medication / sedation (premedication before isoflurane). Routes documented in zebra finches: IM. A typical adult zebra finch weighs 0.01–0.02 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Midazolam in zebra finches, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Versed
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 1 mg/kg | not stated in the cited source | Premedication/sedation prior to isoflurane anesthesia induction (given 10 min before induction) | Weak | 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 |
| IM | 1 mg/kg | not stated in the cited source | Preanesthetic medication / sedation (premedication before isoflurane) | Weak | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds): 'Midazolam HCl | 0.1-2 mg/kg IM, IV6 | Most species/premedication at lower doses, onset = 15 min when administered IM'. Superscript 6 = Abou-Madi N, Avian anesthesia, Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2001,4:147-167. THE ZEBRA-FINCH-SPECIFIC 1 mg/kg IM FIGURE AND THE VERBATIM METHODS SENTENCE IN THIS RULE'S NOTES ARE FROM: Huan YP, Hsiao YT. Delayed evoked potentials in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) under midazolam-butorphanol-isoflurane anesthesia. PeerJ. 2019,7:e7937. doi:10.7717/peerj.7937 (PMID 31660277, PMC6815651). Note that study gave midazolam WITH butorphanol 1 mg/kg. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1–0.5 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.219 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg i.m. or 0.05-0.15 mg/kg i.v. (premedicant) or 2-3 mg/kg intranasal c,d. Can be combined w |
| 0.05–0.15 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.219 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg i.m. or 0.05-0.15 mg/kg i.v. (premedicant) or 2-3 mg/kg intranasal c,d. Can be combined with butorphanol for prem |
| 2–3 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.219 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg i.m. or 0.05-0.15 mg/kg i.v. (premedicant) or 2-3 mg/kg intranasal c,d. Can be combined with butorphanol for premedication |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your zebra finch's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Enhances GABA-A receptor activity, increasing chloride conductance. Provides anxiolysis, sedation, muscle relaxation, and anticonvulsant effects.
May cause paradoxical excitement in healthy dogs when used alone. Water-soluble (less painful IM than diazepam). Respiratory depression at high doses. Flumazenil is the reversal agent.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for zebra finches may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Midazolam dose ranges in zebra finches, with cited source references: IM 1 mg/kg not stated in the cited source; IM 1 mg/kg not stated in the cited source. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Midazolam in zebra finches: IM.
Midazolam is indicated in zebra finches for: Premedication/sedation prior to isoflurane anesthesia induction (given 10 min before induction), Preanesthetic medication / sedation (premedication before isoflurane).
These are general warnings for Midazolam across species; consult the zebra finch dosing table above for species-specific guidance. May cause paradoxical excitement in healthy dogs when used alone. Water-soluble (less painful IM than diazepam). Respiratory depression at high doses. Flumazenil is the reversal agent.
Why a species-specific page? Midazolam pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in zebra finches — 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.
| 0.1–2 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.5 | 0.1-2 mg/kg IM, IV |
| 1 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.5 | 13 ± 1 mg/kg intranasally |
| 7.3–8.8 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.5 | 7.3-8.8 mg/kg intranasally |
| 12.5–15.6 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 5.5 | 12.5-15.6 mg/kg intranasally |
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.