Acetaminophen Toxic to Burmese Pythons and Nile Monitors

In the search to find a method to control large invasive reptiles Richard Mauldin and Peter Savarie of the United States Department of Agriculture tested acetaminophen as a potential poison to control the juveniles of alien Burmese Pythons and Nile Monitor Lizards. The pain killer was previously found to be toxic to Brown Treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) when it was administered orally. Does of 10, 20, and 40 mg resulted in mortality rates between 50 and 100%, while doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg resulted in mortality rates of 14.3, 85.7, and 100% respectively. The doses were administered by allowing the reptiles to swallow a dead neonatal mouse that contained a dose of acetaminophen. The implication is that feral reptiles could be attracted to bait that contained the toxin.

Citation: Mauldin, R. E. and P. J. Savarie. 2010. Acetaminophen as an oral toxicant for Nile monitor lizards (Varanus niloticus) and Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus). Wildlife Research 37:215-222.