We evaluated the oral and dermal toxicity of 18 chemicals to brown tree snakes
(Boiga irregularis). Chemicals that produced mortality
when dosed orally were rotenone, propoxur, natural pyrethrins, allethrin,
resmethrin, diphacinone, warfarin, and aspirin. The lowest oral doses that
gave 100% mortality were: rotenone, 2.5 mg kg-1;
pyrethrins, 40 mg kg-1; propoxur, 40 mg
kg-1; diphacinone, 80 mg kg-1; and
aspirin, 1280 mg kg-1. Allethrin, resmethrin, and
warfarin produced 80% mortality at 40 mg kg-1,
the highest dose tested. Materials given orally that produced little mortality
were permethrin, fenvalerate, and carbaryl; those giving no mortality were
phenothrin, tetramethrin, piperonyl butoxide, propylene glycol, and
cholecalciferol. Chemicals that produced mortality when applied dermally at
doses of 40 mg kg-1 were rotenone, nicotine, propoxur,
natural pyrethrins, allethrin, and resmethrin; those that gave no mortality
were permethrin, fenvalerate, phenothrin, tetramethrin, piperonyl butoxide,
and diphacinone. Rotenone, at 10 mg kg-1, and nicotine,
at 40 mg kg-1, were the most toxic dermally, killing all
tested snakes. Piperonyl butoxide enhanced the oral toxicity of allethrin and
resmethrin and the dermal activity of resmethrin; it did not enhance the
activity of natural pyrethrins either orally or dermally.