Induction and recovery from inhalation anesthesia of Dumeril's monitors (Varanus dumerili) using isoflurane, sevoflurane, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) were characterized using a randomized crossover design. Mean times to induction for isoflurane in 100% oxygen (O₂), sevoflurane in 100% O₂, sevoflurane in 21% O₂:79% nitrogen (N₂; room air), and sevoflurane in 66% N₂O:34% O₂ were 13.00 ± 4.55, 11.20 ± 3.77, 10.40 ± 2.50, and 9.40 ± 2.80 min, respectively, at 26°C (n = 10). Mask induction with sevoflurane was significantly faster than with isoflurane. There was no significant difference between the induction time for sevoflurane in O₂ or in room air, but sevoflurane combined with N₂O resulted in significantly faster inductions than were obtained with sevoflurane in 100% O₂. All treatments resulted in a significantly higher respiratory rate than in undisturbed animals. There were no significant differences in respiratory rate among lizards receiving O₂, isoflurane in 100% O₂, sevoflurane in room air, and sevoflurane combined with N₂O, but animals receiving sevoflurane in O₂ had a lower respiratory rate than those receiving pure O₂. The sequence of complete muscle relaxation during induction was consistent and not significantly different among the four treatments: front limbs lost tone first, followed by the neck and the hind limbs; then the righting reflex was lost and finally tail tone. There were no significant differences in recovery times between isoflurane and sevoflurane or between sevoflurane in 100% O₂ and sevoflurane combined with N₂O. Similar recovery times were observed in animals recovering in 100 and 21% O₂.