# New Sand Boa.



## CopperInMyVeins (Sep 14, 2006)

I just recently bought this male Kenyan Sand Boa, apparently he's 18 months old, unless I heard the guy wrong.  Seems kind of big, I'll let you people judge based on the pics.  Anyway, great snake, very pretty and very easy to handle.  I'm keeping him in a 20 gallon aquarium with about three inches of shredded aspen bedding, and a 50 watt heat lamp on one end, with some extra supplemental heat from the heat pad on my scorpion tank right next to it.


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## OldHag (Sep 14, 2006)

Wow hes purty!! If its  a "He" its a BIG he. My males, 3yrs old, arent that big!!  Yours has a FAT tail too!! Maybe its been power fed. Or just BIG BUBBA!!  I like how much brown it has on it! NICE!
I have 6 of these critters! They're wonderful beasties!

P.S. you have GORGEOUS eyes


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## CopperInMyVeins (Sep 15, 2006)

Thanks for all the comments, yeah, most of the others I've seen have had much less brown and more orange, but I really like his markings.  This is actually the first snake I've had, and I'm really happy with him, and glad I chose this species, I'll probably end up with a female soon enough.  I'd love to see pictures of yours.


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## OldHag (Sep 15, 2006)

Here's my snakes. Well, 4 of them anyway.
The first is my BIG girl. Shes HUGE!  Shes about 5 yrs old. 
The second picture is of her and my male flame race.  Hes in pre-shed of course.
The third picture is of my Anerythristic pair.


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## ParabuthusKing (Sep 15, 2006)

Just a thought, but shouldn't a SAND boa be kept on sand?? I have never kept one of these, but that is the way I see them in petshops, and would be my guess as to their preferred substrate.. good luck with the guy though


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## OldHag (Sep 15, 2006)

ParabuthusKing said:


> Just a thought, but shouldn't a SAND boa be kept on sand?? I have never kept one of these, but that is the way I see them in petshops, and would be my guess as to their preferred substrate.. good luck with the guy though


I keep mine in crushed walnut. It gives them the weight overhead that they seem to crave and none of the dust sand offers.  I feed them in a tub with NO substrate just to be on the safe side.  Ive had a snake die of an impaction before and dont ever want to see that happen again.


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## Mechanical-Mind (Sep 16, 2006)

CopperInMyVeins:

That's a great snake you have there, but it's not a "Kenyan Sand Boa," or an "East African Sand Boa," for that matter (the two aforementioned are one and the same, that is _E. colubrinus_). What you have is most certainly a Saharan Sand Boa, or more specifically, _Eryx muelleri_. Care is identical, so no worries. That said, if you want to do a little reading, here you go.

Erycine snakes are and have been my favorite serpents for years now; so sincerely, congratulations and enjoy your addition.

Lastly, I'll take this opportunity to sneak in a couple misc., sub-par images of a couple of my sausages...






_Eryx miliaris_ (female)






_Eryx conicus_ (male)






_Eryx colubrinus_ (albino male, normal female)






_Eryx colubrinus_ (albino female)






_Eryx johnii_ (female)

Best,
-Matt


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## MindUtopia (Sep 16, 2006)

How docile and handleable are these guys generally?  I have two corns that I love and they are really easy to work with.  I'd like to eventually get something else, but I want something similar in temperment and handleability.


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## Thoth (Sep 16, 2006)

Mine are far more docile than my corns and very calm when held. So calm they just lay there in my hand or just wrap around my fingers or wrist and just sit there. Great snake and if space is a premium get a male, they stay small enough a ten gallon is sufficient.

So calm I use mine for my ophidophobic friends as introduction for snakes.


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## OldHag (Sep 16, 2006)

Thoth is SO right!! My husband calls them "Noodles with Eyes" The MOST docile critters alive. I had a newborn once bite me, but thats only because it was testing to see if I was edible.
I do have one female that  you have to let her know what you are or she will think your food. I just use a hook and pick up her back end then shes like "Oh, you agian... fine, pick me up"
I recommend these snakes HIGHLY!  They're just happy to be held and dont have somewhere to go all the time like colubrids.


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## CopperInMyVeins (Sep 16, 2006)

Mechanical-Mind said:


> CopperInMyVeins:
> 
> That's a great snake you have there, but it's not a "Kenyan Sand Boa," or an "East African Sand Boa," for that matter (the two aforementioned are one and the same, that is _E. colubrinus_). What you have is most certainly a Saharan Sand Boa, or more specifically, _Eryx muelleri_. Care is identical, so no worries. That said, if you want to do a little reading, here you go.
> 
> Erycine snakes are and have been my favorite serpents for years now; so sincerely, congratulations and enjoy your addition.


Thanks for the correction, the like, and the pictures, Matt (my name as well).  I knew it looked a bit different from most E. colubrinus I've seen pictures of, but I didn't know much about the other species in this genus.  I'm really glad I did pick this type of snake though, I love the shape, the coloration, and the disposition, probably not only the easiest to handle snake I've ever held, possibly the easiest to handle animal altogether.  

He has yet to eat though, the seller told me he had eaten on the monday before the sunday I got him, so he should be about due now, or the start of the next week.  I'm thinking a hopper size mouse would be best?  I've also read that these snakes generally prefer to prey on juvenile animals to adults, even if the juveniles are larger.  
Do people keeping these usually feed them in a separate container, or in their usual terrarium, I'd like to be able to see the natural underground ambush hunting, but I also don't want to get him in the habit of attacking anything in the enclosure, not that that seems too likely right now. 
Thanks to everyone else for the imput too.  Seems like there's a pretty strong sand boa following on here.


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## CopperInMyVeins (Sep 16, 2006)

OldHag said:


> I recommend these snakes HIGHLY!  They're just happy to be held and dont have somewhere to go all the time like colubrids.


Haha, that's definitely true, mine will usually even stay coiled in the same position he was being held in for several minutes after I put him down.


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## Mechanical-Mind (Sep 16, 2006)

> I've also read that these snakes generally prefer to prey on juvenile animals to adults, even if the juveniles are larger.
> Do people keeping these usually feed them in a separate container, or in their usual terrarium, I'd like to be able to see the natural underground ambush hunting, but I also don't want to get him in the habit of attacking anything in the enclosure, not that that seems too likely right now.


I feed all of my snakes, sand boas or not, in separate containers. I do it simply for the possible risk of substrate ingestion. In all reality, the likelihood of substrate ingestion actually bringing up bad news is debatable, but avoiding the risk altogether is my preference. 

As for whether or not they have a marked preference for juvenile prey over adults, I can only say that I'm yet to witness anything to support the claim, although I too have heard and read that they do prefer juvies over adults.

Earlier in this thread it was suggested that sand boas should be kept on sand. In my experience sand will clog the snake's nares. Most specifically, calcium carbonate sand. Upon seeing the clogged nares I opted to begin keeping them on larger aspen shavings. Since the transition, I've yet to have any problems. All of that said, I know of at least two individuals who've been keeping _and feeding_ erycines on play sand for years, and have successfully bred them on it as well. In my opinion, and in spite of the substrate I choose to use, I think that success with sand for multiple years is more than exceptional luck. That is to say, if sand is more affordable for you, it may not be a such a bad thing. The last thing I'd say about substrate in general, would be that the very weight of it appears to be reassuring for the snake. In the past, if I were not to apply enough shavings to the enclosure, the snake would appear restless and constantly move around, as if trying to find the deeper spot. So, whatever you use, make sure its deep.

Best regards,
-Matt


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## Thoth (Sep 17, 2006)

I keep mine on crushed walnut, so far no problems. Though I also feed mine in a seperate container, avoid substrate ingestion.


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## MindUtopia (Sep 18, 2006)

I think I may have to pick one of these up at the next reptile show...you know, because I need _another_ snake about as much as I need _another_ T!


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