KENYAN SAND BOA
- Native to Kenya and other areas of eastern Africa, the Kenyan Sand Boa is a yellow-orange with chocolate-brown to black splotches and a creamy white belly. As more are now bred in captivity many beautiful designer variations are available.
- Average lifespan of 15-20 years. Males reach a length of 15 to 18 inches while females are stockier and reach between 24 and 36 inches.
- Mostly nocturnal but can be seen out in the late afternoon.
Diet
Sand Boas in the wild eat small rodents and lizards, but in captivity can be fed a diet of live or thawed frozen mice. Removing your snake from its enclosure and feeding him in a separate container is recommended. Babies should be fed every 5-7 days; adults every 1-4 weeks depending on the snake and the size of the meals.
Housing
Sand boas may be housed in small groups in a 20 gallon or larger tank, individual males are easily kept in a 10 gallon tank, and individual females may be kept in a 20 gallon tank.
Use a heating pad placed under one side of the tank for warmth. The hottest part of the tank, directly over the heating pad, should be between 90 and 95 degrees and the unheated side of the tank should be in the 70s. Maintain a low 30-40% humidity.
Sand boas in the wild would constantly be burrowing underneath and through the sand, so a good sand substrate should be used as bedding. A hiding place isn’t necessary since they hide underneath the sand, but other decorations can be placed in the enclosure for your sand boa to crawl on when he is out at night.
Handling & Care
Extremely docile non-aggressive snakes, sand boas are easily handled. Slide your hand through the substrate to lift the snake from underneath. Picking a sand boa up from the top can be intimidating and mistaken as an attack. These boas don’t climb well and need to be held carefully; if you try to put them on your shoulders they will probably fall off and frequently slip from surfaces such as a table or your lap.
Wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap after handling any animal.
Health
These snakes like a very warm and arid environment and can get sick if the humidity in the tank is kept too high, a water dish placed on the cool end of the tank will provide adequate humidity.
Before shedding, your snake’s color will become dull. Handle as little as possible and feed only a small meal or none. Shedding will usually take one to two weeks. A “humidity box” can aid the shedding process.
Keeping the cage clean will help keep your boa healthy. Scooping out all dirt and feces with a sand scoop three or four times a month will help cut down on cleanings. The bedding should be thrown away, tank sanitized, and replaced with fresh bedding at least once every four to six months.
