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Kenyan &
Egyptian Sand Boas (Eryx
colubrinus)
Kenyan and Egyptian sand
boas are found throughout
north-east Africa. Their
habitat is dry and hot and
they are excellent diggers.
Kenyan sand boas are small
snakes and adults can reach
20-25 inches. Males are
smaller than females and
have larger spurs located
near vent. These snakes are
fairly easy to breed and can
produce 10-20 babies in a
clutch. Kenyan sand boas
are secretive snakes and
will do best if provided
with some type of hiding
place. With proper care you
can expect your sand boa to
live 10-20 years or more.
Prehistoric Pets promotes
responsible snake ownership
and we recommend locking
cages that prevent
accidental escape. Escaped
snakes can have a negative
impact on the general public
which can lead to a ban of
snake ownership.
Temperature
Sand boas need to be
maintained between 88-95
degrees during the day.
Nighttime temperatures
should range between 70-75
degrees. If you keep your
snake too cool it can
regurgitate, so make sure
the temperatures are
maintained.
Housing
Sand boas can be housed
comfortably in a 29 gallon
terrarium as adults.
Ideally the larger the snake
the more room you want to
provide. Never place a cage
near a window where sunlight
can directly shine on your
cage. Cages placed in
direct sunlight can easily
overheat and ultimately lead
to the death of your snake.
Bedding
Our recommendation is to use
some type of sand as bedding
for these boas. The bedding
should be 3-4 inches deep to
allow the boa to completely
cover itself.
Food
Sand boas feed on pinkie and
fuzzy mice as babies and
juveniles. As your snake
grows it will soon move up
to adult mice. We recommend
that you feed baby and
juvenile sand boas one time
per week. Adult sand boas
can be fed once every 7-10
days to maintain proper body
weight. Like most snakes,
sand boas typically will not
eat when they are preparing
to shed. After your snake
has shed you can return to
your normal feeding
regiment. If your snake
doesn’t eat make sure you
remove the rodent from the
cage. Rodents, when they
are hungry, can bite snakes
and can injure or kill
them.
Cleaning and Handling
The terrarium should be
cleaned as necessary. Any
fecal matter should be
cleaned out several times a
week. The bedding should be
completely changed once a
month and fresh clean water
should be provided at all
times. The inside of the
terrarium can be cleaned out
with an appropriate reptile
cage cleaner, we recommend
Natural Chemistry’s Healthy
Habitat. Sand boas can be
handled on a daily basis and
always wash your hands
before and after handling
them.