Sand boa owners?

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jenn4turtles

Juvie Member
Hello!

We have been considering a sand boa, but we wanted to wait until this year to do it, because we just adopted Smauggie the BD in May of last year.

I've done a good bit of research online for sand boas, and I was wondering if anyone here may have one, and could give me their thoughts on sand boas? For instance, some sources say to give them sand; some say not to. (I plan on feeding the him/her in a separate tank, if that matters, regarding the ingestion issue.) Any pics of your setup would be great! I know we need an UTH, but do we need a heat lamp on top, too? They're nocturnal (or so I've read) and I think the light would bother them. Does yours prefer frozen or live mice? Do they take well to handling?

Thanks!
 

MyBilbo

Hatchling Member
Hey Jenn :D

You probably know I'm am after a sand boa in the new year or maybe Christmas, my supplier feeds his thawed frozen no problem at all, I think with most snakes problems occur when trying to switch between the two, stress or poor husbandry.

as for handling, I think most reptiles don't appreciate being handled but do tolerate it. Sand boas are good as long as you always scoop then up from underneath or behind, and don't squeeze them, let them go free in you hands and fingers.

UTH can stay on all the time, they spend most of the time underground and live in places where the sun is bright so lights wont both them too much.

I have been told sand is fine, but you can use aspen if you prefer, make sure its around 2 inches deeps, and as you said you will take him/her out to feed that is better, then it wont associate you and food to its home. also make sure you wash your hands before handling, if you smell of mice or something tasty you could end up getting tagged!

Like all things when you get it home, let them settle in before anything, and before handling try feeding first, don't handle your snake until it has feed once or twice apart from to transfer to a feeding area.

viv size should be no less than the length of the snake so a 4ft snake can go in to a 2ftx2xft viv royals are the exception as the are shy and don't like big spaces so can go slightly smaller. 24x18x18 is enough for an adult sand boa.

temps should be 32-35 warm side and a cool area of 25-28 and night temps can go down to 21
ALWAYS USE A THERMOSTAT

feed them once a week, if the don't take, wait a week don't offer every day as this can stress them and make them go longer, then don't handle them for 36 hours after feeding.

Hope this helps

My friend has some cool colours just born. high oranges and a yellow =) just picked up my champagne royal Belladona, check out Bilbo and friends on facebook, she is a cutie

Adam
 

jenn4turtles

Juvie Member
Original Poster
I was just looking at pics of your new critter! Beautiful!

Right now, we are still on hold for a new reptile. I lost my job in June, so it's on hold until I find a new one, and the holidays are coming, so ... Probably not until next spring now.

I'm still going back & forth between the boa and a gecko. Of course - why pick just one?? Lol. We have a local pet store that sells mice, so it would be easy to feed live for me (although I'd feel bad) but what happens if the snake isn't hungry one week? Then I have to take care of a mouse until the next feeding? The things we do for our reptiles!
 

Taterbug

BD.org Addict
If they have enough hides and appropriate cover and stuff most snakes are fine with lights and this also helps with your heat gradient and day/night cycle. Heat pads are rubbish for gradients in my opinion, they aren't bad for snake but they won't raise your ambient temps just the area with the mat and the substrate or objects touching it.

Whenever possible feed f/t or freshly killed mice, not live. I would try to buy a snake that is already on f/t. It's pretty inhumane to the mouse and potentially dangerous to the snake as well to feed live. If the snake doesn't take f/t mouse disposing is the best option, I flush them down the toilet or feed them to the dubia roaches.
 

MyBilbo

Hatchling Member
I have to agree UTH are a bit crumby, I'm using a faunarium at the mo and have a ceramic mounted above it to raise ambient temperature, but it's not ideal, having said that I will he moving to a Vivarium in a few months then I will do away with the UTH.
 

jenn4turtles

Juvie Member
Original Poster
Taterbug":lj54kmgu said:
If the snake doesn't take f/t mouse disposing is the best option, I flush them down the toilet or feed them to the dubia roaches.

The roaches eat them?? Holy cow! O.O
 

Taterbug

BD.org Addict
jenn4turtles":341ojn31 said:
Taterbug":341ojn31 said:
If the snake doesn't take f/t mouse disposing is the best option, I flush them down the toilet or feed them to the dubia roaches.

The roaches eat them?? Holy cow! O.O

Yeah :0 how fast depends on the colony size I'm sure, but it adds a little variety to their diet. I don't give them often (thankfully the snake is a more reliable feeder now) but it seems as better way to dispose than just flushing them. Not sure how well they would hold up to re-freezing anyway.
 

jenn4turtles

Juvie Member
Original Poster
I guess I just think of them as small bugs with small mouths and stomachs. Hmmm ... Maybe that's what they *want* me to think?

Still not as evil as crickets!
 
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