Hello!

[Enora]

Hi. I've spent a vast majority of my life helping care for animals. Always have had cats and dogs running around. And when I was about 4 we got our first rodents which I always adored. Unfortunately over the last 5 years my sensitivity to rodent urine turned into an outright allergy, so had to give them up. So I decided to see about lizards and other scaled critters. I started by getting a female Leopard Gecko (who I named Amaru) in November of 2015 and found out I absolutely adore them and enjoy caring for them. I also have a male Bearded Dragon named Pascal who is about 3 years old at this point.
I honestly used to hate snakes, then one day I was at the local pet shop and saw this gorgeous Kenyan Sand Boa sitting there staring at me. I couldn't help it, I fell in love with her instantly! After the 4th or 5th time of going into the shop to look at her, I finally asked if I could hold her. Not at all like the other snakes I've handled in the past. Those ones have always been the skinny kinds, corn snakes and garters. She sat there and rubbed her nose on my palm while I admired her.
For the last few months I have been trying to do as much research as possible so I can bring a Sand Boa home. I already have an Exo-Terra front opening tank measuring 24" x 18" x 12". What I'm having the biggest problem with is getting the heating figured out. I'm having some difficulty deciding on the best method for the temps in there. I've seen that they need a high of 95 degrees on one side. Is that accurate? And what is the best method for getting the temps up to that? CHE or heat mat with Thermostat? or both? I'm currently planning on using the shredded aspen snake bedding.
I will be feeding thawed frozen pinkies to my snake since those are the size that she currently needs (already have her picked out just waiting a little longer to bring her home as I want her setup right first).

Anyway, thank you for letting me join you all. And be aware I do ramble. . . a lot.