Hello!

Enora · 03-28-17, 02:52 PM

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.

Scubadiver59 · 03-28-17, 04:59 PM

Welcome to SsnakesS!

dannybgoode · 03-28-17, 09:09 PM

Che for hearing with a thermostat.

Once you are fully comfortable that your all your temperatures etc are fine and the snake is eating well and pooing properly get rid of the adobe and swap for a nice dirt mix for the substrate-much more natural. Ignore the stuff you here about risk of impaction. So long as the animal is properly kept and healthy it'd simply not true.

Welcome to the forum.

**Tsubaki** · 03-29-17, 03:46 AM

Welcome to ssnakess!! We don't mind rambling

Scubadiver59 · 03-29-17, 06:09 AM

Ramble On

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsubaki

Welcome to ssnakess!! We don't mind rambling

dave himself · 03-29-17, 08:33 AM

Hi and welcome

Doug 351 · 03-30-17, 08:45 PM

Welcome.

( Maybe it's just me....but I haven't found a snake yet that doesn't like a chin rub!)

jay's reptiles · 03-31-17, 12:46 PM

CHE hooked up to a thermostat would be good.

sattva · 03-31-17, 01:16 PM

Howdy & Welcome..

TRD · 03-31-17, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug 351

Welcome.

( Maybe it's just me....but I haven't found a snake yet that doesn't like a chin rub!)

KSB is a nice snake, but you won't see it often. Do realize that because it can be disappointing never to see him/her crawling around.

I have a bunch of them and I regularly need to dig them out of the sand to see how they are doing... Kenyan sandboa's don't mind too much being dug-up. Rough scaled and, well, most other species really do not appreciate it one bit in my experience.

Nice thing though, is that they are rather slow. Once out they generally do fine but they will want to be covered up and don't really "explore" like a kingsnake does.

Doug 351 · 04-01-17, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRD

KSB is a nice snake, but you won't see it often. Do realize that because it can be disappointing never to see him/her crawling around.

I have a bunch of them and I regularly need to dig them out of the sand to see how they are doing... Kenyan sandboa's don't mind too much being dug-up. Rough scaled and, well, most other species really do not appreciate it one bit in my experience.

Nice thing though, is that they are rather slow. Once out they generally do fine but they will want to be covered up and don't really "explore" like a kingsnake does.

Ok... But have you ever TRIED to give them a chinrub?

regi375 · 04-01-17, 06:06 PM

welcome!
The temps are correct, they like to have 90-95 on the hot side. I personally use a heat lamp (hooked up to a thermometer), mostly because heating pads don't generally work well for me. Other heating options should work though. Just make sure you got a set-up that works before you bring the snake home.
Also, make sure you don't have any heavy décor in the enclosure. If you do, insure that it's sitting on the bottom of the tank. Since these snakes like to burrow, something heavy collapsing on them can be fatal. Other than that, good luck!

regi375 · 04-01-17, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug 351

Ok... But have you ever TRIED to give them a chinrub?

I surely wouldn't try... would you? lol

Tiny Boidae · 04-01-17, 06:32 PM

Welcome! Sand boas are wonderful animals and I think you'll be very happy with her. As others pointed out, all snakes are a little shy but with a sand boa you're pretty much just buying a box of dirt visually speaking. Heating pads do work, I've had mine on them for about ~5 years without an issue, but I've recently switched them all to a thermostat controlled CHE and am much happier with that. They tend to use more of the tank and I do see their little heads more often. Something else that helps is having a lot of cover top soil. I almost always am able to see them that way. (For example, I bought a bunch of those hanging vines and laid them out on the soil). Also, they will try to burrow under anything you put in there. Including the water bowl. You've been warned. For substrate, these guys will do great on just about anything. I've had them on sand, Aspen bedding, carefresh, and eco earth, and they've done well on everything except the sand. When they were on that, they'd occasionally get the sand stuck in their teeth and I'd have to help them clean it out. I currently keep mine on eco earth since it tends to be cheap and I personally don't like the smell and mess of wood chips. To each their own though. Also, for handling, as others have said these guys will do great there. They tend to be a little neurotic though as mine will sometimes be fine one minute, and the very next they'll start throwing their bodies around (I have one that always does this regardless). Just know that she probably won't bite you. It's just a bluff. You'll be fine though, as it doesn't happen very often for most of them. When I do handle my snakes though, I tend to put them in a giant sweatshirt pocket and just sit with them. Not all will like it but some will sit with me, pretty relaxed. Something to try I guess.

Anyways, good luck with her! Don't forget to post pictures!

Enora · 04-01-17, 09:39 PM

thank you everyone for your responses. I am going to pick up a new light fixture and CHE bulb of appropriate size for the fixture and use a thermostat. my 60 watt bulb finally decided it was dead (saw that coming, had it for quite some time and have used it on an off to test various fixtures/thermostats).
will be placing my order for my new light fixture, light bulb, light fixture stand, and bedding here in a few minutes as its much cheaper to buy it online than it is to buy it local.
I'm actually pretty used to pets I don't see much of when in their habitats. my two Leopard Geckos were big time night critters (one still is, the other died of her birth defects).
What's the general consensus on co-habitation? debating getting two girls. one of the standard orange and browns (kinda leaning toward spotted though striped is definitely cool!) and one Anery Sand Boa. I know that co-habitation with Leopard Geckos and Bearded Dragons is a big no-go, and am wondering if its the same with Sand Boas? two of the approximate same size/weight and gender. I know that feeding must be done carefully for co-habitation, but is not that impossible an option for me.
I've found a few online sources for the snakes themselves as well, in case I don't get the one at the pet store. kinda debating if its the best idea to get one from there after some consideration. I lost 2 bearded dragons and 1 Leopard Gecko exactly 5 weeks from date of purchase from them when I first started getting into the scaled critters (all purchased at 5-6 weeks apart).
I went through classified ads for the Dragon I have now, and it took a lot of vet bills to get the Gecko that I have from that store to be actually healthy. Kinda worried the same thing will happen with the snake.

Anyway, thanks again for all the advise and welcomes!