New Sand Boa Help Please :)

Shadowsaurus · 10-08-12, 02:11 AM

Hello everyone! I am new to this forum but I have used it many a time to help with my bearded dragons and other herps, you are all so knowledgeable and awesome! However I recently purchased a baby Kenyan Sand Boa from a reptile expo and I'm a bit worried about him not eating and his terrarium conditions. This would be my first snake, and though I have done tons of research on sand boas, I am worried to do something wrong. could you help a first time snake owner out?

My small 5-7 inch baby sand boa, Pumpkin, was bought this last saturday at the expo and I have him in a 7 gallon low tank with a heat lamp on the right side(I tried the under tank heating pad but holy cow it got too hot no matter what I did! Cardboard and towels over it to absorb some of the heat seemed to just make it worse, so my Pac Man frog got it instead) One wood hiding log, and a tank corner water dish on the opposite side which I clean and refill everyday. His warm-side temperature is 78-87 degrees F and the cool side gets no lower than 68 F. The humidity is that of my room which appears to be from 10 to 15%. His substrate was aspen bedding but he did not seem to like it and refused to dig in it, until I got crushed walnut shell bedding which he took off in and never comes out but to poke his head out now and again(I'm assuming that means he likes it.). As for the feeding I live in a town were it is hard enough to find frozen pinkies, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to find LIVE pinkies until the next expo at the end of every month. So I have been trying him on frozen but he does not seem interested in them at all. I tried the box method, of putting him in a small box with the pinkie inside and leaving him for a few hours, but he didn't do anything with it other than shove it to a corner of the box. I plan on trying the lid method, putting it on a jar lid or something in the cage overnight to see what he does but I'm worried he won't eat the pinkies at all no matter how well I thaw them out, wash my hands for no scent transfer or how much lizard skin I rub on them. And I REALLY don't want to go with the 'squish the brains out' method :C. If he doesn't eat them, does anyone know of a place I could buy cheap pinkies near Crown Point/Hobart/Merrillville/Valparasio? Or even another method that might help him eat frozen? And if you all could give me any tips, tricks, and advice for him in the future for handling, care, etc? Like I said I have never had a snake before, just a beardies, froggies, and a tarantula. I appreciate the help ahead of time, you guys all rock!!!

mykee · 10-08-12, 08:07 AM

I'm guessing I'm not gonna be one of those guys that "rocks" after you read this:
SOOOOO much wrong with your set up!! Did you do any research before buying your snake?
Hot side 90-95. Cool side about 80. 50-60% humidity.
Overhead heat for a species that burrows is almost entirely useless. Use an UTH WITH A THERMOSTAT. the thermostat is MANDATORY.
Your problem is solved if you follow the above advice.
Also, my disdain may not come through strongly enough, so just imagine it as you read the next line:
Good job on not finding a place to buy feeders for a snake you own.
Good lord!

Gungirl · 10-08-12, 08:21 AM

Take Mykees advice..

Kettennatter · 10-08-12, 08:59 AM

In the meantime, or until you find live feeders, use tweezers and wiggle pinkie in front of the snake. That is how I got mine converted to f/t. Other than that, take the advice given in this thread.

Hannibalcanibal · 10-08-12, 09:02 AM

Mykee is spot-on. listen to him, and you will have one happy boa

rmfsnakes32 · 10-08-12, 09:38 AM

Mykee may be harsh but he is right about all of it. Look online for rodent pro they sell frozen feeders

TragicTaste · 10-08-12, 09:48 AM

All of the above information is what youll want to follow for sure. My KSB didnt want to take F/T either, and I def. dont like squeezing them, so I use a sharp little needle and poke a whole in the forehead after its thawed. Then I brush my snakes nose right at the hole I poke, and he explodes at it. Maybe this will work for you as well.

**Aaron_S** · 10-08-12, 09:55 AM

Breed your own rodents.

Mykee, you're not a nice guy! You should be nicer to newbs. They can't help but not be as perfect as us...I mean you...

mykee · 10-08-12, 10:11 AM

I'm glad you corrected yourself. If I were to be included with the likes of you, I'm not sure to what ends I would go to stop that from happening.

bushsnake · 10-08-12, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

I'm guessing I'm not gonna be one of those guys that "rocks" after you read this:
SOOOOO much wrong with your set up!! Did you do any research before buying your snake?
Hot side 90-95. Cool side about 80. 50-60% humidity.
Overhead heat for a species that burrows is almost entirely useless. Use an UTH WITH A THERMOSTAT. the thermostat is MANDATORY.
Your problem is solved if you follow the above advice.
Also, my disdain may not come through strongly enough, so just imagine it as you read the next line:
Good job on not finding a place to buy feeders for a snake you own.
Good lord!

Wow you must be one of those reptile experts to act like that....i too have a hard time getting feeder rodents... fyi...this IS a beginners forum...that must be why your here

Gungirl · 10-08-12, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bushsnake

Wow you must be one of those reptile experts to act like that....i too have a hard time getting feeder rodents... fyi...this IS a beginners forum...that must be why your here

If only beginners where here who would teach us the ways?

Mykee knows his stuff if you don't like how he typed out his info don't read it. If you can't get rodents don't get the snake. Simple as that.

**Aaron_S** · 10-08-12, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bushsnake

Wow you must be one of those reptile experts to act like that....i too have a hard time getting feeder rodents... fyi...this IS a beginners forum...that must be why your here

Breed your own. Get a friend to breed some. Find a breeder. Rodentpro ships. Find someone who ships. Holy, you people don't like doing any leg work...

Wildside · 10-09-12, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bushsnake

Wow you must be one of those reptile experts to act like that....i too have a hard time getting feeder rodents... fyi...this IS a beginners forum...that must be why your here

This is a beginner's forum?

mykee · 10-09-12, 10:08 AM

Hi, I just bought a new car and found out that the nearest gas station is 208 miles away. I'm an IDIOT!!!

Quote:

"Wow you must be one of those reptile experts to act like that....i too have a hard time getting feeder rodents... fyi...this IS a beginners forum...that must be why your here "

Huh? You're weird.
And yes, I am.

bushsnake · 10-10-12, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gungirl

If only beginners where here who would teach us the ways?

Mykee knows his stuff if youyou don't like how he typed out his info don't read it. If you can't get rodents don't get the snake. Simple as that.

You support that kind of BS?.....would you like my herp hobby resume...cuz it is pretty darn good!