Description
Scientific Name: Erycinae sp.
Lifespan: 15-30 years in captivity
The family Boidae includes these reptiles. Unlike most other snakes, which have eyes on the sides of their heads, sand boas have eyes on the tops of their heads. They look more like straight tubes because their heads are nearly the same width as their bodies. When fully grown, males are significantly smaller than females and have a noticeably narrower tail than females, whose tails are fatter and blunter. Males and females may clearly be distinguished from one another. Sand boas have been bred to come in a range of colors for use as pets; they are normally brown to tan in colour with alternating sections of darker and lighter to assist them blend into the sand.
Native Region/Habitat
The roughly nine species live in arid regions of Africa, India, the Middle East, and southeastern Europe. The javelin, or spotted, sand boa, E. jaculus, is one of the most well-known species and the only boa found in Europe. From Greece through the Middle East and into the Asian steppes, widely distributed.
Behavior
Only the eyes and nostrils are visible since sand boas spend the majority of their life buried just below the surface in sand or loose soil. They capture passing prey, primarily mice and lizards, which they then strangle to death. They are vicious snakes that quickly swipe sideways at victims with their razor-sharp teeth.
Care as a Pet/In Captivity
Habitat:
Sand snakes love digging. You can furnish the terrarium with flat pebbles (firmly placed on the bottom), faux succulent plants, and other ornaments for the snake to explore.
Temperature and Lighting:
The ideal range for daytime temperatures is 84 to 90 °F. Temperatures at night shouldn’t fall below 78° F. These nocturnal snakes do not require UVB, yet it won’t hurt your boa. Put a heater under the tank. Use fluorescent lighting and leave them on for eight to twelve hours each day. Use an infrared heat lamp to observe your snake at night.
Food and Water:
Boas only consume rodents that are as big as the snake itself. Each week, young Sand Boas should be fed. Baby Sand Boas thrive on pinky mice and small mice as food sources. Depending on the kind of boa, different sized food will be required. It is better to feed frozen or thawed rats to your boa. In order to avoid the thawed rodent being eaten by a Sand Boa, you must make sure it is not moist. The majority of Sand Boa caretakers give their boas food in a tiny paper bag or plastic dish, which they then put back in their enclosure. This stops the boa from consuming sand and developing an impaction, which could be fatal. A live rodent may also hurt your boa if it tries to defend itself. Fresh water should be provided in a very small dish, and it should be kept clean. Since they live in the desert, these boas require relatively little water for drinking. A little dish of water is something we do advise keeping nearby, just in case.
Humidity:
Provide a water dish big enough for the snake to soak in to help maintain humidity levels, keep the snake hydrated, and assist in shedding:
Maintain the habitat’s humidity between 20% and 40% and keep an eye on it with a humidity gauge.
When shedding, humidity should be higher; this can be accomplished by establishing a damp refuge filled with moist sphagnum moss.
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