The Kenyan Sand Boa (Gongylophis colubrinus, previously Eryx colubrinus) is a small species of boa from the coastal areas of Kenya in Africa. If you're considering a Kenyan Sand Boa as a pet, understanding their lifespan and care requirements is essential. This care guide provides all the information you need to keep your Kenyan Sand Boa healthy and happy in captivity.
Kenyan Sand Boas are naturally variable in color and pattern, with the background color ranging from orange to yellow, and patterned with intricate chocolate-brown to black blotches. Even the eyes have a similar mottled pattern and coloration as the dorsal surface of the body, presumably to aid in camouflage. Small and set high on the head, a sand boa's eyes no doubt make it easier for the snake to spot both prey and predators. The ventral surface and lower sides are patternless white or cream-colored. There are also plenty of interesting color and pattern anomalies being produced by breeders.
The Kenyan sand boa's head shape is distinctive and perfectly designed for a burrowing snake, with a flattened appearance and pointed nose. There is an enlarged rostral scale extending over the lower jaw that allows the snake to burrow with ease. Tunneling under the terrain in its natural habitat is a way for it to evade predators, stalk prey and regulate body temperature. A wild sand boa in need of a quick defense can rely on its extraordinary tail, which is stout and covered with file-like scales.
These rough, heavily keeled scales would be a challenge for ravenous teeth or beaks to penetrate. The fact that the armored tail appears remarkably similar to the snake's head also creates confusion. Kenyan sand boas are sexually dimorphic, an unusual characteristic among snakes in general. Full-grown males are almost always less than two-thirds the size of adult females. Males tend to average 16 to 18 inches, occasionally exceeding 20 inches. Neither sex is exactly slender, but the females have the heftier girth of the two. It's also pretty easy to determine the gender of a Kenyan sand boa by comparing tail shape.
Like most reptiles, Kenyan sand boas are long-term pets. There are some longevity reports of more than 30 years. Two females have been in collection for almost 20 years, and they were both at least 2 years old when I acquired them. One of those females is still breeding, but her production has slowed during the past few years, so I plan to retire her from the program this season. The other simply stopped producing about five years ago. Both appear to be in excellent condition, with good weight and normal behaviors.
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Kenyan Sand Boa
Enclosure
As this is such a small species, it’s easy to house in captivity. We recommend a 24x18x18″ vivarium for housing an adult and as long as you can get your temperatures stable, you can use a glass tank of a similar size instead if preferred. Glass tanks can be harder to get higher temperatures in and this species does need quite high temperatures so if using a glass tank you may need to cover the mesh top, but this can make it difficult for your basking light to penetrate.
Especially appealing to many keepers is the minimal space requirements of the Kenyan sand boa. The average adult can be comfortably housed in a 10-gallon aquarium or similarly sized enclosure with a secure lid. A 20 gallon is better for jumbo-sized females, but typical full-grown specimens will not require anything larger than a 10 gallon. A plastic storage container of appropriate dimensions, along with air holes, will also work well in a heated shelving unit. The plastic units are approximately 23 inches long, 15 inches wide and 6 inches tall.
It is possible to keep sand boas in aquariums, with no problems at all, but a plastic sweaterbox rack system is preferable. This saves cleaning time and space, and this method more efficient to heat. If a glass terrarium with a screen lid is used, it is recommended using both an under-tank heating pad beneath one side of the cage, left on 24/7, along with an incandescent overhead lamp during the day, to heat the air in the tank. It's also imperative to keep on top of the shed cycle with this type of enclosure, and increase the humidity accordingly, as moisture will be easily lost through the screen lid.
Snakes in general are solitary creatures. For this reason, along with cleaning efficiency and more accurate record keeping, it is preferable to keep them individually. Unlike many other exotic snakes, this species is surprisingly tolerant of temperature fluctuations, which is a bonus for beginners. Ultimately, the hotspot at the main heat source should be approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit, with a cooler side around 80 degrees.
Read also: Sand Boa Feeding Guide
Substrate
As the name suggests, Kenyan Sand Boas live in sand. In captivity we do recommend using sand for them where possible, although some people will alternatively use aspen or lignocel which are still reasonable options, but sand is the most natural and suitable for them.
A variety of substrates work well with sand boas, not just sand. It is possible to successfully keep and breed them on many substrates, including aspen bedding, coconut mulch, play sand and even newspaper. Given that the Kenyan sand boa is inclined to burrow, cage furniture should be minimal. A traditional hide box will rarely be utilized, but this snake may appreciate upside-down coconut halves, driftwood and some commercially available herp caves. Use sturdy pieces, but avoid heavy rocks unless they are firmly fastened to the enclosure. Flat rocks or pieces of slate or bark along the surface of the substrate may work well for adding extra security, and they will not be easy to topple.
Accessories
Even though your snake may spend a lot of time burrowed, we still recommend adding some decor into the tank. They like tight spaces, and will enjoy low hides and places to hide under such as slate, rocks, and cork bark. Despite its small size, a Kenyan sand boa can be very destructive to your interior design. Decorative branches are a nice touch, but will only be there for your enjoyment. This is a terrestrial snake, preferring to spend much of its time underground or on the surface. Climbing is not part of its usual routine.
A ceramic bowl large enough to drink from but not big enough to soak in will be a good choice for a water dish. Make sure it is sturdy. Kenyan Sand Boas require clean fresh water available, but you need to take care not to increase the humidity, so have a small water bowl in a position it cannot be tipped or spilled into the substrate.
Cage accessories should consist of two hide boxes with one on the warm side and one on the cooler side of the enclosure if burrowing substrate is not provided. Hides can be as simple as a half a flower pot, half log, or as complicated as a rock structure (make sure it’s well anchored). Rocks added into the enclosure offers enrichment and some variation in the enclosure.
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Kenyan Sand Boa Habitat
Temperature and Lighting
Kenyan Sand Boas live in the hot sand of Kenya and prefer daytime temperatures of 32 - 35c (90 - 95F). Having a small daylight bulb in the tank helps provide a natural photoperiod allowing the snake to distinguish clearly between night and day. This isn’t strictly necessary, but it has plenty of benefits and is very inexpensive. Kenyan Sand Boas have quite a drastic difference between summer light and winter light in the wild. To try and mimic a natural photoperiod, you’d want 14 hours of light in the summer and only 8 hours of light in the winter. This isn’t strictly necessary for keeping them as a pet, but would be more important of hoping to breed. If you use any heat-emitting bulb you will need to put a guard around it to ensure the snake does not curl around the bulb and inflict burns upon itself.
The enclosure, regardless of type, should have a gradient of 75-85F° with the warmest spot no more than 90F°. These temperatures should be maintained with a thermostat and monitored with two thermometers ideally. One thermometer should be placed on the warm end an inch above the substrate and the other an inch above the substrate on the cool end of the enclosure. Under tank heaters, heat cable (outside the enclosure not in the enclosure), heat tape are the most appropriate to warm the substrate.
In the past people didn’t use UVB for nocturnal or crepuscular species of snakes such as the Kenyan Sand Boa. However, more recent research has shown that most snakes are active at dawn and dusk and will sometimes even bask in full sunlight. UVB has been shown to offer benefits to health, such as increased appetite, more activity and brighter colouration. Following recommendations from Arcadia Reptile, we would recommend having a UV Index of 2-3 in the tank. We recommend you achieve these using the Pro T5 Shadedweller Kit as the most cost effective and well designed product, however you can use a T8 6% if the basking zone is within 10-15″ of the snake, or a T5 6% if your basking zone is within 15-18″ of the snake. As with the previous lighting section, in the wild the photoperiod is 14 hours of daylight in the summer, 8 hours in winter. UVB remains optional when it comes to nocturnal snakes but we highly recommend it.
Humidity
Humidity should be around 40%. It will not hurt the snake too much to be kept at the ambient humidity in the UK, which is often 50-60%, but you should try to keep it as low as possible with minimal water spillage and a warm, dry tank.
Humidity should be maintained under 50% to keep this species healthy as they do poorly in high humidity. No special techniques are needed to keep the humidity low, just proper ventilation and placement of the water bowl on the cool side of the enclosure.
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Feeding
Kenyan Sand Boas in the wild are opportunistic feeders who will hide beneath the sand and then ambush prey that walks on top of their hiding place. The Kenyan sand boa usually feeds with gusto in captivity, and problem feeders are rare. I feed my adult females weekly and my males every 10 to 14 days. Females are offered one frozen-thawed adult mouse, and my males get one frozen-thawed hopper mouse. It is not unheard of for adult male Kenyan sand boas to feed sporadically. I have only encountered one male with this peculiar habit, only taking food every few months. He was still healthy, with good weight, and he bred like a champ. I always offer dead prey with 12-inch metal tweezers.
In the wild, these snakes feed primarily on rodents, lizards, and small birds that pass by. In captivity however, most are fed mice with a penchant for smaller rodent prey than what their size could ingest. These snakes seem to relish nestling mice the most and feed well after dusk! It is highly recommended to feed only pre-killed prey as live prey can severely injure or kill a snake. Chicago Exotics recommends feeding properly thawed frozen rodents. These snakes are aggressive feeders despite their slow moving nature. Hatchlings are typically fed pinkies or in the cases of the smaller species, pinky mice parts. Adults can eat small mice but tend to prefer hopper mice. Hatchlings should be fed every 5-7 days and adults fed every 7-10 days small meals.
In captivity Kenyan Sand Boa babies can be a little tricky to get started on defrost prey, as their instinct is to ambush live prey, but a breeder or shop should get these feeding for you before purchase. One of the only obstacles you will face when obtaining a new baby sand boa, is its preference for live prey. A large percentage of the babies start off on live pinky mice. Fortunately, this is only temporary. With a little bit of effort and patience, you can encourage a baby Kenyan to accept a dead pinky by wiggling it in front of the snake's face, or by dragging the pinky across the surface of the substrate.
Kenyan Sand Boas have a fairly slow digestive system, feeding weekly is adequate for hatchlings, whilst adults can be fed every other week.
Handling
Kenyan Sand Boas are easily handleable. This is a calm and placid snake that very rarely attempts to bite, unless there is a confusion over food. Youngsters may be nervous and be fast or try to escape, but once they realize you are not a threat, they’re usually happy to be handled and to explore. When handling your Kenyan sand boa, take care to provide adequate support. The body is proportionately heavy in contrast to its diminutive length. It's never a good idea to try to rest one of these snakes on your shoulders, as some people do with other types of snakes. Most of the Kenyan sand boas have been even-tempered. A few were feistier than normal, but they preferred to try to get away or twitch, rather than bite. When picking a Kenyan sand boa up, do so from the middle of the body, giving the snake a chance to figure out that you are not on the menu. If you approach the snake from above, near the front third of its body, you may trigger a feeding response and end up with a snake attached to your hand.
Social Needs
Kenyan Sand Boas do not have any social needs and are happiest living a solitary life. During mating season, males will often harass each other and fight, and even a female and male can injure each other. We recommend keeping this species solo, or if you really feel you must keep two together, sticking to two females only.
Sexing
Babies hatch approximately the same size, so for a guaranteed sex at birth an experienced seller can pop or probe the snake, but even at birth, an experienced eye can tell the difference between the tail size in males and females and give a determination. Males have a longer and rounder tail, whilst females have fatter but shorter and stubbier tails. Males have larger anal spurs in comparison to females, although it’s worth noting that Sand Boas do have smaller spurs than many other species, so you need to compare Sand Boa to Sand Boa. Finally, an adult Kenyan Sand Boa is often as little as 1-2 ft in length and only 100g in weight, whereas a female grows up to three foot, and can weigh anywhere from 400g up to 1kg!
Females are generally longer than the males by two years of age. Probing is an excellent way to determine gender but should be done by a confident snake keeper or veterinarian as damage to the snake can occur.
Breeding
Before you breed, please consider whether your adults are healthy and genetically free of any problems that might be passed down. The female in particular should be fully mature, breeding any snake too early can cause serious health problems.
Brumation happens naturally in the wild. In captivity it’s optional, but if you’re looking to breed then it helps the snake as they would naturally breed in the spring when the weather begins to improve as these are the conditions they need to breed successfully. Around December you should lower the enclosure over a week or so to 65F (18C) - 70F (21C). This is a lot warmer than most colubrids will brumate at and this is usually quite easy to do even a central heated room - you’ll need to make sure you keep your room temperature lower than this, and then have a thermostat set to 65F to cover any cold nights. It’s important to keep this temperature constant. If you think your room temperature is going to rise above this, you may need to find a cooler place to brumate them. Because this temperature isn’t that low, they can still digest their food, so you can continue to offer small meals less often. Three months later, bring the temperatures back up to normal and a week later resume a normal feeding regime.
Kenyan Sand Boas will ovulate, which gives the abdomen a bulging, swollen appearance that feels firm if you touch it. She may not eat whilst ovulating, and she may suddenly be more defensive or aggressive towards you. If the males enclosure is in the same room, he can almost certainly tell she is ovulating, and he may start being hyper active, roaming the tank in search of the female he can smell. You may not notice the ovulation if it passes quickly, or some females don’t ovulate until mated, so you can’t use it as a guaranteed sign she’s ready. The best guaranteed sign is about 4-6 weeks after coming out of brumation she will shed. At this point you can introduce the two and monitor them carefully. In some cases they can get injured during mating, and a female Kenyan Sand Boa who is not ready to mate has been known to rear, gape, threaten, hiss, bite and even kill a male.
Kenyan Sand Boas are live bearing. You’ll have no need of an egg laying box or an incubator. A gravid female may lie on her back and try to sun her underside. She’ll seek out the warmest parts of the enclosure and bask, and she’ll swell and start to look gravid. She will have a pre-lay shed around 4-5 months later, at which time it should be obvious that she is larger than normal and her abdomen is swollen. Within a week of shedding she is likely to give birth. The babies are born in a thin membrane egg sac which they will break out of immediately. Some will be stillborn, and some of them will be “slugs” - undeveloped eggs. But you should have a litter of up around 10-20 - but could be more! Separate these boas out into their own enclosure. They will shed within a week, and then you can start trying to get them to feed. Kenyan Sand Boa babies can be quite tricky to get feeding, but it’s important you establish them on defrost rodents for a month or two before trying to find them new homes.
Morphs
There are a variety of Sand Boa morphs. These are not as popular in the UK as some other countries, but still available. The most popular here are Albino, Anerythistic, Snow and Ghost.
Kenyan Sand Boa Morphs
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