Habitat:

Deserts

Average Size:

2 to 3 feet

Lifespan:

20+ Years

Introduction

Rosy and sand boas are popular pets that average only 24-30 inches long. Rosy and sand boas are hardy and generally easy to handle. The rosy boa, Lichanura trivirgata, inhabits deserts and arid scrubland from southern California through southwestern Arizona to Baja California and Sonora, Mexico.

The Kenyan sand boa is the most commonly kept sand boa species. It averages less than 2 feet long and is often attractively colored and patterned. Eleven species of sand boa originate in deserts and semi-deserts of Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.

Behavior

Both rosy boas and sand boas are generally easy to handle. Rosy boas often tolerate handling better, although they may remain shy.

Sand boas are highly specialized ambush predators that wait below the sand for passing prey with only their eyes exposed. To assist in this hunting strategy, the eyes and nostrils are located high on the head. They spend almost all of their time below the surface of their substrate and will seldom be seen unless removed from their enclosure. Sand boas may become more stressed when removed from their enclosures, and some may strike as a feeding response if they are touched while buried in the substrate. Despite their innocuous appearance and sluggish movement, they are capable of rapid strikes. Care should be taken to avoid startling the snake when digging a boa out of its enclosure.

Companions

It is recommended to keep rosy and sand boas snakes as solitary pets. That Pet Place cannot guarantee that any reptile will get along with any other reptile, even if they are purchased from the same cage or habitat.

Habitat

Rosy and Sand boas should be provided with as much space as possible. while maintaining a safe and secure environment. Large enclosures are necessary to establish a thermal gradient. Snakes will move from warmer to cooler areas as needed to regulate their body temperature. This behavior, called thermoregulation, is important to their health and is usually not possible in small tanks.

We recommend:
• 20 gallon Long 30”x12” – juvenile to 6 months old
• 40-gallon Breeder 36”x18” or larger - adults

Air circulation is important for all reptiles, so your terrarium should be equipped with a screen top. The screen top should be secured with clips or locks as snakes are very skilled escape artists.

TFP-TPP PRO TIP:
Keeping rosy and sand boas in a small enclosure will not keep them smaller but, it will cause the snake to be stressed and uncomfortable.

Habitat Furnishings

• Water dish
• Two hides (1 for hot side, 1 for cool side)
• Substrate
• Décor

Always provide at least two hides for shelter. Being forced to remain in the open is stressful. A hide will make your snake feel more secure and more likely to eat when it is comfortable. Hides are also required for proper thermoregulation.

Substrate:
We recommend a substrate mix of 60% reptisoil & 40% reptisand as a loose substrate for both species. Sand is recommended as a smaller part of the substrate mixture, due to sand’s inability to allow for borrows that hold up on their own. However, sand as part of the mixture is helpful to provide weight to the substrate. This weight above the boa is part of what allows them to feel securely hidden underground. Flat hides may occasionally be used.
Their substrate should be a minimum of 3-4” deep. Remove the substrate entirely once every 3 months, clean the habitat itself with pet-friendly disinfectant, & provide fresh new bedding.

Décor:
The cage can be decorated with artificial pieces of wood, plants, rocks, or tree stumps to provide a more natural habitat.
Cork bark and plastic caves, make suitable hiding places. Stout, well-anchored branches can be added as basking sites. Make sure anything used in the cage is insect-free and secure, so it does not fall on your snake. Décor also provides an object to rub against when your snake is shedding.

Light, Heat and Humidity

Light:
Rosy and sand boas benefit from a small amount of UVB. A UV index (UVI) of 2-3 UVI is recommended. For example, this can be provided by a T-5 2.5% UVB bulb at a 10-15” distance between the bulb and the basking site. Be sure to provide hides or other forms of shade so that the snake can self-regulate as necessary. UVA light may be useful in encouraging natural behavior and breeding. Lights should remain on for approximately 10-12 hours daily. However, it is important to provide a period of darkness overnight to prevent stress-related health issues.

Heat:
Reptiles need the proper amount of heat to digest their food & maintain their immune system. Each species has its temperature requirements that must be met by providing the appropriate amount of heat with some combination of heat bulbs and ceramic emitters. Reptiles cannot maintain their body temperature by producing metabolic heat. They rely on external conditions (i.e., heat bulbs) to regulate the temperature of their bodies. Consequently, a thermal gradient must be established in your snake’s habitat. That means you must provide a basking area (90-95°F) & a cooling area (80-85°F).

Required temperatures for your boa:
• Basking area temperature 90-95°F
• Cooling area temperature 80-85°F
• Nighttime Temperature minimum: 70°F

To provide the recommended basking temperature, we recommend the use of a heat spotlight & an under-the-tank heater plugged into a thermostat. At night, turn off the spotlight to allow the air temperature to cool down to around 80°F. If the temperature at night goes below 70°F, you may need a ceramic heat emitter or reptile night light, which gives off heat but not visible light. It will also enable you to view your pet’s nocturnal activities. Use two separate thermometers to monitor the temperature in the basking area & the cooling area.

Watching your reptile’s behavior and movement can indicate whether your temperatures are correct. For example, if your reptile always stays on the heated side it’s never hot enough. Always staying on the cool side means the heated side is too hot.

Humidity
Rosy and sand boas must be kept dry. Skin and respiratory problems can develop rapidly in damp conditions. Water bowls should be heavy and filled partially so that they will not overflow when the snake curls up within.
If humidity becomes a problem, the water bowl can be removed and placed back in the cage for 3 hours every other day.

TFP-TPP PRO TIP:
If shedding problems occur, your snake can be soaked in a shallow amount of lukewarm water for approximately 1/2 hour. If your snake has begun shedding on its own, it is generally safe to remove leftover old skin by hand at this point. Do not attempt to remove old skin from a snake before it has begun to shed on its own, as this can cause serious injury.

Feeding

Feeding adult Rosy and sand boas readily accept live or frozen-thawed mice. Hatchlings can usually handle newborn mice (“pinkies”), but particularly small individuals may need sectioned pinkies for the first few weeks of their lives.

While they are capable of handling fairly large prey, as most snakes are, these boas have smaller heads and jaws for their size than many other boas. When in doubt, it is always safer to err on the side of caution. Juveniles should be fed weekly, while adults can be fed every 7-14 days.

Because sand boas are fossorial snakes and captive specimens will not be actively waiting for prey at all times, the best method may be to remove a buried boa to another enclosure during feeding. Gently scoop the snake up from below and place it in a container or box with air holes, or a paper sack. The rodent can then be placed in the container (it is highly recommended to use frozen-thawed mice to avoid injury to the snake in confined quarters). The snake and rodent can be placed back in the cage as long as the container is not directly under the heat lamp. Boas will often feed almost immediately even with this somewhat unnatural but very convenient method.

If you feed frozen food, be certain the food is completely thawed before offering it to your cold-blooded snake. Swallowing even a partially frozen food item can cause your snake to go into shock and die from the extreme temperature change.

TFP-TPP PRO TIP:
We recommend thawing at least 30 minutes in warm water before introducing the rodent to the snake’s cage. NEVER MICROWAVE to thaw.

Water:
Water for drinking and soaking must always be available. Bowls should be filled to a point where they will not overflow when the snake curls up within, as overly damp conditions for prolonged periods could lead to health problems.

Daily Care & Maintenance

Rosy and Sand Boas require attention & care every day.
You will need to:
• Provide fresh water.
• Spot clean, remove fecal waste & uneaten food.
• Complete health checks.
• Complete heating checks.

Observe your snake each morning, health problems can sometimes be difficult to identify. Observation can mean simply looking at them closely while they are in their habitat. Continual handling is not required as that can cause undue stress.

You will learn to recognize slight differences in snake postures. A limp or “un-muscled” appearance is typical of snakes that are not well. Other signs of illness include refusing to eat, no tongue flickering, and little movement between different temperature zones. Also, check their underside for reddened scales. Lastly, check for small parasites, and mites, crawling anywhere on your snake’s body and head. Mites dehydrate the reptile and can carry diseases just as fleas and ticks do in mammals. It is critical to provide treatment right away for any illness. Most animals are good at hiding an illness until it reaches an advanced stage.

TFP-TPP PRO TIP:
If your snake is soaking very often in its water dish it could indicate:
• Temperature is too hot.
• Humidity is too low.
• Your snake has mites.

Health & Sanitation Considerations

Your snake’s head should always be kept away from one’s face during handling, as even long-term pets may react to smells or vibrations that people cannot sense. Bite wounds can be severe and may be inflicted without warning by normally docile reptiles or animals.

Salmonella bacteria, commonly present in reptile & amphibian digestive tracts, can cause severe illnesses in people. Handling an animal will not cause an infection, as the bacteria must be ingested. Salmonella infections are easy to avoid via the use of proper hygiene. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling any animal. Please speak with your family doctor or veterinarian for more tips on preventing Salmonella, or please read our care guide “Cleaning and Disinfecting Recommendations” for additional instructions.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about your new family member. We recommend scheduling a checkup with an exotic veterinarian soon after you bring your new pet home. It is helpful to keep a medical record about your pet should an emergency ever occur.

Pet care is always evolving & changing. Please continue to research and monitor your pet’s behavior to assure they are thriving. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our reptile department at 717-299-5691 ext. 1240 or petpros@thatpetplace.com.