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Kenyan Sand Boa
Eryx colubrinus
The friendly garden-hose snake — a chunky, slow-moving burrower that ambushes rodents from under the sand and almost never bites.
18–24 in15–20 years
Habitat
Enclosure
10–20 gal with deep sand
Temperature
80–95°F (hot side)
Humidity / Water
30–40% — dry side
Heating & lighting
Heat mat under the tank on a thermostat controls burrow warmth — never hot rocks. Sand-like substrate at least 3 in deep for burrowing.
Diet
Feed these
- Frozen-thawed pinkie/fuzzy mice
- Frozen-thawed rat pups for adults
Never feed
- Live rodents — dangerous bites
- High humidity — keep it dry
- Overhandling
A perfect first snake: eats frozen-thawed, never bites, stays handleable, and hides under the sand most of the day.
Cohabitation
Can live with
No one — house this species alone.
Never house with
Other sand boas — they are ambush predators and cage mates get eaten
Keep alone — loose sand is their whole world and they burrow all day. An ambush display at feeding time is the show.
