maybe a sand boa?

[Bartman]

I opened a thread on a diff section about possibly getting a hognose but the fact that they arnt very good temperement wise makes me not really want one that much. Im looking for snake species that stays pretty much under 2 feet and i know that hogs and sand boa's do so that is what i narrowed it down to. (if their are any other species please inform me) So, just in your guys opinion which do you think would be better to get?

can they both live in a 10 gallon their whole life? males..
do sand boa's used sand substrate or can i use papertowl?
how big to sand boa's get on average?

thanks!

[foman]

Sand boas are great, I have never owned a hognose which are totally cool too but ya can't go wrong with a sand boa. I use aspen for bedding.

[Tigergenesis]

Sand boas are burrowers. I would personally never keep them on anything that would not allow them to burrow. It's neat to watch them dig down. I use crushed walnut shells for my Kenyan and I'm trying sani-chips (aspen) out on my new Rough-scale and Saharan right now. Don't use sand. Sand boas are great! They do hide a lot, but are still cool and non-aggressive. A male Kenyan can live it's whole life in a 10 gallon. I believe they average more like 14-18 inches. Females get larger and require larger housing.

[chryseis]

hey Bartman,
if your interested in something small, go with rosy boa's.. They're very beautiful snakes with good temperaments and easy to care for. I've seen a lot of pics posted by Roy Stockwell ("Uncle Roy").. From what I read, he specializes in breeding rosy's, sand's etc.. Definitaly talk to him and check out what he has
Good Luck
Steve

[fateamber]

I love my kenyan, he is so cute! He has aspen, its cute to see him burrow in it when I put him back. Get a sand boa! :)

[JD@reptiles]

Not all hognose snakes are bad tempered. i had a GREAT one. never even hissed. just because one was pissy doesn't mean they all are. if you want a small snake, do the research. in my oponion sand boas are boring. they sit under the ground all day and dont move.

[Sean_.E.]

Don't use sand as a substrate. Use Beta Chip (personal fav), aspen or other similar substrates.

I opened a thread on a diff section about possibly getting a hognose but the fact that they arnt very good temperement wise makes me not really want one that much.

That's not true. Most adult hognoses have quite good temperments. I have seen specimens that are better than corn snakes. Of course, neonate w. hognoses are skittish and defensive but it's pretty much all bluff. Like vitually every species, the young are skittish but generally calm down as they get older (with handling). Every animal is different, you never know how they are going to turn out. I agree with Jordan, do some research.

*Don't jump to conclusions until you know the full story*

Oh, and sand boas are cool, I've seen nippy specimens and calm specimens. Yes, they can be kept in 10 gals.

Good luck,
Sean

[Bartman]

oh no jumping here, im only planning to get another snake probably only after the summer!

[Invictus]

Sand boas are fantastic snakes to own and raise. No sense reiterating all of the advice given above, it's all pretty sound. I agree also that Rosy boas are a great alternative if you want something you'll actually *see* once in a while. :)

[Bartman]

ive seen a rosy kept on sand in a pretty good place, like they know their stuff, so is this still not recomended?

[Beardonicus]

The only problem I have run into with the Sand Boas is their quirky feeding habits. About 1/2 of all the sand boas I've owned would NOT take dead prey even after months of fasting. If you can find an established eater then thats great, but they were too much trouble for me since I feed all of my snakes frozen/thawed.

My Western Hognoses, however are eating me out of house and home, LOL. :D

[Linds]

My favourite substrate for burrowing species is Carefresh. I've tried other things, but always go back. Doesn't stick to dry prey, holds burrows, and is soft and easily passed in small quantities. Might want to give it a shake to get any excess dust out though. I've most recently tried Beta Chip and wasn't impressed with it at all. It literally coated the prey, and there were enough long shards to worry about.

Originally posted by Bartman
ive seen a rosy kept on sand in a pretty good place, like they know their stuff, so is this still not recomended?

No good. The sand can still become impacted in their mouths or intestines. Desert doesn't necessarily mean they come from sandy areas, just dry.