# Boas > General Boas >  Kenyan Sand Boa substrate?

## Ham

Anyone have any advice for a good substrate for Kenyan Sand Boas?

I just recently purchased a baby Kenyan Sand Boa and am keeping her on a aspen shaving substrate, I have heard sand is a bad substrate despite the snakes namesake...

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

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## wilomn

I use sand, aspen and pine. Never a problem with any of them.

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## Ham

So do you mix the 3 substrates together?

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## wilomn

LOL, sorry about that. No, I use them individually. I keep most of mine in sand a few inches deep with a heat light on one end of the tank. I've kept them on pine shavings and aspen in the past just to see if it worked. It did, I just like sand better.

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## Ham

What sorta sand you use? 

Playsand? like the stuff at Home depot? (like for kids sandboxes)

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## wilomn

> What sorta sand you use? 
> 
> Playsand? like the stuff at Home depot? (like for kids sandboxes)


That's the stuff.

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_Ham_ (07-08-2010)

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## Erycinae

just talking from personal experience, but i find that Sani-Chips work really well with all sand boas. and if you want you can add playsand or sandblasting sand (1/20 grain) underneath the Sani-Chips, as i have had no problems with that too

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_Ham_ (07-08-2010)

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## EverEvolvingExotics

Sand works...but not the way they would like it too.  They are a burrowing snake.  Aspen holds the burrows they make as long as you don't run your hands through it destroying it along the way.  It leaves them with a secure spot to hide in.  Also when feeding you can tap the rodent right outside of it burrow and it will be more willing to take the item within the security of its burrow.  Sand just collapses.  In the wild they aren't on play sand its a mix of sand, dust, clay, and dirt.  When its all combined they can easily make sturdy burrows.  Plus aspen is so much easier to clean and definitely doesn't have a smell to it like soiled sand can.  Its all up to your preference.  I just wouldn't feed directly on sand for the simple fear of impaction (not too worried about that though).

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_Anatopism_ (04-29-2011),_babyknees_ (04-29-2011),_Ham_ (07-08-2010)

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## Tim Mead

A sand box inside the shoe box this way it has its micro habitat in its habitat..
Bed the shoe box with paper and sand in the sandbox..

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_Ham_ (07-08-2010)

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## tysont

im using aspen for my 2 sand boas, but on the last feed the snake went for the mouse and got a bit of the substrate in her mouth and it went through her head and came out through her eye, she is ok now but im defo changing to sand for my choice of substrate, i use live feed.

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## babyknees

> Sand works...but not the way they would like it too.  They are a burrowing snake.  Aspen holds the burrows they make as long as you don't run your hands through it destroying it along the way.  It leaves them with a secure spot to hide in.  Also when feeding you can tap the rodent right outside of it burrow and it will be more willing to take the item within the security of its burrow.  Sand just collapses.  In the wild they aren't on play sand its a mix of sand, dust, clay, and dirt.  When its all combined they can easily make sturdy burrows.  Plus aspen is so much easier to clean and definitely doesn't have a smell to it like soiled sand can.  Its all up to your preference.  I just wouldn't feed directly on sand for the simple fear of impaction (not too worried about that though).


Would that sand that you can shape burrows out of be good for them? I've been using normal sand but what you said here makes me want to offer something he can build burrows in that won't collapse.

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## Shmoges

Try crushed english walnut. Its way cheaper than sand and they can still burrow in it. Its way easier to fidn them in it as well.

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