Kenyan Sand Boa temperament / activity level?

[artgecko]

I'm going to be acquiring my first snake at the end of the month and am currently planning on getting a hognose at a reptile show. That said, I'm also interested in KSB and love their looks / size / and general ease of keeping based on what I've read... I'm considering them as my "backup" choice if I can not get a hog.

I haven't been able to find any information on how active they are though and / or if they are nocturnal, diurnal, etc.

For those that have KSB, do they move around the tank or stay buried in the substrate most of the time? If they do come out, is it at night or during the day? Also, would they take advantage of tank "furniture" i.e. branches, rocks, etc.?

Thank you for your time and help!
Artgecko

[kameo37]

Ha! I was just looking these two up because I'm also trying to decide! I know what I've read, but I'm interested in some responses from people with first hand experience, too.

[lefty]

my KSBs are pretty active. i remember when i got them people said "you dont want that, you will never even see it. its like having pet sand."....wrong. they are all over. they do bury most of the time but amost always have a head poking out to look around. they arent shy though. they come out a lot. my male even climbs. as far as temprement, they are so mellow and easy to handle. slow moving most of the time but can be pretty zippy when need be. in my hands they just kind of hang out and sometimes try to burrow between my fingers. its pretty funny. they eat like champs too. never skipped a meal. i would highly reccomend them. especially as a first snake.

[artgecko]

Thank you so much for the info!
Although I have my heart set on a hog, the breeder I might get one from also has KSB and I love the anery color morph. Maybe I need to be planning for my second snake already.

Artgecko

[lefty]

Ya, they are cool little snakes. Probably better suited to new owners than hognoses are.

They crack me up.



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[MootWorm]

Ya, they are cool little snakes. Probably better suited to new owners than hognoses are.

They crack me up.



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Ohhh they're so cute!!! I need to do some research on these guys. I DO have a spare tank laying around

[artgecko]

beautiful snakes! If things don't work out with the hog, I will get a KSB instead.

Artgecko

[kameo37]

So adorbs! Now I have to talk my husband into one more reptile..
just one more. I promise...

[AmandaJ]

Kenyans are a total gateway snake. I started out with one KSB. Now we have 5 snakes...

Regrets? Zero But I will say that in my experience the males are a bit more finicky with food. My females are beasts, though -- they don't skip a single meal!

[M&H]

I have a juvie KSB and an adult Hog Nose

The sand boa for the most part stays hidden, however she is in a rack system so not able to really see her a lot anyway unless I pull her out. She is my daughter's snake, one she picked out after doing her "research" and that is what she wanted. She is pretty mild mannered and just hangs out. She is pretty cute, eats great. I recently saw a snow sand boa and now I want one for myself! I think she will be a lot more fun once she is older and not so scared everything is going to eat her.

My daughter with her sand boa Precious


The hog nose is one of my favorite snakes so I am completely bias as a disclaimer. He is extremely quirky and has his own little personality. Usually he is pretty mild mannered but right now he is in shed so when I walk into the snake room he hisses at me. He acts like a little cobra all hooded and bluff striking if I make any noise in the room. However go into his tub and I can reach right in there to pick him up without any issues. He is a bit quirky to feed. However he eats f/t rat pups without to much issue. He also likes to hide in his substrate but he is always popping out to see what is going on.

Pumpkin


If it's your first snake I would suggest the KSB. They are cute little guys and so easy to take care of. They come in lots of morphs. Hog Nose can be hard to get to eat and can be a bit quirky. Although they are both great snakes