Thinking about getting my first sand boa

Im thinking about getting a kenyan sand boa at an expo I'm going to soon, so im doing some research before hand. I've been keeping frogs for a bit now but this will be my first snake. I'm planning on getting a baby male. I wanted to run though what I know and ask a few question that I have any help anyone has for me is much appreciated =)

They need a temp gradient reaching 90-95 on the hot side during the day, dropping into the 70's at night. A shallow water dish and substrate to burrow in. Feeding them once a week with an appropriate sized rodent.

Now to my questions(I have a few)

1. Is a 12x12x12 zoomed naturalistic terrarium big enough for a baby at first? I will move to a 10-15 gal after it grows.

2. Substrate choice? I know that this is a great debate like most critters. I wanna hear some different opinions and reasoning on this one. I'm thinking play sand though, maybe mixed with coco fiber to clump and form burrows better? Don't really know if that will work but I feel as though it would.

3. I plan on feeding outside the enclosure to avoid substrate ingestion. How much of an impaction risk is substrate ingestion in these guys really?

4. How wide of a water dish do I need? Just wide enough for the sake to coil itself into?

5. What humidity levels should i maintain when it is not shedding?

6. When it is shedding is it better to increase humidity or provide a moist hide?

7. What type of light should i use during the day for heat?

8. Since these guys are burrowing critters should i put the uth on the side so they can't burrow straight down to it and possibly burn themselves?

I know I have a lot of questions so thank you in advanced to anyone who can help:)

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Welcome to the site!

Unfortunately I don't know much about sand boas. Hopefully somebody who is will come along and help you out.

I will offer this advice on substrate though. Look into sani chips.

UTH's should be mounted to bottom of the cage, Heat travels vertically not side to side. Also if you use a UTH make sure that it is regulated with a good thermostat. Thermostats are not optional. Without them a UTH can and will hit 130+ degrees. Stay away from thermostats sold in pet stores, this link goes over cage heating, and has a list of good thermostats with their + & -

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...t-Thermometers

I know that uth's are more effective on the bottom, but for example with my pacman frog I have the uth side mounted to prevent it from burrowing straight down to it and burning itself as the burrow as a method of cooling themselves and they'll just keep digging down further not understanding why they aren't getting cooler.

I planned on attaching it to a lamp dimmer and checking temps frequently with a digital thermometer or maybe thinking about getting a temp gun.

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A sand boa is a great choice of snake! My first snake was a male sand boa whom I've had for 4 years now. As for your questions, I hope these answers help! :)

When I got my baby male I kept him in a 10 gallon aquarium for the first couple years ( although males small enough can live in a 10 gallon their whole life ). I moved him into a bigger aquarium when I got my second sand boa.

I first used sand when I got mine. I currently use paper shreds since its cheap.

Ive always fed all my snakes outside of their enclosures just to be sure nothing is swallowed (especially if kept in sand). I don't like the thought of one of my snakes swallowing bedding.

A small water dish should be used. I've never seem my sand boas soaking themselves in water. Although during sheds I've heard some people provide a moist shedding spot, such as a deli cup with moist moss. I've never done this myself though.

As for the heat. I use belly heat on all mine. My heating pads don't get too hot though. Belly heat does help them digest their food better. Under tank heating pads can be unpredictable though. So would probably want to get a thermostat for that.

I hope this helps :)

Lamp dimmers work ok if they the heat source in in a room that stays the same temperature with very little variation, but a thermostat is really a much better option. Even a cheap thermostat like the hydrofarm ($30) will be much safer. Pacman frogs don't need as much heat as a sand boa does. a side mounted UTH simply isn't going to be enough as UTH's only increase surface temperatures, and not the air temperature in the cage.

I'm gonna look into a thermostat thanks for the help so far

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Should the probe from the thermostat rest directly against where the uth contacts the glass or the substrate surface above it?

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Anyone?

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It should be on the outside of the tank, attached onto the heat tape/pad.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MatthewM1

Should the probe from the thermostat rest directly against where the uth contacts the glass or the substrate surface above it?

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The t-stat probe should be situated BETWEEN the glass and the UTH - sandwiched, so to speak. This is the MOST important piece of equipment you can have. I like the VE200's, but the VE100s are good too and so are Herpstats. But if those are a bit out of your price range, a Hydrofarm off Amazon works pretty well too. http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...arm+thermostat

And the UTH really does need to be on the bottom. Snakes need that warm belly heat. ;)

You should also have a thermometer to measure your temps. Accurites from Walmart are a great choice - choose the ones that show an indoor and outdoor temps and humidity all at the same time. You would place this inside the enclosure and put the probe for this on the hotspot (this will show as the "outdoor" temp). Place the unit on the cool side (this will show the "indoor" temp and the humidity).
http://www.walmart.com/ip/AcuRite-Di...nitor/16888914

Incidentally, I highly recommend an Ultratherm from Reptile Basics for your UTH. These are much much safer and more reliable than Zoomed or Zilla brands. They don't get as hot and it's easier to "sandwhich" your t-stat probe. They also don't self-stick so you can easily move it or reuse it on another enclosure. Just use aluminum heat-safe tape to tape it down. http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-heat-pads

:gj: