Normal KSB behavior?

So this doesn't seem normal to me, at least from a species which is supposedly super terrestrial...he's always been trying to escape, but I'm scratching my head cause this seems next level...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0d4bad243f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c7dc67c626.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0506eb64ae.jpg

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What are his temps like and are they accurate? I noticed your using a analog thermometer instead of a digital one with a probe. The analog ones are way less accurate than digital ones and it's not taking temperatures from where he'd actually be at. Are you using a thermostat?

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Originally Posted by Crowley136

What are his temps like and are they accurate? I noticed your using a analog thermometer instead of a digital one with a probe. The analog ones are way less accurate than digital ones and it's not taking temperatures from where he'd actually be at. Are you using a thermostat?

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Hey yeah it's funny I don't actually use the analog it's in there for show. I had his temps dialed in a long time ago but still use the heat gun and an accurite periodically to confirm. I have a UTH with a thermostat keeping the surface under the substrate at 92, and I have a low wattage bulb on a timer that brings ambient to mid-upper 80's and shuts off at night. Night time ambient is mid 70s

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Try covering three of the sides of the tank with black paper, maybe he feels exposed and is trying to escape. If the analog gauge is for show why not take it out? I don't care, just curious is all.

Lol dont want the ugly circle that these analogs leave behind. Just curious, how familiar are you with KSB care?

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I’m not familiar with sand boas much at all, but I would have four of those clamps holding down the lid. It’s what I do on all my tanks. :)

They're there lol definitely necessary and clearly work

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Just got my first. And I'm very familiar with their care. I've also been doing research on them for the better part of a year. I LOVE researching things lol.

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Originally Posted by Crowley136

Just got my first. And I'm very familiar with their care. I've also been doing research on them for the better part of a year. I LOVE researching things lol.

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Lol same, I've researched like 50 billion caresheets obsessively and believe to have found a happy medium on care, though always open to suggestions. And congrats, would love to see some pics!

As you know, they pretty much hide all day under the substrate, and get out and act all kooky at night. He's in a 10 gallon now, and though hes such a tiny guy (about 18" long and 2/3" wide) I've been thinking of switching him to a 30 gallon I have lying around. Gives him more space, and if he insists on climbing (which I find so bizarre) it will give a lot more height. I don't personally think blacking out the sides will do much, as he knows exactly where to hide and stay hidden under the sand lol, and also his tank isn't in a high traffic area. Thoughts?

Understandable on not blacking out the sides and such. I personally have, more because my girlfriend doesn't like snakes lol. I'm going to be using a 20g long when he gets older. Also, I have a cave hide I'm using that I partially bury just in case he wants a little extra privacy under the substrate. Maybe a fake plant too.

Even the super terrestrial snakes will still climb. If you give any snake something to climb they will. While it's odd to you, they will climb in the wild. If your setup is ideal then I wouldn't worry. I have a desert horned viper, and they are from Egypt. I have a statue in his enclosure and I see him climbing a lot. He doesn't stay up there, but he does go up there to bask closer to the heat. I give him a 92 degree hotspot, but when he climbs, where he goes it's normally 100-102.

Now to address a few possible issues which I want to make sure isn't the case.

You heat the bottom of the tank. Do you heat the entire bottom? If so you're not allowing him to thermoregulate.

When you're checking the temps with the gun, are you aiming at the glass? Because if so you're going the wrong reading. A lot of people don't realize with temp guns you're not supposed to shoot glass or any type of reflective surface.

I just wanted to cover this in case one of those two may be your issue.

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Originally Posted by Neal

Even the super terrestrial snakes will still climb. If you give any snake something to climb they will. While it's odd to you, they will climb in the wild. If your setup is ideal then I wouldn't worry. I have a desert horned viper, and they are from Egypt. I have a statue in his enclosure and I see him climbing a lot. He doesn't stay up there, but he does go up there to bask closer to the heat. I give him a 92 degree hotspot, but when he climbs, where he goes it's normally 100-102.

Now to address a few possible issues which I want to make sure isn't the case.

You heat the bottom of the tank. Do you heat the entire bottom? If so you're not allowing him to thermoregulate.

When you're checking the temps with the gun, are you aiming at the glass? Because if so you're going the wrong reading. A lot of people don't realize with temp guns you're not supposed to shoot glass or any type of reflective surface.

I just wanted to cover this in case one of those two may be your issue.

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I have the UTH covering about 1/3 of the bottom. When I set it up, I did adjust the thermostat based on the temperature of the glass (with a temp gun) directly on top of the UTH. I also use the temp gun for the surface of the substrate, as well as an accurite for ambients. I'm concerned however, especially since he is a burrowing snake, how do I determine the accurate temp of the glass on top of the UTH if the temp gun won't read it accurately?

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Originally Posted by Avsha531

I have the UTH covering about 1/3 of the bottom. When I set it up, I did adjust the thermostat based on the temperature of the glass (with a temp gun) directly on top of the UTH. I also use the temp gun for the surface of the substrate, as well as an accurite for ambients. I'm concerned however, especially since he is a burrowing snake, how do I determine the accurate temp of the glass on top of the UTH if the temp gun won't read it accurately?

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Lift the tank up, or you can partially slide the side that has the uth out so you can shoot the uth directly. That'll give you a better idea.

Also keep in mind that even though it may be ideal, once the substrate is covering it, that also raises the temps because it basically insulates.

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Originally Posted by Neal

Lift the tank up, or you can partially slide the side that has the uth out so you can shoot the uth directly. That'll give you a better idea.

Also keep in mind that even though it may be ideal, once the substrate is covering it, that also raises the temps because it basically insulates.

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Hmm, so you mean that the temp the UTH is on the outside is the same temp as the thermostat/inside of UTH? Also, how then would I determine the temp at the hottest spot in the tank right above the UTH?

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Originally Posted by Avsha531

Hmm, so you mean that the temp the UTH is on the outside is the same temp as the thermostat/inside of UTH? Also, how then would I determine the temp at the hottest spot in the tank right above the UTH?

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It won't be the exact same, but should give you a more accurate reading.

What I would do is put some paper towels at the very bottom, then put the substrate on top. Wait an hour or two then get to the bottom where the paper towels are and use the gun to shoot the paper towels. I'd put 3-4 down though so you get an accurate reading. Then you can shoot the bottom and get an idea of the difference.

When I use heat tape on the pvc, I have to keep the probe set to 80, because under all the substrate, that bottom of the pvc enclosure was around 88. Before I put the substrate down, it was reading around 82-83, so with the substrate it raised it around 5 degrees. Now I don't know if the uth heater will do that, but I just wanted to give you an idea.

Wow interesting. Thanks for the help!

Yeah, some KSBs say fooey to the whole terrestrial thing, and can be escape artists, especially the males. Normal KSB goofiness. :)


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Originally Posted by Prognathodon

Yeah, some KSBs say fooey to the whole terrestrial thing, and can be escape artists, especially the males. Normal KSB goofiness. :)


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Goofy is an understatement. I swear he's so kooky, good thing he's so cute. I wish he'd eat once in a while lol but he's taken a meal a couple weeks ago after like 4 months so with the weather warming up and all hopefully he will start eating regularly again. Can anyone think of any objections to moving him into a 30 gallon from a 10?

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If you’ve had him long enough to be comfortable with his feeding patterns, and he’s an adult, it should work. If he’s still a youngster and/or new to you, I’d hold off for a while. I had to move one of my boys down to a 12” cube in a quiet room to get him eating semi-reliably (or as reliably as a male KSB ever seems to). He’s now in an 18-1/2 x 10-1/2 Cambro tub (clear lexan).

20-longs are usually suggested as enough room for females. Our female is in a PVC enclosure with a bit more floor area than a 20-gallon long tank. If you don’t already have the 30-gallon, I’d go with a 20-long instead, since even KSB boys that climb don’t need the extra height of the 30. :)

And I definitely recommend Warren Treacher’s “The Sandboa Book”:
http://thesandboabook.com


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Originally Posted by Prognathodon

And I definitely recommend Warren Treacher’s “The Sandboa Book”:
http://thesandboabook.com


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I appreciate that. Yeah I actually have an empty 30g lying around, my goal is to eventually switch him to a 20 long but the one I have will only be available in a few months. Also curious to see if he will climb in it if I throw in a branch.

As far as eating regularly, lol. He went like 4 or 5 months off food (did this last winter too), had a mouse about 3 weeks ago, refused following 2 weeks. Won't touch frozen, won't eat when I'm in the room. Last year he started eating around April but was warmer last year than this year. Most of the people that I ask have said that this is normal for a male Kenyan. He's under 3 years old. Any further thoughts (on the 30 gallon and on feeding) based on this info?

Sounds like you’ve got a good handle on his behavior and feeding patterns, so go ahead and try. If he stops eating, you can always go back to the smaller enclosure.


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Originally Posted by Prognathodon

Sounds like you’ve got a good handle on his behavior and feeding patterns, so go ahead and try. If he stops eating, you can always go back to the smaller enclosure.


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On that topic...I brought a mouse tonight (scented with gerbil bedding) and he immediately went into full on stalk mode with me in the room. Took it right down. Very happy snake daddy right herehttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...17f04c5c12.jpg

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