Looking Into Kenyans

I'm starting to crave for something new and I would love to get a sand boa. I got even more excited when I decided to make this my display tank and make a desert theme thing. My question is, what are the dangers of using sand. I really want to use sand due to how well the snake looks in it and so that I do my desert thingy. Is compaction a real danger when using sand and does it matter sand I use (obviously nothing toxic or something but you know what I mean). Please give me your thoughts and share anything else you would like about these beautiful snakes.

Sand presents a major problem if you feed in the tank. I never fed mine in the tank, but didn't like the fact that sand bits always got stuck in his nostrils and sometimes underneath a scale or two. Sand boas actually don't live on sand in the wild. It was really cool to smooth the sand over before I went to bed and then get up in the morning and see all his tracks, but it's also cool to see all the burrows he makes in the aspen that I use now.

Kenyans are the most docile snake I have yet to come across. Kyo has never hissed, never coiled, never bitten and lets you pet him on the head and everything. He's such a sweetheart! He's expressive, too. He will actually make it a point to look at you and loves to burrow into my hair and sniff everything.

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Originally Posted by Nippy

Sand presents a major problem if you feed in the tank. I never fed mine in the tank, but didn't like the fact that sand bits always got stuck in his nostrils and sometimes underneath a scale or two. Sand boas actually don't live on sand in the wild. It was really cool to smooth the sand over before I went to bed and then get up in the morning and see all his tracks, but it's also cool to see all the burrows he makes in the aspen that I use now.

Kenyans are the most docile snake I have yet to come across. Kyo has never hissed, never coiled, never bitten and lets you pet him on the head and everything. He's such a sweetheart! He's expressive, too. He will actually make it a point to look at you and loves to burrow into my hair and sniff everything.

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So are you saying sand is fine as long as I don't feed in it? That wont be a problem as I never feed inside the tank my snakes live in.

From what I've read, the main risk is impaction so as long as you are not feeding it in there like you said, you shouldn't have a problem. I couldn't find any other big reasons why you shouldn't keep them on sand, but that doesn't mean other more experienced keepers might have reasons not to.
I would like to see pics of your end project. :D

My showcase snake is a GTP and I went all out and got natural wood and real plants. It looks fabulous as far as my snake tanks go anyway.

Are you going to use any cacti or succulent plants?

I always consider this. A healthy reptile wins over how their envioment looks. I don't recommend sand because well, impaction and they live more in dirt then sand. :D

I know someone who uses crushed walnut shells. It looks relatively like sand, although I do not know the health risks. Something to look into, maybe.

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Originally Posted by ivylea77

I know someone who uses crushed walnut shells. It looks relatively like sand, although I do not know the health risks. Something to look into, maybe.

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From what I know crushed walnuts are one of the worst things to use.

Well then there's your answer!

i know of a long time kenyan breeder named chuck at savings grace reptiles,i'm sure he would share his exprerience with raising kenyans,i know he uses aspen.BTW he has some cutting edge morphs and is good to deal with.have fun!

Kenyan sand boas do not actually live in sand in the wild.. they actually don't burrow that well in it, (it tends to pack down too much) and they do need humidity.. which sand doesn't really help with at all.

I keep mine all on aspen, but in the past I've used bed-a-beast which is nice looking stuff.

Since they can't digest sand, there is possibility of compaction as well. I've heard of the sharp edges scratching their eye caps as well.

Overall not the best choice for the animal.

One of the sites I visited suggested mixing sand and soil together and then using some water to dampen it so that their burrows would hold.

My friend uses crushed walnut shells with no problems, I just don't like how it looks personally.

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Originally Posted by Nippy

One of the sites I visited suggested mixing sand and soil together and then using some water to dampen it so that their burrows would hold.

My friend uses crushed walnut shells with no problems, I just don't like how it looks personally.

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I've always heard the walnuts aren't digestable.

Hello..just a few thoughts on what Ive read so far in this thread.

Over the years I have tried just about every type of substrate for kenyans. In reference to sand,... 2 things always come to mind. One, it is a very heavy substrate. Two, when sand is cold, it tends to stay cold for quite some time...the opposite is true for hot. It can be difficult to get a proper heat gradient in a strictly sand substrate. You may also find sand between scales,under scales,around vent area, the obvious impaction possibilities. All in all, not a great substrate.

Currently I keep all my kenyans on shredded aspen. Its perfect for burrowing, lightweight, great with temp gradients,..and with the proper cage furnishings very astethically pleasing to the eye.

A note on crushed walnut for a substrate....I have had bad experiences with kenyans on this substrate. It is extremely hard and if/when caught in the small corners of a sandboas mouth, you could be in for a whole variety of problems. I know colubrid keepers as well as python,boa,and gecko breeders who have had problems with it.

...Just my 2 cents.... hope it helps, and good luck with the kenyan!!! Ken

Walnut is pretty much bad for everything. When I found out my friend was using it, I was thinking, ummmmmmm, okaaaaaaaay. :confused:

I've decided on aspen and if it doesnt work for me then im using that crap that you put in water and it expands. I know what it is I just dont want to turn the light on and lean over my box o crap and see the label so dont waste a post on telling me what it is. Anyways, thanks for all the advice and ill be sure to post pictures of my final project.

BTW, I plan on getting an anery. :D