Looking into Kenyen Sand Boas

I saw an ad online the other day for Kenyen Sand Boas. I had heard of them before I had never seen or really noticed them before. After looking at their pictures with the beautiful markings I just fell in love, especially once I started looking at morphs!! I have done a bit of reading but haven't found a really, really good site about their care or breeders. A few sites have said that you can keep them in small groups. Do ya'll agree with that? If so, does gender matter when grouping them? Right now we have 8 ball pythons, so they are the only snakes that we are really experienced with.
This is the care information I have gathered so far:
10 gallon for males (adult = 15 inches)
20 gallon for females (adult = 25 inches)
3-5 inch substrate (aspen, sand/soil mix, carefresh)
Humid hide box for shedding, otherwise extremely dry
Cool side 80-85; Hot side 90-95
Can be kept in small groups
Diet (depending on size) pinky-fuzzy mice weekly
Anyway, I don't really know what else to ask right now, so any information offered would be great!!!

If you get a baby, I would consider a smaller enclosure. I keep my two sands exactly like those temps except I keep them in a 16qt tub becuase they are so small.

This is really awesome site!
http://www.anapsid.org/kenyan.html

those temps are good but we keep ours on sand... they love it... I put them in seperate small tubs to feed but otherwise they live together just fine... I plan on adding more to my collection soon... I love these guys there one of my many favorites
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/100_1580.jpg

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I plan on adding more to my collection soon

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Where did/do you buy your snakes??

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Originally Posted by barbel

Where did/do you buy your snakes??

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These two came from a friend but sand boas are really very popular and there are many breeders out there... Im sure that there are breeders on here even??? anyone out there???

They are wonderful little snakes and Im sure you will be very happy with them...

You should listen to the archived Reptile Radio show where they had Jason Hess as a guest. He stated that he had better luck with breeding when he kept his animals in separate enclosures and only put them together for breeding purposes.

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Originally Posted by chimpkin

You should listen to the archived Reptile Radio show where they had Jason Hess as a guest. He stated that he had better luck with breeding when he kept his animals in separate enclosures and only put them together for breeding purposes.

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These guys arn't old enough for breeding yet... But I will def. seperate them when its time to breed them in a couple of years... :gj: for sure :gj:

Nothing is written in stone in the reptile world.

I've had kenyans produce the last 4 or 5 years and only one of those years did I seperate the males from the females at all.

I keep one male and two to three females in each cage, in three to five inches of sand with an overhead heat source.

They have been breeding like crazy the last three weeks. I should have babies towards the end of July.

Do what you like and see how it works. If it's not working, change things. Experiment a little. As long as they're warm and fed and have water, the snakes will be fine whether kept alone or in small groups.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Nothing is written in stone in the reptile world.

I've had kenyans produce the last 4 or 5 years and only one of those years did I seperate the males from the females at all.

I keep one male and two to three females in each cage, in three to five inches of sand with an overhead heat source.

They have been breeding like crazy the last three weeks. I should have babies towards the end of July.

Do what you like and see how it works. If it's not working, change things. Experiment a little. As long as they're warm and fed and have water, the snakes will be fine whether kept alone or in small groups.

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wow:O thats awsome!!! how fun would that be to have a big display of a bunch of sand boas!!!! very cool!!! I may have to try that!!!:gj::gj:

Well, I am guessing the information I have gathered is correct since no one is really disputing it. I was wondering how many of ya'll use sand and how many apen? I plan to feed them in a seperate tub so I don't really need to worry about impaction, but I was wondering more for convience and economics. I use play sand from Home Depot for my Leopard Geckos, is that okay to use with them? Would aspen be cheaper? Also when ya'll clean out your tanks, do you change all 3+ inches or just a surface clean? With our ball pythons we spot clean everytime there is poo then do an all over change about every 3-4 weeks. Does that sound about right? The help so far has been great; keep it coming!!

I got mine from Jason Hess (Google Jason's Jungle for his website)

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...dboasapr06.JPG

I'm not sure I'd say keep them 'extremely dry' I try to aim for 50% humidity or so for them, they don't shed well without some moisture (I don't use humid hides for them)

That information seems to be accurate. KSBs are almost the exact same thing as Hoggers (both have small males and huge females, both are burrowers, etc.) except for looks and temperament. If you have one near you Reptile expos are almost guaranteed to have KSBs.

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Originally Posted by Momma T

those temps are good but we keep ours on sand... they love it... I put them in seperate small tubs to feed but otherwise they live together just fine... I plan on adding more to my collection soon... I love these guys there one of my many favorites
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/100_1580.jpg

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wow that black one is awesome

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Originally Posted by barbel

Well, I am guessing the information I have gathered is correct since no one is really disputing it. I was wondering how many of ya'll use sand and how many apen? I plan to feed them in a seperate tub so I don't really need to worry about impaction, but I was wondering more for convience and economics. I use play sand from Home Depot for my Leopard Geckos, is that okay to use with them? Would aspen be cheaper? Also when ya'll clean out your tanks, do you change all 3+ inches or just a surface clean? With our ball pythons we spot clean everytime there is poo then do an all over change about every 3-4 weeks. Does that sound about right? The help so far has been great; keep it coming!!

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If you could see my little guys in the sand... They really enjoy it I would never put them on anything else but the rest of my snakes are all on aspen or paper... I use the zoo med brand sand but I don't see why it would matter personally... I also have leopard geckos on that zoo med sand I bet the play sand would be much more economical... great idea!!! :sweeet:

oh also I spot clean mostly... then change it completely only about once a month or so

My Kenyan, U can't do a spot clean b/c her poo is IN the burrows. I started her in a 10g w/coconut husk bedding mixed w/aspen about 60/40 to give her something moist/firm to burrow in, but took her out to feed when she was little. Until we got the clips, she had escaped a couple times.

Her tank is 83/92 with a UTH on a t-stat and we have all but one of the snakes in a temp controlled room, set at 83*.

I wouldn't keep any of the snakes together, just for disease control, feeding issues...what if one regurged?? How'd you know who it was that did it? Worms/coccidia xfer, mites...that sort of thing. But when I get back from my meeting, I'll give you the links of the sites I was able to find w/Kenyan care.

Kara (from NERD) was a big help, too in answering my questions.

[wow that black one is awesome[/QUOTE]

Thank you :P

I had used sand to begin with but found aspen worked better for them to borrow in. Here are some that were born in February. When my males have hit close to maturity they become very sporadic eaters and go long periods of time without eating, the good news is they lose very little weight.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...oas/SBF-11.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...boas/SBM-2.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...oas/SBF-31.jpg
Male from last year
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...ale/KAM074.jpg

Kudos on asking about the KSBs, barbel. I was thinking of getting one of these guys myself! I have one BP but there is something about these snakes that just seem so interesting.

However, one of the things that made me hesitate was that I read they don't like to be handled. Generally speaking, of course. IE; they can thrash and it is stressful for them, since they are a burrowing species. I also read reports from owners who say they are 'nippy' and they don't really outgrow it.

Any first-hand responses to these types of comments about KSBs?

PS: All the pictures displayed here are amazing!!!

Oreo was nippy as a baby, but she's really calm now. We haven't had any problems w/her thrashing around when we handle her. She's any anery, but at about a 6-12 mos. went from a black to more of a choc. brown. Sort of disappointing, but still a very fun, easy keeper snake.

When we first got her, we had a few feeding problems, as even pinky mice would leave a lump, but now she's a regular piggy!

Some can be but with their size they usually don't even break the skin. I think part of it is how you get them out of their enclosures and they seem to be more sensitive during shed. I have several that I hold regularly and then a few that I do hold but am more careful with and they are spazzing I just put them back and try later.

Thanks for the info! It has been very helpful. I live in Phoenix and there is a reptile show in Tuscon, but it isn't until September. I think we are going to try to hit the show in Anahiem, Cali as well. My boyfriend is getting his stock up of BPs so he can start breeding this Dec. I have never seen them at an expo but I also haven't ever looked for them either. I know they will vary but, what would the average price for these guys be? On kingsnake.com I have noticed anywhere from $50-100 or so depending on genetics.
I don't mind keeping them all seperated but, I have read that if you keep them in a rack system that you can't keep water in with them because it gets too humid. How many days a week and for how many hours should water be offered in a rack system?
I read about the nippyness also but many people said they calm down once they are used to being handled. We have a couple angry BPs so I am not too worried about that!
The snakes pictured are so BEAUUUTIFULL and I can't wait to own some of my own!!

P.S. The previous post is from me, Barbel! I didn't realize my boyfriend was signed in when I replied!!

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Originally Posted by kk1020man

Thanks for the info! It has been very helpful. I live in Phoenix and there is a reptile show in Tuscon, but it isn't until September. I think we are going to try to hit the show in Anahiem, Cali as well. My boyfriend is getting his stock up of BPs so he can start breeding this Dec. I have never seen them at an expo but I also haven't ever looked for them either. I know they will vary but, what would the average price for these guys be? On kingsnake.com I have noticed anywhere from $50-100 or so depending on genetics.
I don't mind keeping them all seperated but, I have read that if you keep them in a rack system that you can't keep water in with them because it gets too humid. How many days a week and for how many hours should water be offered in a rack system?
I read about the nippyness also but many people said they calm down once they are used to being handled. We have a couple angry BPs so I am not too worried about that!
The snakes pictured are so BEAUUUTIFULL and I can't wait to own some of my own!!

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My guys ALWAYS have water.. I've never heard of not giving them water all the time.. doesn't sound like a good idea to me. They do not need to be kept bone dry.. a bit of humidity is fine, helpful for shedding even.