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  1. #1
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    Advice for Rescued Kenyan Sand Boa

    Hi everyone! I came here awhile back after adopting a 13 year old ball python and everyone helped assuage my fears and my sweet girl is now in wonderful health and is an absolute doll. Thank everyone once again. <3

    I am now rescuing another snake later this month. He was the pet of a volunteer at my bestie's job she is a park ranger at, and when he left for college he gave the kenyan sand boa to the park. Since he isn't a native species they just had him in their office and my friend has relayed to me that he has been in...horrible conditions, to which she had not been aware of before. He has apparently not eaten in a year, and his setup is abysmal. Only sand, 80-81 degrees ambient only, with only a water dish. Before that, they had him in an empty plastic container without proper heating or substrate. I am unaware of how old he is (only that he is an adult), what his living conditions were prior to the park, but I am ready to try and rehab him from the bad conditions he's in and get him eating.

    I just wanted to try and get some advice as I prep for him. I'm buying all his supplies tomorrow, and plan to have his new home setup by the time my friend brings him to me. I was planning on aspen bedding, one hide (should i go for two? I've heard different things), a mopani wood branch, two fake plants, a water dish, and blacking out the sides of his terrarium to help him feel more secure. The top of his tank will be sliding wood pegboard, and I'll have a uth and che on thermostat for his heat. I wanted to have 85F ambient temperature, 95F hotspot and 80 cool side. Humidity 30-40%.

    As for settling him in, I figured I would leave him be for a week, then try to get three successful feedings in a row before any handling.

    Are there any other steps I should take or things I can do to improve his setup? My heart was breaking when I heard of his horrible conditions and how long he hasn't been eating... I really just want him to live, and not only that but thrive. I wanna do all I can to get him to a good homeostasis!

  2. #2
    Telling it like it is! Stewart_Reptiles's Avatar
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    At first I would keep the enclosure very minimalistic, proper sized enclosure based on the animal's size

    Under 100 grams a 5 gallons over a 10 gallons for a male 20 gallons for a females.

    Instead of aspen I would suggest coco coir bedding, once broke down this bedding resemble sand the most and is very absorbant.

    I would start lower on tempertures, and progressively bring them up 82/92 will be more than enough.

    Hides are not really necessary neither are climbing structures, they naturally spend their time buried in their substrate (must be deep enough) and you want them to display that natural behaviour.
    Deborah Stewart


  3. #3
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    Thank you so much for all the info! I meant to answer back earlier but totally forgot... All of this has definitely helped and he's been doing well and seems alert and comfortable. Thank you. :3

    I did have some concerns though... Namely on getting him to eat and some issues with stuck shed and his cloaca. I'll link some more info and pics below!

    https://belleoftheballpythons.tumblr.com/tagged/gooby

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