5.00 out of 5 (1) If your Kenyan sand boas have successfully mated, the female will become gravid (pregnant). At a maximum size of 30-36 inches sand boas are one of the smallest snakes with one of the biggest personalities. Its also possible for a Kenyan sand boa to pass an entire clutch of slugs, containing no healthy babies. Albinism in snakes means they do not produce any black pigment. Frozen mice can be thawed by placing them in a plastic bag and placing the plastic bag in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for 20 to 30 minutes. This will usually happen 1-2 weeks after birth. One amazing feature about morphs is that they frequently produce snakes in colors, with a few exemptions, of course, something not generally seen in reptiles. Inbreeding, however, the splash morph tends to only ever interfere with saddling on the bottom third of a snake body. Kenyan sand boa morphs are determined by DNA: they are the result of genetic mutations. Paradox morphs can have very few speckles, or very many. The snow splash paradox Kenyan sand boa is another triple morph snake. Feed your newborn Kenyan sand boa a rodent that is the same width as the widest part of the snake. Kenyan sand boa breeders have carefully curated a stunning array of morphs. To breed Kenyan sand boas, lower the temperature during winter. The rest of its body, from the blunt head to the stubby tail, is usually orange or yellow with dark brown saddles. Try again next year and see if you have better luck. This is most likely because theyre uncomfortable. Kenyan sand boas are live-bearing: they give birth to babies, instead of laying eggs. Random black speckles and splotches distinguish it. A snake with particularly vivid colors may increase the cost. Albinism in Kenyan sand boas presents itself as yellow, orange, cream, and pinkish-lavender scales and saddles. Make sure the terrarium has a well-ventilated top. Are There Any Vegetarian Snakes? Breeding brightly colored parents may result in some eye-catching orange and cream albino offspring. Over time, many kenyan sand boa morphs have become more available in the market. Some keepers have had success resolving this issue by crafting a humid hide filled with moist medium, but not all Kenyan Sand Boas catch onto the fact that they need to come above ground to access moisture. data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAKAAAAB4CAYAAAB1ovlvAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAAw5JREFUeF7t181pWwEUhNFnF+MK1IjXrsJtWVu7HbsNa6VAICGb/EwYPCCOtrrci8774KG76 . This resulted in the rufescens morph. . When you reach into a snakes enclosure from the top, it usually views you as a predator swooping in from above. Getting the right humidity for this snake is relatively simple. Its easy to transition them by offering a fresh pre-killed mouse immediately after they eat a live mouse. Wild-type Kenyan Sand Boas are sold for $100 but morphs are more expensive. The saturation and color of pigments vary depending on their ancestry. RODO - Joanna Nowakowska; RODO - Justyna Dziwlska-Adamus A normal Kenyan sand boa is a snake without morphs, called a wild-type. From proper husbandry and habitat guidance, to articles on health concerns, diet, and extensive care guides, Reptile Guide is here to educate everyone on all things reptiles. These snakes are available in many beautiful colors and patterns. This is because females are viviparous, meaning they give live birth. The anerythristic stripe Kenyan boa morph is a cute-looking darkish snake with a light stripe along its spine. The Kenyan Sand Boa (KSB for short) has been increasing in popularity among exotic pet owners and for good reasons. Of these favorable characteristics, their manageable size, simple care requirements, and docile temperament all help to cement them as one of the best pet snakes to own. It is thought to be the outcome of a crossbreeding between a Kenyan sand boa and a closely related subspecies. Scale rot presents as dark brown or black lesions, usually on or near the snakes belly. During the cool period, your snakes will become less active. The female must be at least 2 years old, and should weigh 300 grams or more. Like the Albino Paradox, this morph also has dark specks randomly scattered across its body. The next feeding, offer a fresh pre-killed mouse first, and as soon as they finish eating it, provide a F/T mouse. According to the Journal of Experimental Biology, boas and other live-bearing snakes transport vital nutrients to their offspring during development. She is almost blue and has orange flakes on the end of each cream scale. Albinism is a naturally occurring morph seen in the wild, and not just in snakes like the Kenyan sand boa. If you notice your snakes hissing, rearing up, or striking at each other, separate them. If this happens to you, it may be because the male wasnt mature enough to breed. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); I've been breeding reptiles for 10 years, concentrating on Milk Snake, Ball Pythons and Boa Constrictor color morphs as my primary focus. When bred in captivity, Kenyan sand boas make good pets. Breeding brightly colored parents may result in some eye-catching orange and cream . When this happens, the snake is heterozygous for or het for that trait. But to be on the safe side, ensure you have the babies food and enclosures ready long before this time. Their bodies are thick and they have short tails. According to ILAR Journal, mating behavior is triggered by an increase in sex hormones and sex steroids. A rufescens Kenyan sand boas body exhibits a gradient-like transition between brown and orange scales rather than saddles or splotches. Being terrestrial and semi-fossorial, Kenyan Sand Boas arent very good at balancing or using their tails to anchor themselves. The available page is being filled with inventory and will roll out very soon. A snow paradox and a snow splash are involved in breeding this snake. It is a relatively new morph that is similar to hypomelanism. The heating element should cover no more than of the enclosure, but preferably closer to of it. This version has pale pink, yellow, or tan blotches. On a whole, Kenyan sand boa morphs are on the more affordable side. Starting in December, lower the temperature of your Kenyan sand boas enclosures to 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Albino Kenyan sand boas are quite popular and readily available. They may become stressed in large enclosures that have too much open space. With a few exceptions, no one breeds the Arabian sand boa in captivity. The VPI web site has a good gallery of some of the other morphs of East African Sand Boas in captivity. It is fascinating to watch . Calcium sand can cause digestive impactions, respiratory illness, and it isnt easy to keep clean. Baby Super Hypo Boa Constrictor. Most KSBs are voracious eaters, but a stubborn few may resist frozen/thawed prey or go on a hunger strike due to: Try researching these harmless feeding techniques that are often used to encourage stubborn snakes to eat: The size of the mouse and how often you will feed your Kenyan Sand Boa depends mostly on its age. When removing your Kenyan Sand Boa from the enclosure, you should sift your fingers from the bottom of the substrate to the surface, gently lifting their body from underneath. This trait makes it hard to identify if it is a dominant, recessive, or line-bred trait. Pigments vary in saturation and hue depending on parentage. 5.00 out of 5 (7) $ 199.00. The yellow scales may appear brighter or duller depending on the genetic history the snake inherits. Kenyan Sand Boas are small, beautiful snakes with unique color patterns and hunting behaviors. This splash morph produces erroneous saddles, and this means the bottom third of this snake is saddle-free. Can Rattlesnakes Breed with Other Snakes? The body of the striped sand boa is usually a dark brown. Expert Tip: If you utilize terrarium decor to make the habitat feel cluttered, like their habitat in the wild, your Kenyan Sand Boa will use all of the space that you can afford to give them. Most snakes will mate between March and May, and give birth in the summer or early fall. These snakes are native to parts of Northern Africa. Rough-Scaled Sand Boa - Gongylophis conicus. More attractive, exotic morphs often sell quickly or have waiting lists. However, as the calico grows, its hue and pattern may change. We breed many vibrantly colored variations of Sand Boas here at our facility. If you notice that the enclosure is getting too humid, remove the water dish for 2-3 days per week. In normal colors, a stripe morph produces a brown-bodied Kenyan sand boa with a vivid orange stripe running from nose to tail. We began collecting Kenyan Sand Boas initially as a way to conquer our fear of snakes. Availability. When you notice signs that the female is gravid, you can remove the male. Boas. African fat-tailed gecko morphs differ in appearance when compared to their parents. Occasionally, the saddles will have a pale pink hue too. This is another morph created using the stripe gene and a snow Kenyan Sand boa morph. Front-opening enclosures also offer much more freedom and space in terms of maneuvering decorations and cleaning hard to reach places. Theyre perfectly suited for life under and above ground, and at night they often come out of the substrate to hunt and even climb low-lying enclosure decorations. This is completely normal. Snow ball pythons go for upwards of $500. Underdeveloped or weak babies will struggle, and you may find that some of them dont make it. The Albino Kenyan sand boa is one of the . How to figure out what Kenyan sand boas you can create through different pairings, including hets!. In that case, the best solution is to use a natural, soil-like substrate that you can water periodically. Join Waitlist. The price, though, is dependent on how vivid the colors present and the attractiveness of the pattern. In August or September, your Kenyan sand boa will shed her skin again. Some babies may only accept live pinkies for the first few feedings. High White Color. First and foremost, to avoid any unnecessary diseases and illnesses, its a good idea to do the following: A full cage clean involves changing all of the substrate, washing the inside of the enclosure, and washing all enclosure decorations. <p>At a maximum size of 30-36 inches sand boas are one of the smallest snakes with one of the biggest personalities. The gallery is still being populated with 1000's of professional photos of sand boas. 2015-2023 MorphMarket Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Rules The small size, simple care requirements, and easy-going demeanor of most Kenyan Sand Boas make them perfect reptilian pets for beginners and experts. The scales that go up the snakes sides have a pixel-like progression between orange and brown. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Reptile.Guide is the preferred educational source on reptiles favored by experienced herptologists and new owners alike. Thanks for watching! APA Style: Carter, L. (August 11, 2022). To achieve the temperature gradient specified above, use one or two heating elements on one side of the enclosure, and allow the other side to drop to room temperature. Be aware that some may be hiding amongst substrate or underneath vivarium accessories. It has exploded from there. These blotches are also known as saddles. The eyes of the Kenyan sand boa are on located on the side of the head. Some gravid Kenyan sand boas can be more snippy and defensive than usual. Stick around and get the complete low-down on everything there is to know about the Kenyan Sand Boa their diet, size, lifespan, habitat setup, and much, much more! This makes them a long-term commitment. Usually, a 25 to 30-gallon tank will be sufficient. There also should be no moisture on the sides of the tank or in the substrate. Theyre live-bearing, so you wont need an incubator, or to monitor the eggs as they develop. The Kenyan sand boa is a small burrowing snake from Kenya and its neighboring countries. Its belly scales are pale, usually white or cream-colored. If youre trying to decide if the Kenyan Sand Boa is the right type of snake for YOU, youve come to the right place. A striped morph produces a brown-bodied snake with a bright orange line running from snout to tail in typical hues. Nuclear Kenyan sand boas have a bright, rich red-orange base color with sharp black and brown markings. They are yellow to orange, and may be round or ovoid in shape. As a result, it is one of the most affordable morphs. If your snakes are the right age, but too light, wait until theyve gained weight before pairing them. Like other species in the Boa family, Kenyan Sand Boas have very long lives. Even though they prefer to spend much of their time buried in the substrate, Kenyan Sand Boas are curious and explorative once theyre comfortable in their environment. Average Size And Growth Rate Of Kenyan Sand Boas. This is called thermoregulation, and cold-blooded animals that need to thermoregulate are called ectothermic. Like most snakes that are common as pets, Kenyan Sand Boas thrive on a diet consisting exclusively of frozen and thawed mice.. Never microwave, boil, or otherwise cook frozen mice for snakes. Choose Options Compare. They will lie still together, with their tails wrapped around each other. These customized snake habitats tend to be cost-prohibitive compared to other standard options, but theyre stackable and offer a clean, professional appearance. Respiratory illness is typically caused by excessively high humidityor prolonged exposure to low temperatures. These speckles are a sharp contrast to the light color of the rest of the scales. A reptile heating pad, heat lamp, or heat tape are viable options for heating a glass or acrylic terrarium. It is thick-bodied and quite small. Ive always been fascinated by snakes and reptiles. Appropriately sized meal every 7-28 days. Ive always been fascinated by snakes and reptiles. Featured Image Credit: Nneirda, Shutterstock. These snakes had patterns that were distinctly different from those of the main Kenyan sand boa population. No one can seem to identify if this is a recessive, dominant, or line bred trait. Snow morphs are quite rare and pricey. This is a delicate pale pink or cream-colored snake. Healthy Kenyan Sand Boas rarely attempt to soak their bodies. Its always interesting to see how morphs will interact. A highly sought after recessive morph means a steeper price. Kenyan sand boa morphs affect only the snakes coloring and patterns. Wild-type KSBs are orange or yellow with large, dark brown or black splotches. The third Anerythristic type of Kenyan sand boa is the striped version. Captive bred animals from thousands of breeders worldwide. Morphs. The Dodoma morph would have developed due to geographic and genetic isolation. Cost will fluctuate depending on how clean the colors are and how bright the stripe is. 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