SOP Care Sheet

Enclosure

An aquarium or neodesha is a recommended enclosure for this snake (if you have a pair).  If an aquarium is utilized,  the tank should be at no smaller than a 20 gallon (long) -again if you have a pair.  A ten gallon tank is sufficient amount of space if you have only one animal.  You will need to use a screen lid that has clamps for the aquarium tank.  This will keep the lid in place, prohibiting the snake from escaping. If a neodesha cage is used, then we recommend you purchase the standard 24" cage with 3"X6" vent on top.

The substrate for the Sand Boas enclosure is Jurassic Sand. Use an amount in the cage that allows the snake to bury and hide.  The school makes sure the substrate is at least 2" thick.  The sand can be washed and reused.

Snakes also have a humidor container in their cage.  Our school uses a Tupperware container, but a more fancy structure can be used.  Cut a hole in the lid (big enough for snake to enter and small enough where moisture does not evaporate), and then snake can enter when desired. The inside of the Tupperware container has coconut husk.  Students spray the coconut husk daily.  You do not want the husk to be too wet or too dry. 

A water dish is also provided.

Daily Care

Spot clean cage with a sifter or with plastic gloves, provide fresh water, scrub off hide box, and spray coconut husk daily. 

We spot clean the cage daily and strip the cage completely every three weeks.  When sand is being washed, we have a back-up amount that we use.  Dry the washed sand (no detergents or soaps are utilized - just water), and spread out to dry.  Sand usually takes two days to dry.

Lighting and Temperature

A 75 watt basking bulb is utilized for the Kenyan Sand Boas cage. You will also want to use an under the tank heating pad on the same side as the heat light. You are creating a temperature gradient for animals in their cage. The heated side should be around 90 degrees Farenheit. A handheld infrared thermometer gun is used to make sure accurate heat is set for cage.

SOP Feed Schedule

Our school feeds all snakes once a week for 3 weeks. They fast for one week.  Depending on the size of the snake, will depend on the size of rodent you feed.  We feed 2 thawed rat pups to our full grown pair of sand boas.  Our school feeds in a place other than their original habitat, because we do not want them to associate their food with their cage. This eliminates the potential of bites when reaching into their cage.   

Our snakes are trained to only eat frozen thawed rodents.  We don't recommend live mice in the cage, mice can attack and injure your snake.

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