>>I'm wondering what the personality of sand boas are like?





The personality of sandboas vary within and between the species.



As Althea has documented, Kenyans are highly variable. Some are kitten tame while others are never to be trusted. Generally (but not always) you can predict their adult behavior from the behavior as a young snake. Calm babies generally make calm adults. Some snappy babies make calm adults while other snakes are snappy from the cradle to the grave, in spite of handling. I often wonder why Kenyans are so popular considering this.



West African or Saharan Sandboas (Eryx muelleri) are rumored to be very docile. The few (maybe 20?) I have handled have been very docile although I have never tried to keep them. All reports are that they are easy to keep. They are also brightly colored like Kenyans.



Indian Sandboas (Eryx johnii) are very tame, although not quite as colorful. They are also easier to feed consistently than Kenyans. The only caveat about johnii is that they have a very strong feeding response. As long as they are sure you aren't offering food, they are completely trustworthy. If you reach in a try to dig up a hungry johnii without some warning, it might try and eat you first! Of course, most snakes do this to some degree. Eryx johnii are probably the easiest sandboa to keep of the 6 species I have had.



I kept and bred the Desert Sandboa (Eryx miliaris) for a number of years. The only time I ever had one of those try and bite was if they thought I was offering food. They are also very hardy and easy to keep, if you can find a captive born and feeding baby.



Rough-scaleds (Eryx conicus) are probably the least trustworthy as babies and subadults but generally become very calm as adults.
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Chris Harrison

San Antonio, Texas

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