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Ok im thinking about getting a sand boa mainly because of size but i have a couple questions:

What is the hardiest species?

What is the smallest species?

And do they tolerate handling?

Of the 3 species I have, I've found my Kenyan to be the easiest to care for - mostly because he's less work when it comes to feeding. He'll take f/t in his tank. My Roughscaled has to put in a paper bag and left with the mouse for an hour. My Saharan will only take live. Their care is basically the same. My 3 are all pretty docile - not snappy or anything. So really I don't experience much of a difference between them - other than looks and some slight 'personality' differences. My roughscaled is the least active in her tub but explores a lot when I let her out, my Kenyan likes to climb in his cage but quickly tries to burrow into the carpet when I have him out (or curl up in my shirt), and my Saharan is really active in his tub but quickly tries to burrow into the carpet when I take him out. Mine tolerate handling well.

This may be of help to you:
www.kingsnake.com/sandboa/choosing.html
www.kingsnake.com/sandboa/

A great Indy breeder (got my sand boas, rosy boa and my rack from him):
www.jasons-jungle.com/
Another good breeder you'll find at the Indy reptile show (got my cornsnake from him):
www.reptilianprojects.com/

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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
1.0 San Felipe Rosy Boa "Legalos"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"
0.1 Okeetee Corn snake "Amazon"
0.0.1 Crested Gecko
0.0.1 Irian Jaya BlueTongued Skink
0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer "Kira"

I WOULD SAY THE SMOOTHSCALE johnni IS THE HARDIEST ,AND THE MOST DOCILE.
as for handling i think all of these boas prefer to be left alone.but they tolerate us humans. most sand boas are really jerky,if holding one be prepaired to catch it when it leeps out of your hand

jason

>>What is the hardiest species?

I would have to agree with Jason. Of the 6 species I have kept, I would have to say that johnii are the easiest to keep and have the best demeanor.

>>What is the smallest species?

That is difficult to say. Arabian Sandboas are fairly small (I don't think they exceed 20 inches, but now that we are seeing them in captivity, we may find they reach 2 feet or more).

Another related snake that is easy to keep, stays small and is extremely docile is a Rubber Boa. Captive born Rubber boas are great snakes. Wild caught animals can be problem feeders, but my experience with cb babies has been really good.

>>And do they tolerate handling?

Some sandboas are more tolerant of handling than others. Smooth-scaled (johnii) are almost always docile.
Kenyans vary. Some are tame as kittens, others are biters and never seem to get over it.
Rough-scaleds are very trustworthy as adults, but often snappy for the first few years (and those puppies bite hard!).
Desert Sandboas are fairly docile. Mine rarely bit, and when they did it was always a feeding error (they thought I was offering food, not my hand!).
I haven't kept West African (Saharan) Sandboas, but they are supposed to be pretty docile.
Arabians have a reputation for being docile, from what I have heard.
Most of the spotted and tartar sandboas I have kept were generally docile, but a few were random biters.

Generally, sandboas that bite do so when you first dig them up. Once in your hands they are usually calm.
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Chris Harrison