Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently purchased two Kenyan Sand Boas, and couldn't love them more! Very awesome snakes, easy to handle, easy to cage. everything about them are awesome.

I got a newborn female, normal, and an amel male about a year old. The newborn is awesome. I've effectionately named her "Sandy." She eats like crazy, and it already up to fuzzies without a problem.

The male amel is another issue. He's very handle-able, has a great set up and all, but I can't seem to get him to eat. Ive tried everything I know how from years of breeding corn snakes. I've tried smaller meals, frozen/thawed, everything I know how without endangering the animal.

Here's a few questions. First off, are there any hints to getting these little guys to eat? I see his head poking out, but should I present the mouse there, or get him out and on top of the sand? Is it safe to leave a mouse in the cage overnight? I never would do that to one of my corns, but from my understanding you can feed KSB's in their cage. Is that wrong?

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. I'm new to the live birthin' snakes, and need a little help! Thanks in advance.

-----
1.0 Hypo Okeetee - Wesley (Princess Bride)
0.1 Motley - Craven (Underworld)
1.2 Tremper Albino Leopard Geckos

What are the cages set up like? Substrate, temp, etc... I would find out what they were eating before and how often.

It is not uncommon to have male sand boas go off feed. I have had individuals not eat for 4-7 months.

-Chris
-----
Christopher E. Smith
Contact
Captive Bred Herps
Wildlife Research & Consulting Services, LLC

I leave f/t's and live pinkies overnight in solo housed KSBs cages. Sometimes I'll leave f/t pinkies in cages with multiple babies but I've heard horror stories and I wouldn't do it if there was a size difference between their tank mates. I have a few older males (see below) who I'm pretty sure would eat whatever was between them and the pinky, even if it was another smaller KSB (I'm half joking but I'm sure a larger KSB would injure, possibly kill, a smaller one if they both went for the same food).

There are a couple KSBs I have that will not eat on demand but if left overnight in a dixie cup or small container they always eat.

Chris who answered above me has much more experience and there's a couple of other guys in this forum (Scott -erycine), (Travis - Lord Dreyfus), etc. who have 100's of tricks.

-----
Mark Huntley
Sand Boa Morphs
3.1 Rufescens East African Sand Boas
2.1 Albinos EASB
0.1 Dodoma EASB
0.1 Egyptian Normal (yellow) SB
0.1 Normal (orange) SB
2.5 Anery SB
0.1 Snow SB
0.1 Splash Albino SB
1.0 Splash Anery SB
1.0 Orange Stripe 100% Het Anery SB
1.0 Orange Stripe SB
1.0 Yellow Stripe SB
0.1 Orange Tiger SB
2.2 High Orange SB
3.2 Boston Terriers
0.2 Sooners
8.30 Rhode Island Reds
X.X Tropical Fish
0.1 Moody Wives
1.1 On the fence in-laws
2.1 Rug Rats

hmm..the dixie cup idea sounds like a good idea...my anery baby is still being a pain about eating. He has eaten once since i got him at the end of august.. he's not thin, but he's not big enough for me not to worry yet either.

I have decided to breed mice (ugh..i HATE breeding mice) for live pinks. He is a pain to tease feed (thats how i got him to eat once before)...Im gonna buy some dixie cups and try that. I have put him in a deli cup and covered it, but i think if i go even smaller it may work. I also scented the f/t mouse with real live mice, and he seemed more interested than before, but still nothing.

Good plan...
-----
"Brains for dinner, brains for lunch. Brains for breakfast, brains for brunch. Brains for every single meal; why can't we have some GUTS?"-Misfits

1.0 ball python- Azazel
0.0.1 Yellow phase ATB- Devilin Hisseyes
0.4 leos- Boji, Sanjae, Fae, Azra
1.1.5 crested geckos- Jubeh and Inari, Avalon, Vajra, Pheonix, and 2 hatchlings
1.1.1 gargoyle geckos- Acacia,Osiris, and Enoki
0.0.1 flying gecko- Malarchy
1.0 leucistic texas ratsnake-Ojo
0.1 albino kenyan sand boa- Akasha
1.0 xanthic kenyan sand boa- Ashoka
1.1 whites tree frogs- Sifaka and Eikon
0.1 Transpecos ratsnake- Cleo
0.1.2 Senegal chameleons- Ambaji, The Chosen One, and Vertigo
1.0 Ruthven's X Thaeri king- Kemushi
0.2 pacific parrolets- Mishka and Kya
1.1 cats- Cairo and Oberon
1.0 crown tail betta- Lazarus
1.0 Husband (hes my favorite, but i dont let the 'kids' know that. )

The real difficult feeders I have to put multiple live pinks in the dixie cup. In fact I have a pair of rufescens that refuse to eat anything but black live pinkies... I put two or three pink pinkies in the cup and 1 black pinkie and they always eat the black one.
-----
Mark Huntley
Sand Boa Morphs
3.1 Rufescens East African Sand Boas
2.1 Albinos EASB
0.1 Dodoma EASB
0.1 Egyptian Normal (yellow) SB
0.1 Normal (orange) SB
2.5 Anery SB
0.1 Snow SB
0.1 Splash Albino SB
1.0 Splash Anery SB
1.0 Orange Stripe 100% Het Anery SB
1.0 Orange Stripe SB
1.0 Yellow Stripe SB
0.1 Orange Tiger SB
2.2 High Orange SB
3.2 Boston Terriers
0.2 Sooners
8.30 Rhode Island Reds
X.X Tropical Fish
0.1 Moody Wives
1.1 On the fence in-laws
2.1 Rug Rats

Cage set ups are pretty simple. The small one is in a 10 gal, and temps and everything is fine cause she's eating/pooing/shedding like a champ.

The one that's not eating is about a year old, and the breeder I got him from stated he was eating frozen/thawed. Substrate is basically filtered and washed playground sand, as money remains too tight for the expensive sand in the stores. He's in a 20 gal long, with light at one end. Hot spot is about 86-88 degrees, warm end around 72, nighttime drops to around 68-70 with heater. Water bowl is offered.

I'm not too concerned, cause I contacted the breeder and he told me most his snakes go off feed about this time of year, but I'm just looking for general ideas. Thanks guys!
-----
1.0 Hypo Okeetee - Wesley (Princess Bride)
0.1 Motley - Craven (Underworld)
1.2 Tremper Albino Leopard Geckos

Warm him up to 95 or so. I'd buy some aspen litter and get away from the playground sand.

They tend to eat better when warm. He may be in too big of a tank, too. Sometimes you have to put them in a much smaller enclosure so they'll feel safe and secure.
-----
Mark Huntley
Sand Boa Morphs
3.1 Rufescens East African Sand Boas
2.1 Albinos EASB
0.1 Dodoma EASB
0.1 Egyptian Normal (yellow) SB
0.1 Normal (orange) SB
2.5 Anery SB
0.1 Snow SB
0.1 Splash Albino SB
1.0 Splash Anery SB
1.0 Orange Stripe 100% Het Anery SB
1.0 Orange Stripe SB
1.0 Yellow Stripe SB
0.1 Orange Tiger SB
2.2 High Orange SB
3.2 Boston Terriers
0.2 Sooners
8.30 Rhode Island Reds
X.X Tropical Fish
0.1 Moody Wives
1.1 On the fence in-laws
2.1 Rug Rats

I agree with Mark (SandBoaMorphs). Warm it up to ~95-100F on the warm side and use aspen. The larger enclosure may be adding unwanted stress.

Monitor his weight. I wouldn't worry to much unless you see weight loss.

-Chris
-----
Christopher E. Smith
Contact
Captive Bred Herps
Wildlife Research & Consulting Services, LLC