Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been reading that sand boas take a lot of time to adjust to a new home. I have my first sand boa, housed in a 10 gal, with undertank heater on one side, corner water bowl, hides and a mix of sand and ground walnut substrate. (Didn't get the texture I wanted with that...)
Aside from burrowing, his favorite hide is (you may laugh) is under the plastic 4wd safari jeep decoration, resembling road kill. he lays under with head on rock...
He isn't eating yet, but I've had him less than 2 weeks.
He isn't skittish when handled, just lays relaxed in our hand a minute, then explores some. Never snaps or hisses.
His color is good I forget the name of the morph, but its the normal giraffe one. (skin is fascinating - not like a snake at all, tummy like a worm and top more like a lizard)
I homeschool, and his tank is in our classroom, with our corns. The difference between the snakes is amazing to my kids!
He's doing ok, right, he drinks, moves around. He will eat later?
However, pinkies seem huge for his tiny head. the breeder we got him from fed live pinkies. I put him in a plastic shoe box and left it (covered an in a larger box) with a live pinkie and nothing. tried a defrosted pinkie same way nothing.. under advice of a snake breeder I even brained one and nothing (which the scent drove one of my corns crazy)
Please reassure me that he's ok. I've been reading and reading, but the mommy in me says you're supposed to eat regularly...
My son told his g/f whose dad is a reptile vet (and will give me a discount) but he wants me to bring the snake in immediately. Not necessary, right?

I wouldn't worry yet. I would give him some time off though (no handling, etc...). Give him about a week (or two) of time off and try to place a couple live pinkies in his cage over night.

Also, do you have a temp gun to measure the temp on the warm side? If you can tell us that temp it might help. Temps should be 95-100F.

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

Already brained one...right on! I wouldn't even think about braining one until at least 6 weeks...lol.

You are doing great. The snake is going to be fine.

Chris is right, stop handling the little guy.

In a week or so, get a live pinkie and put it in his hide box before you go to bed. He probably will eat it up.

The temperature is a good thing to know. These guys take a bit to get acclimated sometimes, but once they start eating they are easy. And don't worry about the size of the pinky he'll be fine.
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Mark Huntley
Sand Boa Morphs

Kenyan Sand Boa's
4.1 Rufescens
1.2 Albinos
0.5 Dodoma
2.1 Flame
2.5.8 Normal (orange)
3.4.10 Anery
0.1 Snow
2.2 Hopeful Yellow Snow
0.1 Splash Albino
1.0 Splash Anery
1.0 Orange Stripe 100% Het Anery
1.0 High Orange Stripe
1.0 Yellow Stripe
0.4 High Orange Tiger
2.2 High Orange
2.3 Boston Terriers
0.2 Sooners
8.30 Rhode Island Reds
0.0.15 Tropical Fish
0.1 Moody Wives
1.1 On the fence in-laws
2.1 Rug Rats

http://sandboamorphs.blogspot.com/

Agree with everything above.
Also, if it doesn't eat when you try in a week or so, you should also make sure it is drinking. Some babies are amazingly incapable of sustaining themselves..

He is drinking fine. I even hav a pix of him drinking. Temps are 78 and 92. He crawls all over the decos I have in there, and is acting perfectly healthy. Just not eating for me yet. I AM a chronic worrier, and trying to not worry about this little guy.
We are going out of town in 10 days for the weekend, and I'd feel much better if he's eaten by then.
My kids call him "sociable" like 2 of our corns... The snakes are kept in our classroom (the corns are a homeschool project). The 2 adult corns and the sand boa come out of hiding when we first start school every day - almost as if to say good morning to everyone. (observation made by my kids - they have very interesting observations regarding the snakes... )

I would try bumping up the warm end temp. I provide mine with a hot spot around 95-100F.

Best of luck and don't worry too much... It will start eating for you.

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

I read somewhere to try a humidity hide, did that and seems my guy likes the spa feeling! 2 days after adding a crumpled paper towel spritzed with water, he ate. And seems to prefer the paper towel added under his rock. He's not burrowing, just staying there. Perhaps it is getting close to shed time or something. But he ate a thawed pinkie.