Rough-scaled Sand Boa - Eryx conicus
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Rough-scaled
Sand Boa - Eryx conicus
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Care Sheets]
General Information
Distribution — Throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and adjacent countries.
Habitat — Dry steppes, agricultural areas and even into the wetter forests of the subcontinent.
Adult Size — Females of this heavy bodied sand boa may attain or even slightly exceed a 60 cm body length with males being considerably smaller.
Temperament — Rough scaled sand boas are usually very docile although they may ‘jerk’ sideways in surprise over being picked up. These snakes do not seem to be bothered much by handling, but young animals should be left alone in their new home in order to adjust to the new surroundings. Also, avoid handling for at least two days after the snake has eaten, handling the animal any earlier may cause regurgitation.
Longevity — Average life span of about 20 years in captivity.
Captive Care
Rating: 3 — Due to this animals good nature, feeding habits, and adult size it receives a moderate rating. Watch out for wild caught specimens - this species is not frequently bred in captivity and they give birth to relatively few young; therefore, many wild caught animals are still being imported. A domestically bred Rough-scaled Sand Boa makes good pet for someone already familiar with snakes.
Diet: Neonates feed well on pink mice juveniles feed on fuzzy mice, and adults feed on adult mice.
Temperature: 23oC-25oC (80-85 F) with a maximum nighttime drop of 5oC.
Space: An adult Rough Scaled Sand Boa can be housed comfortably in a 15 gallon aquarium, or an equivalent sized enclosure. Substrate for these snakes can be everything from play sand to newspaper- avoid silica sand as it may be harmful to the digestive tract if ingested. Other suggested substrates are Desert Blend (crushed walnut shell) or pine/aspen shavings in a fairly deep layer (about 3-5 cm) for the snake to burrow in for security.
Breeding: Rough Scaled Sand Boas typically reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years of age- males often earlier than females. Litter size of this species typically range between 4-13 live born young. Breeding takes place from mid February to April.
Special Requirements: Rough Scaled Sand Boas are fairly easy to keep as long as temperature/humidity levels are maintained- seeing as this snake is a inhabitant of desert/scrublands the humidity needs to be kept fairly low (no higher than 60% relative humidity). However, since they are burrowers, and subterranean burrows are humid, this species may have shedding problems when kept too dry. If the animal does not shed in one piece, this typically indicates a humidity problem. Avoid the problem by providing a slightly moist hide box from the time the snake is opaque until it sheds.
Sources (Suggested Reading):
Mattison, Chris. 1995. Keeping and Breeding Snakes. Cassell Publishing, London, UK. Pp. 184.
Ross, Richard A. and Gerald Marzec. 1990. The Reproductive Husbandry of Pythons and Boas. The Institute for Herpetological Research Stanford, California. Pp. 270.
Stoops, Erik d. and Annette T. Wright. 1993. Boas & Pythons: Breeding and Care. TFH Publications, Inc. Neptune City, NJ. Pp. 192.
Wagner, Doug. 1996. Boas: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual. Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge, NY. Pp. 96.
Walls, Jerry G. 1998. The Living Boas: A Complete Guide to the Boas of the World. TFH Publications, Inc. Neptune City, NJ. Pp. 288.