Kenyan Sand Boa

About the Kenyan Sand Boa

Eryx colubrinus, also known as the Kenyan sand boa and several other common names, is a species of snake in the subfamily Erycinae of the family Boidae. The species is native to northern and eastern Africa. Three subspecies are recognized.

Eryx colubrinus is a heavily-built snake with a small head, small eyes, vertical pupils, and a short tail. Scale texture is extremely smooth, except on the tail, which tapers off into a keeled scale pattern. Adult female specimens of G. colubrinus are rarely more than 91 cm (3 feet) in total length (tail included). The average Egyptian sand boa grows no longer than 12-32" (30-80cm) long, with males being significantly smaller than females.

The color pattern usually consists of a yellow or orange coloration overlaid with dark brown splotches. The belly is white or cream-colored. E. colubrinus is readily available in the pet trade due to its small size, docility and ease of care. In recent years, there have been a number of new color morphs made available by both commercial and hobby breeders. Some of the more popular morphs available include anerythristic (black and white lacking orange/red simple recessive trait), albino (lacking... Wikipedia →