Kenyan Sand Boa
“ Life itself is a quotation. ”
– Jorge Luis Borges
Scientific Taxonomy & Character Information
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Boidae
Genius: Eryx
Species: Eryx colubrinus
Descendant: Gongylophis
Named by: Carl Linnaeus
Year Published: 1758
Size: 91 cm (3 feet) long in length; males being approximately 1-2ft and just 100g in weight and females 2-3ft and 400g to 1kg
Lifespan: 15–30+ years
Type:
Reptiles (Boas)
Title: n/a
Pantheon: Terran/Gaian
Time Period: Holocene
Alignment: Good
Threat Level: ★
Diet: Carnivorous 🥩🪲
Elements: Soil, normal
Inflicts: n/a
Weaknesses: Water, leaf, metal, combat
Casualties: n/a
Based On: itself
Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC) – IUCN Red List
Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus) is a species of snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to Northern and Eastern Africa.
Physical Appearance
The color pattern may consist of a yellow or orange coloration overlaid with dark brown splotches. The belly is white or cream colored. It 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 morphs made available by both commercial and hobby breeders.
Some of the more popular morphs available include anerythristic Kenyan sand boas (black and white lacking orange/red simple recessive trait), albino Kenyan sand boas (lacking black pigment simple recessive), snow KSBs (double recessive combination of an anery and albino), stripes (normal colored, anerythristic, albino and snow), hypo/ghost, anerythristic KSBs, paradox albinos (simple recessive), paradox snows (double recessive trait), splash (recessive), paint (recessive) and stripe combinations with any of the listed recessive traits. In addition many line bred traits have been accentuated on the above morphs, such as Nuclears (extreme red), High Whites, Reduced Patterns as examples. The Kenyan sand boa is 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 is covered in bumps.
Abilities
Kenyan sand boa and all Old World sand boas are well known constrictors, killed by the swallowing from the snake. Kenyan sand boas may also suffocate their prey by dragging it beneath the sand.
Ecology
Kenyan sand boa is most active at night, but may be irregularly active during the day. This species is fossorial and spends most of its time underground. During the hotter times of the year, Kenyan sand boa seek refuge beneath stones and in the burrows of small mammals. However, they have also been known to occasionally climb trees. Kenyan sand boa feeds on small mammals that are quickly seized when passing within striking range and killed by constriction.
Kenyan sand boa is ovoviviparous. In captivity, it breeds readily November through April in the United States or worldwide by the UN and the princess (or scientists), delivering live birth averaging 10-20 babies born spring through late summer. The young at birth typically are 20–25 cm (8-10 inches) in length.
Behavior
Kenyan sand boa is friendly to humans and others, but hostile to smaller ones.
Distribution and Habitat
Kenyan sand boa is found in northern Africa from Egypt as far west as Niger (Aïr), including Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, and northern Tanzania. A single specimen has been reported from Yemen. The type locality given is "Ægypto". Kenyan sand boa occurs in semi-desert and scrub savannahs and rock outcroppings. It prefers sandy, friable soil.
Movement Pattern: Random
Individual Type: Solo
Population Trend: Increasing
Population: ???
Locomotion: Terrestrial
Habitat: Deserts and xeric shrublands; badlands; ghost town; ruined skyscraper
Earth:
Extant (Resident): Chad; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Kenya; Niger; Somalia; Sudan; Tanzania
Presence Uncertain: Yemen
Berbania: Thirenha
Reinachos: Pascua
Tamed
All boids are immediately domesticated when they hatch from an egg because the survivor is always within 17 radii of the hatching egg. If the boid snake isn't already trained, you can train it with a whip, worms, rat meat, seaweed-wrapped mice, or fish eggs.
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Trivia
My favorite snake and reptile since 2018 is the ibid lizard.