The numbers
Enclosure
75 × 30 × 30 cm
Diet
Mice (adults may take weaned rats) · Every 7–10 days
Temperature
warm 32–35 °C (90–95 °F) / cool 24–27 °C (75–80 °F) / night Heat off at night
Humidity
30–40% + one humid hide
Identity
Family / Order
Boidae (Erycinae) / Squamata
Origin
Distribution
Kenya, Egypt, Sudan; arid sandy soils
Adult size
♀ 40–80 cm · ♂ 30–45 cm
Lifespan (captivity)
15–20+ yrs
Activity
Crepuscular; fossorial (burrower)
Temperament
Very docile, small, easy
Price (THB)
~1,500–4,000 (morphs more)
Morphs
7 morphs, with how each one is inherited. 1 of them carry a documented welfare cost, and those are listed first. A morph list that hides this sells a pattern and says nothing about what it costs the animal.
ParadoxanomalyMosaic anomalySuper form: —Caution
AlbinoRecessiveSuper form: —
AnerythristicRecessiveSuper form: —
NuclearDominantSuper form: —
Snow (Albino+Anery)comboSuper form: —
SplashCo-dominantSuper form: —
StripedLine-bredSuper form: —
Enclosure and conditions
Warm side / hot spot
32–35 °C (90–95 °F)
Cool side
24–27 °C (75–80 °F)
Night
Heat off at night
Humidity
30–40% + one humid hide
Ventilation
Important — species is RI-prone if cold/damp
Min. size
75 × 30 × 30 cm (30×12×12 in) adult
Substrate
3–6 in aspen / ground walnut for burrowing
Water
Small bowl (they rarely soak)
Diet
Staple
Mice (adults may take weaned rats)
Prey size
≈ girth of the snake
Method
Frozen-thawed or live
Juveniles
Every 5–7 days
Adults
Every 7–10 days
Feeding note
Ambush feeder — strikes from under substrate
Behaviour and handling
Handling
Docile; spends most time buried
Burrowing
Highly fossorial — deep substrate essential
Cohabitation
House individually (cannibalism risk)
Defense
Shy; may musk; rarely bites
Children
Good, small & calm, supervised
Reproduction
Sexual maturity
♀ 2–3 yrs · ♂ 1.5 yrs
Reproduction
Live-bearing
Litter
6–20 neonates
Gestation
~4–5 months
Breeding trigger
Winter cooling
Common health problems
Respiratory infection
Signsclicking, open-mouth breathing
Preventkeep warm hot spot + dry + ventilation
Scale rot
Signsbelly lesions
Preventkeep substrate dry
Retained shed
Signsstuck skin
Preventprovide a humid hide
Impaction
Signsfrom loose substrate ingestion
Preventfeed in a tub / correct prey size
When to see a vet
This is not veterinary advice. If red flags appear (open-mouth breathing, months of weight loss, 'stargazing', persistent regurgitation) consult a qualified exotic (herp) veterinarian. Quarantine new arrivals 30–90 days.
Good to know
- Spends ~90% of life buried, eyes on top of the head to ambush from sand.
- One of the smallest, most beginner-friendly boas.
- Popular morphs include anery, albino, paradox and snow.
Common questions
Why do I never see it?
It's a burrower — normal to stay hidden in substrate.
Does it get big?
No — one of the smallest pet boas.
Deep substrate really needed?
Yes — essential for welfare.
What it needs
- Enclosure 75×30×30
- Heat mat + thermostat
- Deep aspen substrate
- Humid hide
- Small water bowl
- Thermometer/hygrometer
- F/T mice