Facts about Sand Boas
Sand boas are small, stout bodied snakes of the subfamily Erycinae of the family Boidae. They tend to prefer areas with loose sand or soil. Sand boas vary in length by species. The largest of the species, E. johnii rarely exceeds 120 cm. Most species of sand boas stay in the 60 cm range. Their patterning and coloration varies depending on locale. Most species of the sand boas reflect the colors of their native habitat for camouflage. Sand boas have small eyes and hard, small scales to protect their skin from from the grit of sand. Sand boas are found throughout arid and semi-arid regions of Africa, throughout the Middle East and into Pakistan and India as well as the former Soviet states of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The sexual dimorphism in sand boas is immense, the females generally being much larger than the males. Sand boas spend much of their time basking below the surface of the sand, with only their head exposed on the surface. When a potential prey item approaches, they erupt out of the sand, bite, and employ constriction to subdue it. Their primary diet is rodents, but they will also consume lizards and birds if they can catch them. |
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