Hognose or Kenyan Sand Boa? Or other smallish snake?

So I’m stuck between getting a hognose or kenyan sand boa. I have quite a bit of experience with exotics (red iguana, veiled chameleons, asian forest scorpion, etc) but I have never had a snake before and I haven’t had a reptile in a few years.

I find both of these species appealing since they don’t get too large (not an enclosure size issue, I just prefer handling smaller snakes) and they are typically regarded as more docile. Is one more hardy than the other? Do hognoses hide as much as sand boas do? Other recs for smallish, typically docile snakes?

Thank you in advance!

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Both snakes would make great pets for you. A sand boa imo would stay burrowed more than the hognose. Both surface at night to prowl around looking for food as the they would in the wild.

Hognoses can be picky/ finicky eaters so if you should choose a hoggie I would advise you to buy one that is an established eater, such as a juvenile or yearling, and not a baby.

Sand boas in my experience eat more readily as babies. They are generally quite docile. However, as the hoggie, you probably won’t see them much in the daytime.

You, being a first time snake owner, would imho be much better off and probably more satisfied starting out with a corn snake. They come in a plethora of colors, are very inquisitive, friendly and active. They are also great eaters and forgiving in the husbandry department, hardy, and just all around a great little snake. Some people insist on keeping sand boas and Hognoses in 4 x 2 x 2 enclosures so a simple corn snake should not need any more room than that.

Btw, welcome to the community!

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I would go for a spotted python personally. They do tend to get a bit bigger than the other two, around 4 feet, but they do have a lot of things going for them. For one, they are great eaters and aren’t picky about what it is either. They are also semi arboreal which means they are going to be out and about more. Being semi arboreal also means that handling them is a lot easier because they will keep themselves from falling while neither of the other snakes hold on so it takes a lot more effort to just sit and hang out with them. They are actually much easier to read as well. The others will sometimes just swing around and bite out of nowhere (as in you did something and they don’t give warning signs that they are scared)while the spotteds will make the fact they are unhappy known as long as you are paying attention. This mostly just applies until they are used to handling but I still think it is important to mention. There are going to be outliers in all animals so this is just a generalization of them.

All three are great options and tend to be friendly so it is really up to what you are looking for

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Given your standards are smallish, handleable, and relatively straightforward care requirements, I also recommend looking into African House Snakes. Males can be around 2.5 feet, females around 4, and they’re really fantastic snakes temperament-wise. The ones I’ve met have been curious and calm. Mine is endearingly inquisitive – she’ll noodle around exploring when she’s out, or she’ll hide in my sleeve with her nose sticking out so she can see what’s up.

I know a ton of people love hoggies, and they are unquestionably adorable little guys, but my impression of them is that they stress out and go on hunger strikes easily. You’ll get the occasional hunger strike with a housie male during breeding season, and black house snake hatchlings can be hard to start on food, but as long as you look for one that’s well-started they’re great eaters with a good food response. (The only time mine has ever struck at me was when she confused my heat signature for the pinky I was offering her.)

They also come in a bunch of very cool localities, subspecies, and morphs! Come join us in housie heaven!

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I have a Kenyan sand boa, it’s a great species, I’d definitely recommend it as a first snake (it was my first snake). I got my girl as a middle aged adult, and I actually see her above the substrate fairly often, sometimes even during the day. So don’t believe people who say that owning a sand boa is like taking care of an empty enclosure because you never see them. Most snakes are shy and reclusive by nature and tend to hide a lot. A sand boa is no exception, but they do come out and cruise around. I think they probably do stay buried more as babies, but I see my adult out and about a few times a week.

Aside from that, they’re good eaters (by reputation, sand boas tend to have less feeding issues as babies than hogs), they stay a very reasonable size (as adults, they’re big enough to be robust and sturdy while still being small and very manageable in terms of enclosure size), and they tend to be quite docile…and even if they do bite you, they’re not going to do any real damage. They also strike sideways, which is really cool. And their wild type colouration is gorgeous, and they also have some beautiful morphs.

A sand boa is probably going to be less expensive than a hog, even if you want a morph. Definitely something to consider if you’re on a budget. Enclosures for both will be really similar, so price of setup will be about the same for both, but for the snake itself, a sand boa will almost certainly be cheaper.

Keep in mind that hogs are rear-fanged venomous, while sand boas are non-venomous. Hognose venom is not considered dangerous to humans, and it’s unlikely one would envenomate you even if it bit you, but it’s still something to be aware of with hogs. You’d also want to be sure it’s legal to keep hogs where you live. They’re disallowed in some places, either because of their venom, or because of laws protecting native species in their natural range.

None of this is meant to deter you from getting a hoggie if that’s what you really want. Hogs are amazing and the people who keep them adore them. I just feel like sand boas don’t get enough love, and I think they make excellent first snakes.

Some other species you might consider are corn snakes, king snakes, milk snakes, garter snakes, rosy boas, and African house snakes. Those are all pretty hardy and easy to care for, tend to be quite handleable (though some may need some socializing as babies to get them comfortable with people), and have a relatively small adult size. It honestly just comes down to personal preference and what appeals to you.

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