Eryx colubrinus

Horizontal terrestrial terrarium for a burrowing species

Favour floor area over height. A loose, deep substrate (7-15 cm) is essential for burrowing. A well-secured lid: an excellent escaper and burrower. Adult males make do with a smaller enclosure; the dimensions given correspond to an adult female.

An arid species: a dry environment. Avoid any chronically high humidity (risk of respiratory infections and scale necrosis). Offer a small slightly damp area/hide at shedding time.

A dry, loose and deep substrate, able to hold burrows. Avoid pure sand that is too fine and dusty (risk of impaction and irritation). Feed in a separate container or on a saucer to avoid ingesting substrate with the prey.

Not essential (a nocturnal and burrowing species). Low-intensity UVB (Ferguson Zone 1, ~2-5%) remains beneficial if provided, along with shaded areas. In the absence of UVB, supplement the prey with calcium/D3.

A small bowl of clean water, stable and renewed regularly. The species drinks little; keep the rest of the substrate dry. A bowl that is too large increases the ambient humidity and promotes skin and respiratory disorders.

East and North-East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Egypt. Arid to semi-arid environments: dry savannahs, steppes and sandy or loose soils.

Carnivore (rodent-eater), an ambush predator — Mice of appropriate size: pinkies/fuzzies for life for the dwarf males; adult mice or rat pups for the large females.

One prey item ≈ the maximum width of the snake's body. Juveniles every 5-7 days, adults every 10-14 days. A species prone to obesity: overfeeding must be avoided. Prey fully thawed and warmed. Some individuals, especially males, can be fussy.

Breeding triggered by winter cooling (a light brumation of ~6-8 weeks). Gestation of about 4 months; newborns of ~13-20 cm, quickly independent. Maturity at around 2-3 years.

• Obesity and hepatic steatosis (fatty liver) linked to overfeeding (prey too large or too frequent)
• Respiratory infections (substrate too damp, temperatures too low or insufficient ventilation)
• Intestinal obstruction / impaction (ingestion of fine sand, especially if prey is given directly on the substrate)
• Difficult shed / dysecdysis (extremely low humidity, absence of an occasional damp area)
• External parasites (mites) and internal ones, especially on imported wild specimens: prefer a captive-bred animal