Boaedon capensis (African house snake)

rigin: West Africa
Length: 1 meter (males up to 70 cm)
Lifespan: 15 years
Skin color varies widely from black to brown to orange to olive, rarely yellow, while the underside is generally entirely off-white. There is a creamy white stripe on either side of the head. The sturdy body features an elongated, triangular head. Males are smaller than females but have a longer tail.

Care
Experience: Average snake keeper
Food: Live or dead prey animals. The main prey animals given are mice and rats.

Feeding adults: every 14 days
Feeding young: Every 7 days
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: 3 times a week
Feeding
There is a choice to offer the prey animals live or dead. It is recommended to offer dead food. This is more practical and prevents the prey animal from injuring your snake. Additionally, it is advised to offer the prey animal using feeding tongs and to feed your snake outside the enclosure. This ensures that your hand is not associated with food and prevents your snake from grabbing your hand during feeding. If you do choose to use live food, you must supervise during feeding. The prey animal can also injure the snake. Feed the snakes separately, because if two snakes grab the same prey, they can injure each other and sometimes even eat each other. The ideal prey animal is approximately as wide as the widest part of the snake.

Water
The water bowl does not need to be very large, but you can provide a bowl large enough for the animal to lie in if it benefits from it. They do not require very high humidity in the enclosure, so you do not need to take this into account with a water bowl.

Cleaning
To keep your snake healthy, a hygienic living environment is important. To achieve this, the enclosure will need to be cleaned regularly. Cleaning once a week is sufficient. Additionally, to prevent the buildup of bacteria, the entire enclosure must be cleaned and disinfected a few times a year.

Handling
From time to time, you will need to handle your snake. When handling a snake, it is advisable to use a snake hook to remove the animal from the enclosure, after which you can handle the snake calmly in your hand. Young snakes or snakes that have not been handled before may be defensive and may attack. The snake is not venomous, but it is better to avoid bite wounds. After being handled several times, the snake will naturally get used to it and become less defensive.

Never squeeze your snake while handling it, as their vertebrae are fragile and can break easily. Also, ensure that your hands are washed and do not smell of food. Finally: do not handle your snake when it is shedding and do not handle it in the dark. Housing

Minimum enclosure size for 1 animal: 60 x 40 x 40
Lying surface area: 0.4 m² and can be sized per snake.
Daytime temperature on the warm side: 31-33°C
Daytime temperature on the cooler side: 21-24°C
Nighttime temperature: 21-23°C
Light hours: 12 hours
Humidity: 20%-30%
Substrate: Bark or beech chips
Setup
African house snakes require a very dry terrarium. They need as much ground surface area as possible. A dry environment is also very important. For substrate, a thick layer of sand or chips is preferably recommended. Flat stones, open stones, open wood, or a cave can be offered as hiding places. It is important that a hiding place is always present.

There are a few additional things to pay attention to regarding the enclosure. Ventilation is necessary to keep the air fresh, and it is recommended to place the enclosure out of direct sunlight and as vibration-free as possible.

Behavior
Hunting method: Constrictor.
Lifestyle: Crepuscular and nocturnal
Character
The African house snake is a calm, very easy-to-keep snake; they will be active mostly during the evening hours.
Points of attention
Snakes can be defensive, especially in their enclosure. Be mindful of this when handling your snake to prevent unnecessary injuries. Regular handling will eventually ensure that the snake becomes tamer and calmer.
Costs and Purchase
Legislation: No documentation is required to keep an African house snake.
One-time costs: These include the costs for the enclosure, lighting, heating, water bowl, and decoration. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros in total. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the cost of food, which is a few tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs are incurred if your snake happens to get sick or your equipment breaks down.