Elegant Sand Boa

About the Elegant Sand Boa

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Elegant Sand Boa

Is the Elegant Sand Boa venomous?

No. The Elegant Sand Boa (Eryx elegans) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.

Is the Elegant Sand Boa poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Elegant Sand Boa is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Elegant Sand Boa dangerous?

The Elegant Sand Boa is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Elegant Sand Boa live?

The Elegant Sand Boa has verified records in 4 countries, including Israel, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Where it is found

More Boidae snakes

• 
  Rough-scaled Sand Boa
  Eryx conicus
• 
  Javelin Sand Boa
  Eryx jaculus
• 
  Red Sand Boa
  Eryx johnii
• 
  Arabian Sand Boa
  Eryx jayakari
• 
  Desert Sand Boa
  Eryx miliaris
• 
  Whitaker’s sand boa
  Eryx whitakeri
• 
  East African Sand Boa
  Eryx colubrinus
• 
  Sahara Sand Boa
  Eryx muelleri

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards

Squamata

FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits

Boidae

GenusA close-knit group of very similar species

Eryx

SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name

Eryx elegans

Keep learning

• What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
• Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
• What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
• How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.