Braod Band Sand Swimmers

[Glidergirl]

Hi
Can anyone give me some info on Broad Banded Sand Swimmers
I have looked on the net, but there does does seem to be much info out there.
How old are they when they breed, how do you tell the sexes apart, heat requirements, any other general keeping info would be great.


Cheers

 

[Glidergirl]

Bump

 

[JasonL]

Breed at 12 - 24 months depending on growth rate = food amount. Sexing at any age via hemipenal lumination or "popping" hemipenes as adults. Heat requirement, very minimal ie, small heat mat only. Swimmers die easily if overheated, prefered temps in the 20's NOT the 30's will die if exposed to temps 40+ very quickly. Kept easily in about 3 inches of washed sand, fed anything "meat' dead or alive, though love to hunt so alive prefered.. Female lays 4-7 eggs every 28 - 30 days, eggs take 30 days to hatch at 29-32 deg, Newborns are hardy and rarely have any problems hatching.

 

[Glidergirl]

Thanks for that Jason, I have recently acquired 3 of them, they are supposedly about 5-6 months.
They LOVE to eat crickets. How often should I feed them, I have fed them everyday so far as they always seem hungry. I have them housed in a exo terra 30cm square with washed sand and a 5w heat mat on one end.
Is popping of the hemi's difficult or dangerous with such small reptiles.

Cheers
Rach

 

[JasonL]

They may need more room than that, a large tub ect will be better. I couldn't recommend popping hemipenes unless you have been shown how to do so. Only heat 1/4 of the enclosure floor at most, I don't bother heating them at all during summer... as I have said, they overheat so easily and really prefer lower temps. Feed as much as they can eat daily untill fully grown.