Sunbeam snake (Xenopeltis unicolor)

Short answers

Sunbeam snake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 130×65×65 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, sunbeam snakes).

Sunbeam snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 25–31 °C, basking spot No basking spot, at night 22–25 °C.

Sunbeam snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Not required.

Sunbeam snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 10–15 years.

Sunbeam snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

25–31 °C

Night temperature

22–25 °C

Basking spot

No basking spot

Humidity

75–90 %

UVB

Not required

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 130×65×65 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, sunbeam snakes)

Substrate

Damp coco humus 15–20 cm for burrowing, leaf litter, a water dish

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice of a suitable size

Feeding interval

1×/week

Key facts

Adult size

80–130 cm

Life expectancy

10–15 years

Origin

South-East Asia

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. Snakes are solitary and do not seek company — a shared hide is competition for the best spot, not social behaviour. The concrete reason is the feeding accident: if two animals grab the same food item, one can swallow the other along with it. On top of that, once they are kept together you can no longer tell which animal has eaten and which is losing weight. For breeding, put them together under supervision and separate them again afterwards.

Notes

The scales shimmer in rainbow colours in the light. It spends practically all day buried – deep, permanently damp substrate is the most important keeping factor. Not a display animal, but fascinating.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for Sunbeam snake (Xenopeltis unicolor) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Rubber boa (Charina bottae) – Intermediate
• Calabar burrowing python (Calabaria reinhardtii) – Intermediate
• Mexican burrowing python (Loxocemus bicolor) – Intermediate
• Red pipe snake (Anilius scytale) – Expert
• Red-tailed pipe snake (Cylindrophis ruffus) – Intermediate
• Common egg-eating snake (Dasypeltis scabra) – Intermediate
• Northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon) – Intermediate
• Andean milk snake (Lampropeltis micropholis) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Sunbeam snake (Xenopeltis unicolor) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 130×65×65 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, sunbeam snakes)), substrate (Damp coco humus 15–20 cm for burrowing, leaf litter, a water dish), a heat source with a thermostat, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.