Black African House Snake
Boaedon unicolor
The black African house snake is the hobby name for the plain, dark house snake of West Africa, usually glossy black. A 2026 revision names it Boaedon unicolor, but it is still sold as B. fuliginosus, and the Reptile Database keeps that name for now. It is a different species from the brown house snake of southern Africa.
Many in the trade are wild caught, and keepers report that hatchlings can be hard to start on frozen-thawed prey. Like other house snakes it lays eggs and can squeeze through very small gaps, so it needs a secure enclosure with hides and a controlled temperature gradient.
Colors: Wild Type