"Is This a Snake from Legends?"... Two-Headed Snake Born with a One-in-100,000 Chance

Rare Snake with Low Survival Rate Remains Healthy for Over Six Months
Internal Structure Revealed Through X-ray Images

A two-headed snake, the kind usually found only in legends, has appeared at a reptile specialty store in the United States.

East Bay Vivarium, located in Berkeley, California, unveiled a rare California kingsnake with two heads.

Two-headed snake. East Bay Vivarium Instagram

On March 26, the vivarium introduced the two-headed snake for the first time through its official Instagram account, stating, "It was born with two heads and is currently in very healthy condition. It recently celebrated its six-month birthday," and released actual photos and X-ray images of the snake.

The vivarium explained that when this rare snake first hatched, they did not immediately make it public because the survival rate of snakes with two heads is generally low. However, as the snake has survived in good health for over six months, they have expressed hope regarding its long-term survival prospects.

X-ray of a two-headed twin-headed snake. East Bay Vivarium Instagram

Alex Blanchard, the store's owner, said in an interview with local media outlet ABC7, "It has two heads on one body. The probability of such a mutant snake, which shares a single spine, being born is only one in 100,000," adding, "We expect this snake could live 20 to 30 years, just like a typical kingsnake."

This snake is actually the result of two kingsnakes fused at the spine, with each head given a name: Zeke and Angel. Most of the internal organs, such as the heart and stomach, are shared, but both heads appear to be capable of controlling the body. However, it has been confirmed that Angel has more control. So far, only Angel has eaten food, and the store has analyzed that Zeke's esophagus may be malformed.

Angel Hamilton, a staff member at the store, explained, "You can see the two heads thinking differently. Sometimes one tries to go right while the other tries to go left, and they even fight over it."

East Bay Vivarium stated that it has no plans to sell the snake and will continue to observe and protect it in the future.