An extremely rare two-headed snake is winning hearts online after being born at a reptile store in Berkeley, California (USA).
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Zeke and Angel, two males born with fused spines, belong to the species Lampropeltis getula californiae, according to a post on the store’s Instagram profile.
“Announcing our two-headed California kingsnake! [It] was born with two heads and is doing great,” stated the East Bay Vivarium store in the post, which even included an X-ray of the reptile.
According to local news outlet WBAL-TV, this occurrence is extremely rare, with only 1 birth in 100,000. Additionally, the life expectancy of these animals is typically very short, but Zeke and Angel are already 7 months old.
“The typical lifespan of a California kingsnake is 20 to 30 years. We think these snakes will live about the same [as usual for the species],” said Alex Blancherd, owner of East Bay Vivarium, to the outlet.
Although still small, the snake is expected to reach 1.2 meters (about 4 feet) in length as an adult. Blancherd explained that he doesn’t plan to sell them but will keep them on display at the store.
“We hope that people who come to see the snake will also learn about other animals and species, and that this opens their eyes to a broader view of reptiles—both in captivity and in the wild,” he told CNET.
Photo and video: Instagram @theeastbayvivarium. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
