The snake — called Pancho and Lefty — have 2 heads, 2 brains, and one body. He was removed display screen in February 2021 due to a neck injury, and now he is completely recovered and prepared to welcome his fans once again.
In a Facebook post, the Cameron Park Zoo composed that a Waco family “found this unique western rat snake in their yard” prior to contributing him to the zoo in 2006.
“This snake probably wouldn’t have survived long in the wild as he has two brains that are often giving conflicting commands to his one body, so his movements are more sporadic and uncoordinated than typical one-headed snakes,” the zoo composed, including that the 2001 injury was the outcome of his neck “trying to go in different directions and getting stuck on branches, rocks, and other obstacles.”
Cameron Park Zoo/Facebook
“Our veterinary and reptile groups strove to keep the injury bandaged and tidy,” they said, including how “it took until June last year for the wound to fully heal.”
The Cameron Park Zoo said they’re happy to show Pancho and Lefty once again after recuperating, keeping in mind that they made his display more secure and more comfy with yard.
“Now that he has been eating well and the wound has been fully closed for a year, we are excited to put him back out in the freshwater aquarium building,” they continued, including they hope the yard “provides enough cover for the snake to feel secure while also being physically safe, so he does not injure his neck again.”
“We love how invested our community is in the zoo and in this snake,” they concluded the post. “Even though he has been off exhibit for over two years, we still regularly get questions about him, so we are excited that he is visible for everybody again. Please note that he is housed in the freshwater aquarium building along the Brazos River Country trail, not in the herpetarium. Come see him any time!”
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Maddie Michels-Boyce, senior zookeeper for reptiles and amphibians at the Cameron Park Zoo, informed The Dallas Morning News each brain has a different character. “The right brain is much more dominant and tends to control where they go,” she informed the outlet. “The left brain is seemingly just along for the ride.”
Reptiles are most likely than mammals to have 2 heads however the condition is still extremely unusual, according to AZ Animals. Known as bicephaly, the condition is the outcome of “an incomplete splitting of an embryo,” per the outlet.
Michels-Boyce informed The Dallas Morning News that Pancho and Lefty are around 2 to 3 feet long — smaller sized than a typical 8-year-old rat snake — however total stay in good health.
“We’re excited he’s doing well,” Michels-Boyce said. “We appreciate that everyone is so interested in him. We think he’s pretty great, too.”
