A two-headed western rat snake named Tiger-Lily deliberate to go away the Powder Valley Nature Center this month to tour round Missouri till wildlife naturalist Lauren Baker found the snake had an “rising well being situation.”
Baker shared on the Missouri Department of Conservation’s web site that a few weeks in the past, Tiger-Lily sneezed up traces of blood throughout a feeding. “This instantly raised a pink flag with our workers, and we shortly received her an appointment with the Animal Health Team on the Saint Louis Zoo,” wrote Baker.
Once Tiger-Lily arrived on the Saint Louis Zoo, the park’s veterinarians found the snake’s “ovaries have been in pre-ovulatory stasis.”
“Under regular circumstances, the ovary would develop follicles, then ovulate them as eggs to finally be laid,” zoo veterinarian Dr. Michael Warshaw defined.
However, in Tiger-Lily’s case, though her reproductive cycle started, “the follicles didn’t ovulate and as a substitute continued to develop and stay static in her ovary. Over time, this led to irritation and the chance of an infection.”
Missouri Department of Conservation
As a consequence, the snake underwent surgical procedure on the Saint Louis Zoo Endangered Species Research Center and Veterinary Hospital on March 11 to have her ovaries eliminated.
“We appreciate the Saint Louis Zoo’s quick response and expert treatment,” mentioned Baker. “I am so happy that our two-headed gal is getting the care she needs, and we’re all wishing her a safe and speedy recovery.”
Post-op Tiger-Lily is resting off-exhibit on the Powder Valley Nature Center till her restoration is full, which is estimated to take a month. Tiger-Lily will then go on the Missouri tour that was deliberate.
Missouri Department of Conservation
The five-foot-long snake was found in Stone County, Mo., within the fall of 2017.
“Tiger-Lily is definitely a pair of conjoined an identical snake twins that have been by no means fully separated,” reported the Missouri Department of Conservation. “Such snakes are not often seen within the wild, partly as a result of snakes born this fashion have a low survival fee.”
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“For each 100,000 snake births, only one might be a two-headed snake,” in keeping with The Reptarium. “That’s a 0.001% likelihood of reproducing a two-headed snake.”
