By Dean Murray via SWNS
A two-headed snake is recovering after being treated for a health condition.
Tiger-Lily, a unique western rat snake, was scheduled to leave the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Powder Valley Nature Center earlier this month.
The female was set to continue a statewide tour of MDC sites while her home at Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Center near Branson is closed for construction.
However, the departure was delayed when St. Louis Zoo veterinarians discovered that the snake’s ovaries were in pre-ovulatory stasis.
According to MDC Naturalist Lauren Baker, Tiger-Lily sneezed up traces of blood during a feeding.
“This immediately raised a red flag with our staff, and we quickly got her an appointment with the Animal Health Team at the Saint Louis Zoo,” said Baker.
The veterinary team determined the best treatment was to remove Tiger-Lily’s abnormal ovaries. The snake underwent successful surgery on March 11, and the ovaries were removed.
MDC commented: “She is doing well and currently recovering. To aid in her recuperation, Tiger-Lily will not be on display during her recovery period, which Saint Louis Zoo veterinarians estimate maybe a month.”
The snake was discovered in Stone County in 2017 and named Tiger-Lily by the family who found the rare reptile. Tiger-Lily is actually a pair of conjoined identical snake twins that were never completely separated.
Such snakes are rarely seen in the wild, partly because snakes born this way have a low survival rate.
Western rat snakes are non-venomous and a common native species in Missouri.
