A rare two-headed snake has hatched at an exotic pet shop in Devon.
The snake, of the Western Hognose species, hatched last month at Exeter Exotics pet store.
Shop owner Alicia Johns told the BBC she was “shocked and in “disbelief” when she realised it had two heads.
Ms Johns said that the snake in its egg should have hatched as twins, but the embryo did not split – resulting in the animal having two heads instead.
Bicephaly is the scientific name for snakes that have two heads and reptiles that have this tend to have a shorter lifespan than other snakes.
Ms Johns told the BBC: "It’s fascinating but it is still sad. If we ever felt it got to the stage where he was deteriorating or wasn’t doing well or was uncomfortable or in pain, then that’s when we’d re-evaluate the situation."
The snake will not be sold, but the shop owner said she was currently open to name suggestions for each head.
Talking about the species Western Hognose, Ms Johns added: "I just love them. I love that they’re quite feisty and quite sassy.
"They’re not always great for a beginner because they let out this little hiss to say ‘leave me alone’ they’re quite vocal."
The reptile is often found in North America, living in grasslands, prairies and rocky, arid terrain. They usually have a very light brown-tan colour with dark brown spots down the body, with some larger brown markings around the head.
Last week, Exeter Exotics posted on Instagram sharing an update on the reptile and said it was doing well so far.
The caption read: “We have had so many people ask how the Two Headed Western Hognose is doing & we are happy to report that so far it appears to be doing well. The right hand side head prefers sardine scented pinky heads & will take it from you himself if held up to him.
“The left hand head is interested in food but we think the throat may be a little narrower for that head as it seemed to struggle when offered food before.
“Hopefully this improves with time as the snake grows... possibly just having to have smaller food items. It is strange to see that the left hand head will make the chewing motion of eating whilst the right hand head is eating,” the pet shop said in the post.
