Look what the cat dragged in! Woman gets a two-headed surprise from her pet
Palm Harbor, Florida - Kay Rogers is used to her cat bringing home all sorts of souvenirs from her hunting trips, but the latest catch was something quite special.
Her cat proudly presented her with a rare two-headed southern black racer snake.
"She brings us presents all the time. This day, my daughter sent me a message. 'Mom, she brought in a snake and it has two heads,'" Rogers told ABC Action News.
Apparently, her kitten brought the strange catch in through the doggy door and placed it on the carpet.
Rogers' 13-year-old daughter, Avery, preserved the unusual animal in a plastic container so she could take a closer look.
Rogers had never seen a creature quite like this before, but the reptile specialists of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were quick to offer guidance.
Two-headed snakes rarely survive
The FWC shared the story on Facebook: "Two-headed snakes are unlikely to survive in the wild as the two brains make different decisions that inhibit the ability to feed or escape from predators."
The condition, called bicephaly, is rare but "happens during embryo development when two monozygotic twins failed to separate, leaving the heads conjoined onto a single body," officials explained.
Many users were fascinated by the phenomenon.
"The snake is so cute! Thanks for taking care of it and making sure it survives . Though it’s sad it can’t live in the wild," one wrote.
"Too cool. Glad it’s safe and can be studied," another said.
While Rogers set up a habitat in her home for the two-headed reptile, she decided that the snake would be in hands with the FWC staff, where it is currently being taken care of.
Cover photo: Facebook / @ FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute; 123rf/ Partsey Galyna