Reptile expert Brian Barczyk filmed the snakes, named Ben and Jerry, with two mice, and his video has since gone viral.
He posted it on Instagram with the caption: “So my two-headed snake, Ben and Jerry, are hot right now. They don’t always eat at the same time. Actually, in this case both are ᴇᴀtɪɴɢ on each side.”
The brown and yellow snake is seen calmly consuming baby mice, but since it only has one digestive system, some viewers wondered if it would choke on the food.
One devoted fan commented: “If you watch his vlog, he adds that one of them, Jerry, doesn’t eat unless Ben has made tea beforehand, and Ben makes most of the tea, but he also tried to get Jerry involved.”
Someone else wrote: “It’s crazy!” I can’t wait to get back to Michigan and explore the area!” A third said: “Could someone explain to us the origin of a two-headed snake? “How could this happen?”
The snake has a disorder known as, which is caused by the incomplete division of an embryo. Ben and Jerry are one of approximately 10,000 snakes that suffer from this disease, which is unusual.
Ben and Jerry seem to be an exception to the rule that most snakes with this disease do not die for a long time. Barczyk stated that 99.9% of two-headed animals do not live to see their first birthday, but once they reach adulthood, as Ben and Jerry have, they typically live long, healthy lives.
Barczyk estimates that the animal’s life expectancy is between 20 and 25 years and explains that they can eat independently but share the same digestive system.
Barczyk, who works at a reptile zoo in Michigan, US, allegedly bought the snake from a friend. Barczyk stated: “I had to beg him for half a year before he sold me.”
Video: