Snake rescuer Nick Evens caught a double-headed snake, while on a call out in Ndwedwe, north of Durban. The two-headed snake was found in the yard, where the property owner had seen it and called Evens to collect it. Evans said this type of snake is common and non-venomous.
“The snake is a southern brown egg-eater, a non-venomous specie which is very common, but not with two heads,” Evans said.
“It is a deformity that is really seen in the wild or in captivity, and it has been recorded before. I have been told that they don’t usually survive very long, but hopefully this one will survive for a while. We are just going to give it the best health care we can,” he added.
Evans said scientific observation has shown that one stake is usually more dominant than the other and the other one just tags along.
“Having two separate brains also means they get alerted separately when hunger kicks in, meaning they dine separately,” says Evans.
He added that he is intrigued to see if the double-headed snake can eat on its own or not. “They only eat bird eggs, so it will have to be tiny eggs. We want to try and learn as much as possible from this little one.
Evens said he will keep people posted on the progress of his research on the snake, adding that he is grateful to the residents who found the snake.
