ST. LOUIS — A rare two-headed western rat snake named Tiger-Lily was set to leave the St. Louis area on Monday to continue her trip around Missouri. She had to reschedule her trip after a small health scare.
Tiger-Lily was discovered in 2017 in Stone County, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). "She" is actually a "we" and is a pair of conjoined identical snake twins that never separated.
During a recent feeding, Tiger-Lily sneezed up traces of blood. The incident "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 Naturalist Lauren Baker with MDC.
The zoo's healthcare team found Tiger-Lily's ovaries in pre-ovulatory stasis. Veterinarians said the snake's ovary follicles didn't ovulate and continued to grow, leading to inflammation and infection risk. They decided the best course of action would be to remove her abdominal ovaries.
Tiger-Lily successfully underwent surgery and had her ovaries removed at the zoo's endangered species research center and veterinary hospital on March 11. Veterinarians said it may take her a month to recover.
Once the snake is fully recovered, she will be transported to MDC's Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City.
“We appreciate the Saint Louis Zoo’s quick response and expert treatment," Baker said. "I am so happy that our two-headed gal is getting the care she needs, and we’re all wishing her a safe and speedy recovery."
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