A Rare Two-Headed Timber Rattlesnake Was Discovered In New Jersey

Sep 10, 2019 by apost team

Snakes are often looked upon as scary and dangerous creatures. Even pet snakes are given a bad rap sometimes, especially when they are large and scary-looking. However, not every snake is venomous and mean. Many are quite calm and docile when they are taken care of lovingly. If you pop into any pet store, you will find lots of snakes for sale in cages. People around the world are fascinated with these incredible reptiles.

While snakes are quite common around the world, no one really expects to see one that has two heads. But that is exactly what two employees in Burlington County found in New Jersey one day. A local environmental consulting company was shocked to find a two-headed snake in their office in Pine Barrens.

apost.com

Dave Schneider, the regional manager of Herpetological Associates, found the amazing two-headed timber rattlesnake on August 25th after he learned of a timber rattlesnake that had given birth. This type of snake is considered to be extremely rare and endangered, to begin with. But a two-headed snake is something no one has ever seen before.

Schneider knew that he was in for a treat. The snake has two heads that are both fully functioning. It also has two tongues and four eyes. One head does appear to be more dominant than the other. However, both are alert and functional. The snake was given the name Double Dave after the two men named Dave who are working in the office where the reptile was found.

They plan to give the double-headed snake X-rays to determine what kind of bodily functions it has. The staff is curious as to how many esophagi’ Double Dave has and how the snake shared them. There is actually another two-headed snake that was kept in captivity. It lived to be 21-years-old. However, Schneider is unsure of how long Double Dave will live. 

We are so glad that someone stumbled upon this wonderful snake! Herpetological Associates is a company who studies endangered and threatened species, including reptiles, bog turtles, birds, amphibians, and more. They can’t wait to X-ray the snake and learn more about the amazing animal.

What did you think of this fascinating reptile? Leave us a comment and be sure to pass this article along to others!