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Hello my dear Reptil.TV community. Today we've got something really cool, interesting and fascinating for you.
We can barely wait to show you! That's why we're doing a Reptil.TV special today!
I've been in the reptile business for over 20 years now. But luckily, there are always new and exciting things happening.
Today I have something new and exciting for you!
Here I have a nice and small Ball Python here.
What's beautiful and interesting is, that he not only is one animal but two. Or rather, that he has got two heads.
It's clear, that this is a whim of nature. This isn't supposed to be that way.
Nature doesn't want or need it.
Apart of all of this, the animal is absolutely healthy.
It's eating and growing. It's really nice, well-behaved and friendly animal.
If you would watch it for some time, or hold it in your hand, then you would feel the same way.
The animal really is well behaved and beautiful. Today we want to present you this animal.
The beauty[s] is a male, or two males. However, you want to address them.
As you can see, from this point on, there are two spinal columns.
Each head has its own spinal column, beginning from here.
Later these two spinal columns join, and there is only one spine at the rear.
That's also the reason for this bump. It's no curvature of the spine. It is the beginning of the second spine that leads to the other head.
The rear is faultless, there are no bents or anything else.
As we can see, both heads are active, both flick their tongues. Both are independent of each other.
Apart from that, that animal is flawless. There are no bents in the spine, or anything else.
It has no problems eating, as we want to show you later. If we are successful and get it on tape.
Digestion isn't a problem. It's really growing nicely. Right now it's roughly a year old and I would say it weighs about 300 grams.
It really did grow well in this year.
They are two individuals. You can see it nicely, when it is crawling. One head wants to go in one direction and the second head in another.
In the end, they have to find an agreement. It's really nice to watch the animal.
The animal doesn't leave the impression that it is in distress or that it has a bad life. I believe the animal has a good life.
This x-ray image is very interesting.
You can see, that from this spot on there are two spines that lead to the corresponding heads. And farther down the back, they become one.
That's the reason why you can see a small dent on the animal. It's the spot where the second spine begins.
I believe it's too much stress for the animal. With the cameras and us standing around it. In addition, we're not in the animal facilities.
[time-lapse]
Luckily only one head eats. If both heads would fight over the same prey, that would be a problem.
Ok, you could just feed to mice.
I think it would be risky if both heads feed at the same time, because in the esophagus, at the latest, the two mice would meet.
Both mice would have to pass each other in some way.
That could really be a problem. From this perspective, luckily only one head is voracious and accepted the pray, and is feeding.
To my knowledge there are 4-5 animals that are similar. Respectively snakes of this kind, snakes with two heads.
Animals that are healthy, active, feed normally and live a normal life.
As I recall it, there is another Carpet Python in the US.
There are two Colubrids in the US. I believe they are a Bullsnake and an Earth Colubrid.
And there is supposed to be another animal with two heads, in a zoo in Sri Lanka. It's supposed to be some kind of Colubrid.
And there is our beautiful Ball Python.
We're really happy that it is a Ball Python, because that is defiantly our species!
Last but not least, we need a name for the two guys.
Should it be one name for both? Something like Hydra, or a name from a mythical creature with two heads.
Or should we give it two names? Because they really are two individuals!
Then there are names like Tom and Jerry, Stan and Ollie, or whatever names make a nice pair.
We want to hear your opinion and discuss that with you!
Send a tweet, comment on Facebook or YouTube. State your opinion!
That's all for today. Until next time!
Remember! Check my TWO Balls!
That wasn't too bad, was it?
Let's try it again [laughs], right?
I'm just saying what I just said. We don't have anything else. You said that it wasn't .... [Camera] Ok, let's start.
Ahh, and you just really liked that!
The end was nothing, in between I did a great job!