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Two heads are better then one, I guess...
- Thread starter Rich Z
- Start date
colinmcc
McSnake owner
Rich Z said:
That is just too bizarre! :bang:
Just curious, but I presume it must have shed OK. How did that work? As they normally work the old skin off at the nose, then slither out of it, how did it go with a 2 header? Did they actually start simultaneously or did just one go for it and leave the other with just it's head skin to shed???
Man, this thing would be fascinating to own if it lives any length of time ....
:cheers:
I had to assist it with the shed. It got stuck at the junction of the two heads, as I had suspected it would. I think this will happen each time it sheds because there is no way otherwise for it to happen unless the skin would split at that point allowing it to shed the rest of the body.
MaeglinCalaelen
New member
A little bit a late response but I don't want to know what will happen if that snake have to regurge
My wife got the "driver's side head" eating green anoles pretty agressively, and a local guy here in Tallahassee decided that he wanted it. So I sold it to him for a pretty decent sum. I think it has a real good home now as this guy is a real fanatic about taking care of his animals.
princess
Cornaholic
Good on you for selling it. I guess the money will go towards feeding your keepers/breeders for a fair while! I had an interesting one hatch out this year (not nearly as interesting as yours though!) and Idecided to sell her after all. Her sale price goes to cover the next 6 months food bill, so I can't complain either way. I'm pairing the same parents next year so who knows, they might give me another.
Joining the conversation a little late, but great snake! It's a wonderful primer for genetic discussions!!
Actually, while very rare this is not an impossibility. There are actually people wandering around out there with mixed sets of DNA from fraternal twins that fused within the first few days of conception. What happens is the single cells (blastocytes) form when egg and sperm join, but then the two sets of DNA fuse. Since embryonic cells are not specialized yet they multiply until they grow into different body structures and tissues. While I haven't heard of a two headed conjoined twin there are men out there with floating ovaries and women with regressed testies (each with a separate DNA fingerprint from the whole person as these developed from the fraternal twin egg that fused). There have been some cases on file and it's still pretty new, but there are people with two sets of DNA because of this (sometimes only in certain tissues or organs but other times mixed cells across the entire body).
Truly facinating stuff!! Can't help myself being a bio teacher and all!!
princess said:
Actually, while very rare this is not an impossibility. There are actually people wandering around out there with mixed sets of DNA from fraternal twins that fused within the first few days of conception. What happens is the single cells (blastocytes) form when egg and sperm join, but then the two sets of DNA fuse. Since embryonic cells are not specialized yet they multiply until they grow into different body structures and tissues. While I haven't heard of a two headed conjoined twin there are men out there with floating ovaries and women with regressed testies (each with a separate DNA fingerprint from the whole person as these developed from the fraternal twin egg that fused). There have been some cases on file and it's still pretty new, but there are people with two sets of DNA because of this (sometimes only in certain tissues or organs but other times mixed cells across the entire body).
Truly facinating stuff!! Can't help myself being a bio teacher and all!!
mrweaw
Branching out into geckos
From a biological point of view a true Chimera (this is the best way I have heard to describe this phenomenon) is extremely fascinating. I person, or animal, having 2 completely different sets of DNA in their body could cause all sorts of interesting complications . Consider, for instance, reproduction and DNA fingerprinting. Just a little food for thought
. Consider, for instance, reproduction and DNA fingerprinting. Just a little food for thought 
Sisuitl
I dig'em!
Lab created chimaera's are not uncommon. There is no splicing of DNA involved, so there is no danger of unleashing genetic mutant monsters upon the world. Some endangered birds are actually being saved by chimaera's. A scientist took some DNA from an endangered grouse, and made a bunch of embryo clones. Then when they hit the notochord stage he spliced the chunk of notochord corresponding with the gonads into chicken embryos with the notochords at the same point in development. The result is a bunch of chickens that are tame, not easily stressed, disease resistant, and lay 300+ eggs a year instead of 5 or 6. The potential to hatch out a large number of endangered birds in a short time exists with a program like that, and the offspring are 100% grouse, with not one bit of chicken in them.
You *could* do something similar with rare snakes. Splicing cloned embryo notochord chunks corresponding to the gonads into corn snake embryos, and get corns that eat well, adjust to captivity well, but all their babies would be something rare like rhinocerous rat snakes. :wavey:
On topic, that bicephalic corn is flippin' sweet! I'm jealous.
You *could* do something similar with rare snakes.
Splicing cloned embryo notochord chunks corresponding to the gonads into corn snake embryos, and get corns that eat well, adjust to captivity well, but all their babies would be something rare like rhinocerous rat snakes. :wavey: On topic, that bicephalic corn is flippin' sweet! I'm jealous.
Dicephalics
New member
Hi Rich,
I just registered today--have been trying to contact you. I am very interested in your dicephalic corn snake. I have had a dicephalic milksnake for more than a year. I can give you some advice. I have been studying them for 30 years and am working on a book. I would like to document your specimen by writing a report for publication. I have a couple lay articles on two-headed snakes. If you're interested I will send you pdf's.
Also, I collect snake calendars and applaud your idea of making one! Please do, as there are very few devoted to snakes in recent years.
Please send me your email.
Regards, Van
I just registered today--have been trying to contact you. I am very interested in your dicephalic corn snake. I have had a dicephalic milksnake for more than a year. I can give you some advice. I have been studying them for 30 years and am working on a book. I would like to document your specimen by writing a report for publication. I have a couple lay articles on two-headed snakes. If you're interested I will send you pdf's.
Also, I collect snake calendars and applaud your idea of making one! Please do, as there are very few devoted to snakes in recent years.
Please send me your email.
Regards, Van
2i2_D3gr33s
I AM A:
You should give him a link to this thread so he can do some posting himself....as well as add some new pics!
Just a short update on the two headed corn. When the guy showed it to me, he mentioned that it's really odd how it wants to feed. One head will eat pinks, and the other will only eat anoles. Guess the "feed response" signal doesn't come from the belly after all.....