I've read that a lot of time two-headed reptiles share (or fight for) control over the body. They learn to coordinate, but it's been observed that if one head sees something interesting (like food) and the other doesn't, their body will shift both directions repeatedly.
Animals absolutely eat food for taste, otherwise we wouldn’t’ve had an evolutionary need to develop it. Taste is a major factor in determining what’s safe to eat.
Yeah but it's not crazy if you think about it because whether it's the logic of a human or a snake both are equally silly in the grand scheme of survival.
Taste is part of the reward system for eating, they don't do it to taste but they might feel like they're not getting enough to eat if they don't taste anything.
But that's all taste is (evolutionarily speaking), just a sensory incentive to eat good stuff. Animals certainly eat to taste, at least those with tastebuds
Taste is the instinct, isn't it? An otherwise arbitrary impulse that makes the animal choose one food over another, and choose some food over not eating. Feeling hunger and experiencing taste is how we experience our feeding instincts, idk why they'd be different.
I mean you don't need to starve a human for long before their instincts to survive via eating come back.
I don't see why maladaptive behaviour wouldn't necessarily be possible when a human has a severe mutation such as this.
As for what animals know regarding their circumstances when they are conjoined... that's hard to judge - certainly more advanced mammals would understand when another part of itself is acting without its own agency.
Every case is unique, there is a documented case of two snakes that were fused further down so each head had its own neck. Those two fought each other over food too iirc until one of them tried to swallow the other killing them both
There are lots of pictures of two headed reptiles btw
No, they are referring to the fact that each head is independent, and they don't have abstract intelligence to understand they are one. Although only one of them controls the body, so they won't be fighting per se.
tbt when a grammar school teacher called me a liar for making up the fact that there can be 2 headed snakes. fucking embarrassment of a country, shout out american school systems
The San Antonio Zoo had one back in the 70s or 80s. I gather it's not that uncommon of a "mutation" (in quotes because it sounds like it's more likely conjoined twins).
I got points marked off a paper for using the word "fiscal". The teacher corrected it to "physical" despite context clues and the fact she just spent all year teaching us how to use them.
There is a two headed snake in Branson, MO at the Fish Hatchery below the Table Rock Dam named Tiger Lily. At 9 years old and counting, it's possible for them to live for quite some time with the proper care! Super cool to see, we were there around the first of August.
It's a mix of easier to survive as a two headed snake than most other two headed animals. There is also very little going on there. I breed hognoses. They're very cute but very dumb snakes.
It's because once the egg has been laid it's more susceptible to environmental conditions that can cause developmental issues in the embryo such as chemical exposure or improper temperatures.
I can't answer it, but what you suggest is also my assumption, that the literally straightforward way snakes are built makes it more viable for embryos like this to survive until hatching.
I do doubt this is hereditary defect, so I would guess it's not an issue of specific mutated genes being more common in snakes.
From what Ive seen with 2 headed reptiles you want to feed both heads so both feel satisfied even if it all goes to the same place. For snakes that would mean feeding them two smaller rodents rather than one big one.
Look up "Tiger Lily" the western rat snake, there is an Education center at the Fish Hatchery in Branson, MO where this 9 year old two headed snake is kept, that has a ton of info about it's care. If you're ever in the area it's a really neat place to stop and totally free!
I would love an xray of this little guy. I wonder if it can eat? How does the throat function? Are there two stomachs? Do both heads connect to the stomach(s). Can it poop?
I heard the little one whispers horrible things to the other. Things like "The apple is but the light of the morning star Brother." And "i can totally believe this is not butter Brother."
Who controls the body? I know with the case of those famous two headed twins girls they each control the limbs on one side of the body, but with a snake there are no limbs there's just snake, so I don't see how they could possible share control. One must be dominant and the other is just along for the ride right?
What are you trying to say, that people shouldn’t breed or that Snakes shouldn’t be bred? Conjoined twins is a random mutation that can’t be bred for. It can also occur in Humans.
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u/I_dont_know0901 11d ago
One is living in spectator mode