EXCLUSIVE: Breeder, Ann-Kristin Swahn was stunned when her Western Plains Hognose snake broke out of its shell with two heads at odds of one-in-100,000 – she named it Haribo after the twin snake sweets
A reptile-lover was shocked to hatch an ultra rare snake born with two heads. Breeder Ann-Kristin Swahn hatched the Western Plains Hognose snake in Salt Lake City, Utah, US in July.
She decided to name him Haribo claiming he’s the real-life version of the brand’s iconic ‘Twin Snakes’ jelly sweets. Most bizarrely, she says that the two heads took a while to figure out “who is in charge” – leaving them “battling” each other, but now the right hand head tends to be the one that takes food.
The 49-year-old has been keeping snakes since the 90s and breeding since 2021 but admits she has never seen a two-headed snake before. It has previously been reported that the chances of a two-headed snake hatching are only one in 100,000. Ann-Kristin, who also works as a nurse practitioner, said she thinks the four-inch snake should have been twins but did not develop properly.
Footage shows Haribo slithering around a box and dunking his two heads into water to take a drink. Ann-Kristin, from Salt Lake City, Utah, US, said: “His name is Haribo because of the twin snakes candy.
“Everyone thinks his name is really funny. I went and checked on the hognose eggs and I thought at first it was twins, which happens occasionally.
“I have a picture of when he hatched and you could tell it was two little heads on one body so that was pretty amazing. I was shocked, at first I didn’t believe what I was seeing but then I was really excited.
“It was miraculous. I assume that it was going to be twins and it just didn’t separate all the way during the development.”
She said Haribo’s favourite meal to feast upon is frozen pinky mice – though the pair of heads do occasionally battle over food.
Ann-Kristin said: “At first they were battling with who was in charge with moving so they were pretty uncoordinated, which was funny.
“And then they kind of got it together and started moving around and started eating on their own. I thought that the left head was going to be dominant because it was more straight and in line with the body and so at first, I would offer food to the left head.
“But it was the right head that actually wanted to eat even though it was a little more off to the side. He is very friendly. A lot of times baby hognose or even adult hognose tend to hiss and bluff.
“They’re not mean but they are dramatic. He never is. He is very easy-going and doesn’t mind being held.”
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