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Updated: 11:02 AM EST
Would You Pay $150,000 for a Two-Headed Snake?

ST. LOUIS, Missouri (Jan. 3) - For sale: One snake. Albino. Has two heads. Asking $150,000 or best offer.

James A. Finley, AP
The World Aquarium in St. Louis bought "We" for $15,000 in 1999. Both mouths connect to the same stomach, which may have helped her survive longer than expected.

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The World Aquarium in St. Louis has been home to We, a one-of-a-kind two-headed albino rat snake, since 1999. President Leonard Sonnenschein has decided to sell the reptile, and bidding on e-Bay will start at $150,000.

"It's an amazing snake," Sonnenschein said Monday. "When people see it they are awestruck."

The 6 1/2-year-old snake came to the aquarium's attention when its previous owner distributed a circular offering it for sale days after its birth. The aquarium paid $15,000, knowing that most two-headed snakes don't live more than a few months.

But We has survived and thrived. An inch thick and 4 feet long, she is a healthy size for a rat snake. While her body is white, the heads have a reddish appearance.

"We expect the sale of We to be on the same level of demand as a priceless art object."
-- World Aquarium President Leonard Sonnenschein

We has survived because, unlike some two-headed animals, both mouths are connected to the same stomach, Sonnenschein said.

Van Wallach of Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology said We should live an additional 10 to 15 years. And Sonnenschein said it's at a ripe age for breeding.

"We expect the sale of We to be on the same level of demand as a priceless art object," he said.

The snake has been in the spotlight before. In 2004, a disgruntled City Museum worker stole We. Authorities found the snake in the garage of the man's home in Illinois.

"He thought he was going to sell it," Sonnenschein said. "The thing is, it's the only one in the world."

Let's take a look at the cold hard facts, shall we?

Even IF (and that's a HUGE "if"!) this were a reproducable genetic trait, the most you could consistantly hope to produce would be ten live young per year, for fifteen years.

Of course, you'd have to deal with the "het" status of most of those hatchlings, and how many of them would share this one female's capacity for lving past neonatality, but let's not cloud the issue with the facts...

Even at 10 live, healthy, mutated offspring; each year, for a period of fifteen years (remember, this snake is already 6.5 years old!!!), you'd still have to sell every one of those babies for $1,000 a piece before you'd even get back to $0.

So...No...I don't think I could see myself spending that kind of money on such an animal, even if I had it to blow!

I have WAAAYYYY too much time on my hands! LOL
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Darin Chappell
Hillbilly Herps
PO Box 254
Rogersville, MO 65742

I dont think this is a genetic mutation that can be carried on by the offsrping. IMHO, this snake had an identical twin that didnt split properly when cell division took place in the embryonic stage. Much like some animals and people that are born with two heads, extra extremities, etc. I know a guy that had to have surgury because there was hair, bone, and teeth embedded in his lungs. This was his twin that got re-absorbed during the embryonic stage of life, and didnt bother him until his mid 30's. He kept having pains in his chest, and after an X-ray, the problem was obvious! The Dr. explained it is a rare occurance, but it does happen. So I would have to lean towards this. And even if I had the money to blow, I wouldnt buy a two headed snake. My luck it would die within a week!!! LOL
Brian

>>Let's take a look at the cold hard facts, shall we?
>>
>>Even IF (and that's a HUGE "if"!) this were a reproducable genetic trait, the most you could consistantly hope to produce would be ten live young per year, for fifteen years.
>>
>>Of course, you'd have to deal with the "het" status of most of those hatchlings, and how many of them would share this one female's capacity for lving past neonatality, but let's not cloud the issue with the facts...
>>
>>Even at 10 live, healthy, mutated offspring; each year, for a period of fifteen years (remember, this snake is already 6.5 years old!!!), you'd still have to sell every one of those babies for $1,000 a piece before you'd even get back to $0.
>>
>>So...No...I don't think I could see myself spending that kind of money on such an animal, even if I had it to blow!
>>
>>
>>
>>I have WAAAYYYY too much time on my hands! LOL
>>-----
>>Darin Chappell
>>Hillbilly Herps
>>PO Box 254
>>Rogersville, MO 65742
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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath"(KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Great plains rat snake "Reign Fire" (TX locale)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Yeah, somebody would be on the Rat Snake forum, writing:

"How do I get my two-headed snake off a piece of duct tape?"

lol

Walt

There is a flaw in your logic. Say 10 babies a year and for argument sake 50% male 50% female offspring. After 2-3 years each of these would be able to produce. So at that point you would have 50 offspring a year. Each year after that you would have another 50 on top of the first. So in 3 years you would have another 5 females producing on top of the mother. bringing the total to 60 offspring the 3rd year. Let's not forget the mother has still been producing these past 3 years.... So year 4 would bring another batch of sexually mature females. bringing year 4's offspring to 110. And it just keeps increasing exponentially every year. so selling the offspring for $100 a piece would pay for itself after 5 years or less. But now back to reality. We need to remember that this is a trait that is non inheritable and therefore there is no point in breeding it.

Let's take a look at the cold hard facts, shall we?"

Even IF (and that's a HUGE "if"!) this were a reproducable genetic trait, the most you could consistantly hope to produce would be ten live young per year, for fifteen years.

Of course, you'd have to deal with the "het" status of most of those hatchlings, and how many of them would share this one female's capacity for lving past neonatality, but let's not cloud the issue with the facts...

Even at 10 live, healthy, mutated offspring; each year, for a period of fifteen years (remember, this snake is already 6.5 years old!!!), you'd still have to sell every one of those babies for $1,000 a piece before you'd even get back to $0.

So...No...I don't think I could see myself spending that kind of money on such an animal, even if I had it to blow!"
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

You're absolutely right about the F2 and following generations (again, assuming an inheritable trait...which it isn't).

I wasn't really being serious...
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Darin Chappell
Hillbilly Herps
PO Box 254
Rogersville, MO 65742

I was pretty sure you were kidding. I was basically just practicing my math which I try to use as seldom as possible. If I don't use it I will forget it ALL completely
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

it is just an advertising piece..and a tax writeoff for a charitable reason......

cool snake.......

worth every bit of $500............LOL

...........too bad it isn't really genetic.......
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..................gottaLuvIt!!