A rare two-headed snake is set to turn six years old with a special birthday party.
The serpent – called Tiger Lily – was found by a shocked family in 2017.
The female western rat snake has been cared for by animal experts ever since.
They have a bash planned for her birthday on Saturday (7 Oct).
But staff at the Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Center, in Branson, Missouri, US said feeding time is difficult.
They have to cover up one of the heads with a cup while the other eats so they don’t feed too much.
The centre, part of the Missouri Department of Conservation, said the party will be held at the car park of the Scenic Overlook in Branson.
MDC spokesperson Alison Bleich said: “Both heads want to eat, but they only have one oesophagus.
“We put a small cup over one head while the other eats, then switch.
“Otherwise, both would be trying to grab the same mouse.”
Mrs Bleich said Tiger-Lily is now nearly five feet long, having grown about a foot in two years.
The two-headed snake would have struggled to survive in the wild, according to experts.
An MDC spokesperson said: “Eating is just one of a multitude of struggles facing a polycephalous animal.
“If it was in the wild, in addition to eating problems, a two-headed snake would also be extremely vulnerable to predation because it wouldn’t have the ability to escape into the normal holes and crevices that one-headed snakes can fit into.
“In a captive situation, a two-headed snake’s chances of survival are much better.”
They added: “A two-headed western rat snake that was found in 2005 is currently on display at MDC’s Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center in southeast Missouri.”
Tiger-Lily’s party will be held from 9 am to midday and attendees do not need to register in advance.
The event will include arts and crafts, party games, and presentations involving the rare snake.
