KIRKWOOD, Mo. – The double-headed snake that came to St. Louis in January will be staying longer than expected due to a health condition that required surgery, according to a release.
Tiger-Lily is touring around the state with the Missouri Department of Conservation while her original home at the Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Center in Branson is closed for construction.
A few weeks ago, crews noticed that Tiger-Lily was sneezing up blood during feeding. MDC Naturalist Lauren Baker said it immediately raised a red flag for the team, and veterinarians with the Saint Louis Zoo were notified.
It was discovered that the snake’s ovaries were in pre-ovulatory stasis.
“Under normal circumstances, the ovary would grow follicles, then ovulate them as eggs to eventually be laid. In Tiger-Lily’s case, she began the reproductive cycle, but the follicles did not ovulate and instead continued to grow and remain static in her ovary. Over time, this led to inflammation and the risk of infection,” Dr. Michael Warshaw, staff veterinarian at Saint Louis Zoo, said in a release.
The decision came down to the veterinarians removing Tiger-Lily’s ovaries, and she underwent surgery March 11. Everything was successful, and she is now recovering.
With her recovery period, it means her trip to the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City is delayed. It is estimated that Tiger-Lily will take about a month to recover, and the MDC says she will not be on display during recouperation.
“We appreciate the Saint Louis Zoo’s quick response and expert treatment. I am so happy that our two-headed gal is getting the care she needs, and we’re all wishing her a safe and speedy recovery,” Baker said in a release.
The double-headed snake turned six in October. According to MDC, “Tiger-Lily is actually a pair of conjoined identical snake twins that were never completely separated.”
“The Saint Louis Zoo and MDC have a long history of partnering together for the care of Missouri’s native wildlife and we are happy to have played a part in caring for this exceptional animal,” Director of Animal Health at the Saint Louis Zoo, Dr. Chris Hanley, told MDC.
