The condition of growing two heads, polycephaly, is rare in nature, but can occur through the same process that creates conjoined twins in humans.

Both of the animal’s heads seek food independently of the other and this can sometimes lead to the separate heads fighting over prey.

But these snakes don’t live in the wild for a very long time as they live for as long as 20 years in captivity.

Wildlife photographer Matthijs Kuijpers, 43, captured the unusual pictures of the two-headed corn snake in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Matthijs – who has been breeding and keeping snakes since he was 10 – said the two and a half foot reptile was around 18-months-old.

He said: “I photograph wildlife all over the world and this is the first ever live two-headed snake I have photographed.

“People find it crazy as well. Kids especially love them.

“The two heads are a mistake of nature, known as polycephaly.

“Both heads fee sometimes they even fight for the same prey.

They only get in a dispute when there is food involved and on all other occasions they seem to get along pretty well.”

Corn snakes are found in the wild in the US where they feed on small rodents, other reptiles, amphibians and unguarded birds’ eggs.

They do not possess any venom and kill their prey by constricting it rather than delivering a venomous bite.