California man finds 7-foot-long snake in his sofa

The snake was likely someone’s pet before it found its way into the man’s couch

A man in Chula Vista, California, became "frantic" after finding a lot more than loose change hiding inside his couch.

KGTV reports that the man found a 7-foot-long snake slithering around inside his couch.

The homeowner, shocked and terrified, called So-Cal Rattlesnake Removal to retrieve the snake.

Alex Trejo, owner of So-Cal Rattlesnake Removal, spoke with the outlet about the man's discovery.

"This guy calls me, is pretty frantic, and he's like, 'There's a snake in my couch,'" he said.

After receiving the call, he visited the man's home to collect the snake. He said he was blown away when he realised the snake calling the man's couch its home was not a species native to California.

"I literally lift the cushion, and there this giant 7-foot Vietnamese blue beauty rat snake is just coiled up right behind the cushion," he said. "You'd be more lucky to find a Rolex sitting on the ground than a snake like this."

That species of snake is not venomous, but it also did not want to be held. Mr Trejo said the snake lashed out and bit onto the lining of his shirt. He collected the reptile and later learned that the snake has a respiratory infection.

The Vietnamese blue beauty rat snake is native to tropical climates, specifically Southeast Asia.

According to Mr Trejo, it is legal to keep the snake as a pet – at least in California – and he believes the snake he retrieved likely belonged to an owner and escaped. Mr Trejo did not have a theory for how the snake could have ended up in someone else's couch.