When flipping over a couch cushion, most expect to find coins, a missing hair tie, or other lost items. A Long Island couple moving in to their new apartment this week were in for a surprise when they flipped over a couch’s cushions and found not crumbs, but a 3-foot-python.
The SPCA has determined that the snake is a ball python, a nonvenomous snake native to Africa. “They are generally a very docile snake,” assured Roy Gross, an SPCA spokesman. The Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said that they were not sure how long the snake had been there since the previous tenant’s move, but it had appeared healthy and not dehydrated. Apparently, the snake was supposed to go to an upstairs tenant, but escaped from its cage during the previous tenant’s move.
“You can imagine how shocking it was [for the homeowners],” said Gross, agreeing that a leftover sofa is the last place most people expect to find an exotic, fanged pet. While ball pythons are not large enough to cause serious injury to a human, they can occasionally bite when scared.
Although most used-couch buyers are unlikely to find a snake hiding under the cushions, there are a fair number of reasons why homeowners should prioritize buying a new couch rather than an old one. Couches are a frequent space where people will lounge and sit frequently, and many pieces of old furniture — especially couches, which have a significant number of hiding spaces — have been found to house insects, according to MSN. Bedbugs, black mold, pet smells and even fleas might not make themselves known until it’s too late, and they can potentially spread to other parts of the home.
Furniture is still the third most expensive thing the average person will buy in their lifetime (homes and cars are first and second, respectively), so it’s understandable why many might want to save money through purchasing used furniture even knowing the risks.
As far as the snake is concerned, there’s a happy ending: according to Gross, the snake has since been adopted.