Florida family discovers 6-foot boa constrictor that was living in attic for up to four years

A Florida man said it all started with strange noises his family heard coming from their attic.

Bob van der Herchen, of Englewood, Florida, and his family believed for years that they might have had rats, or similar small pests, living in their home.

"I didn't think much of it, I thought maybe it was rats," van der Herchen told WESH.

But van der Herchen made a far more surprising discovery when he came face-to-face with a 6-foot-long boa constrictor that took up residence in his home.

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To his son's credit, he told his father that he thought a snake could be in the attic, but he didn't believe it until he saw the serpent himself.

"It took three and a half minutes for that snake to move into that rafter space...it was bigger than I expected," van der Herchen told WFLA-TV.

"It was actually bunking in the rafter space right above the Florida room chair where my wife sits," he said.

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Van der Herchen, who is also a bee removal specialist, detailed the snake saga in a video he posted on Facebook.

"Been distracted from bee removals by a boa that was living in our attic. Only in Florida!" he wrote.

He told WESH he believes the snake has been living there for two to four years, which isn't hard to believe considering that the average lifespan of a boa constrictor ranges from 20 to 30 years.

Fortunately, van der Herchen said the 6-foot boa has since been safely removed from the family home.