A woman in Brazil was shocked to find an alligator hiding behind her sofa after heavy rains flooded her house in the central town of Parauapebas, in Para state.
She said she was alerted to the animal's presence by her son, who was petting the alligator's head.
The woman snatched the child away and called the fire brigade, who trapped the 1.5m-long (5ft) reptile.
The firefighters said the family was lucky the animal was not hungry.
Firefighter Captain Luiz Claudio Farias said the alligator could have seriously hurt or even killed the boy.
Mr Farias said it was not uncommon for animals such as alligators and snakes to enter people's houses in towns such as Parauapebas which are built very near rivers and the rain forest.
He said the animal had been released in a less populated area of the town.
How does a five foot gator just get into a house? A snake I can see worming its way in through a small hole but a gator?
A woman in Boca had one knocking on her door a few years back. A 7-footer had followed her small dog home and began pawing at the door. From inside, according to the woman, it sounded just like a visitor knocking.
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
There is only one way of avoiding the war – that is the overthrow of this society. However, as we are too weak for this task, the war is inevitable. -L. Trotsky, 1939
