SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - The hot weather San Diego has been experiencing over the past few weeks is bringing dangerous snakes closer to residential homes.
Rattlesnakes are popping up throughout San Diego County from the coast to more desert-like conditions. They are following their food and trying to survive, which sometimes means, residents get an uninvited guest.
One rattler got a little too close for comfort, showing up inside one man's La Jolla house.
"I came in and saw him," said Hal Walker, the homeowner who discovered a rattlesnake inside his home.
In the 44-years Hal Walker has lived in his La Jolla home, he has seen snakes before, but not a rattlesnake.
"I've seen a couple of garden snakes during that period, but I've never seen a rattlesnake," he said.
The one Walker discovered in his home slithered its way to where he usually sits to drink his morning coffee. He called his son Rick.
"It was a very strange call for sure," said Walker's son, Rick.
Walker called animal services, but before they could arrive, the snake started heading for the door.
"I prodded it with a rake and it coiled and started shaking it's tail, but it was too young. It was a baby snake and it didn't make any noise," he said.
Walker killed the rattlesnake.
It's one of 64 rattlesnake calls to animal services this month alone. It is a 50-percent increase over last year.
"Realistically what we're looking at is the warmer weather. Rattle snakes are going to stay active in the warmer weather and it being so dry the rodents in the field are coming closer to homes to get water and food, that's going to draw the rattlesnakes in too," said Daniel Desousa, with the San Diego Department Animal Services.
An expert did check Walker's home to make sure there was anything else that would interest another snake.
While Rick was grateful he could help his dad, it's a call he hopes does not happen again.
Animal services said there are four kinds of rattle snakes in the county.
While they are venomous, they are usually not life-threating to humans if treatment is received right away.