A 55-pound alligator was removed from a California home on Monday night after police found it was guarding about 2,300 marijuana plants.

Justice department officials raided the home and found the four-foot-long animal in a basin in a back room. His name is Wally, the Press Enterprise newspaper reports.

"He was extremely healthy, a little too well taken care of," said Joel Almquist, who runs a nearby wild animal sanctuary which is now caring for Wally.

But despite Wally's cute appearance, Almquist warned that even small gators can be dangerous.

"Some are pretty mellow, but if you get bit by a three-footer, you're going to remember it for a long time. It's kind of like being bit by a vice with teeth. It's not a pleasant experience."

Alligators are illegal as pets in California.