When a woman from Arizona returned home in the summer of 2023, she discovered an unwanted visitor in her bathroom.
An almost four-foot snake, whose horrifying hisses gave everyone using the restroom shivers, was curled up in the bowl.
This is only one instance in which a critter has entered a house and taken up residence on the porcelain throne. In this story, we’ll cover some prevention and management strategies for critters that make their way into your toilet through pipes.
Michelle Lespron of Arizona came home to a horrific scene in her bathroom in July of 2023.
Lespron described the nearly four-foot-long snake curled up inside her toilet to The Associated Press. “I lifted up the lid and he or she was curled up,” she said. “Thank God the lid was closed.”
The snake was removed when a professional rescue was called, but he did not leave voluntarily.
The snake was hissing in protest when the staff member who removed it from the bowl recorded the rescue on camera.
“Everybody has the same reaction: ‘Oh my god that’s my worst nightmare,”
Snakes
Toilet pipes can be particularly alluring to snakes since they prefer cold, damp, and dark environments. However, they aren’t merely amusing themselves by slithering through the pipes; usually, they are searching for a way out after putting food into the sewage.
When they’re through feasting, they usually find the easiest way out—which is through a pipe into a toilet.
Similar to the coachwhip in Lespron’s restroom, these snakes are mostly non-venomous, though occasionally anacondas are spotted that are small enough to squeeze through pipes.
You don’t have to worry too much about unwanted snakes in your bathroom if you reside in a chilly region. Unless you reside in an apartment complex where people own snakes as pets.
Rats
Rats, who are constantly searching for food, are drawn to pipes just like they are to snakes.
Rats may readily find a way through plumbing tubes that connect the garbage disposal and toilet in some homes.
Rats, sadly, live a lot of their lives running around confined areas due to their very high degree of flexibility.
The rats can swim up drainpipes and enter your home through them as they are naturally good swimmers, according to Austin Wildlife Removal. Rats are more likely to enter your home through an aperture, such as a hole in the wall or door than through this, though it’s not particularly common.”
Spiders
Although they are unable to swim through your pipes, spiders are incredibly clever and will manage to find a way to get to your toilet.
The majority just utilize the seat to frighten the next person, but some, like black widows, may spread a web across the bowl. However, that typically only occurs with outdoor toilets that aren’t connected to a sewer system or have no plumbing.
Always check the seat thoroughly if you use an outhouse.
The hobo spider, brown recluse, and black widows will all give you a painful bite.
Reptiles
Iguanas have been observed splashing around in toilet bowls in Florida, while a British tourist in Thailand was frightened when he discovered a monitor lizard slapping him off with its poisonous tongue.
In the southern states, where homes have vent stacks on the roof that are left open to allow out aromas and gasses, water-loving lizards are widespread in toilets.
These iguanas can detect the presence of water even if they are not near it. They can sense water if they are on a roof. They ultimately wind up in the pipeline, according to wildlife eradication expert Harold Rondon. “Once they get into that pipeline…the only way [out] is through your toilet.”
Mammals
A woman in San Diego discovered a wet baby opossum stuck in her toilet approximately eight years ago.
“Don’t worry, we don’t believe the plumbing is the source of this one. About the rescued baby and its friend, San Diego County Animal Services reports, “The resident discovered a broken window where they likely gained access after finding a second opossum in her home.”
Then, in 2016, a newborn possum was discovered in an Australian home’s toilet.
“It’s the first time in 30 years that I’ve ever heard of a possum coming up through the toilet system,” stated the rescuer. “I’ve heard of rats before, but never a possum.”
Keep animals out of your restroom.
Now that you’re probably anxious about using the restroom, allow us to provide you with some advice that should help animals feel less welcome.
Maintain a clean toilet by using a disinfectant to clean it on a regular basis. Baking soda or white vinegar are excellent substitutes.
Keep it dry: Moist bathroom floors attract pests, who enjoy humidity. After taking a shower, pat the floor dry with a towel and contact a plumber if there are any leaks.
Maintenance: To discourage bugs, pour a cleaning solution down the drain.
Make sure you look before you sit and keep your seat down.
Do not try to save face by calling a professional removal agency if you do notice something splattering around in your toilet.
In conclusion, while the idea of encountering unwanted critters in your toilet may sound like the stuff of nightmares, it’s a situation that can happen more often than we’d like to believe. Animals such as snakes, rats, spiders, reptiles, and even mammals have found their way into bathrooms, typically seeking shelter or a way out after being attracted by the environment. Each type of intruder has its own unique behaviors and reasons for ending up in your toilet, from the pursuit of food to the simple quest for a dark and damp hideout.
To minimize the chances of such an unwelcome visit, it’s essential to adopt proactive measures. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting your toilet not only maintains hygiene but also helps in keeping pests away. Ensuring your bathroom is kept dry can deter many types of pests that thrive in humid conditions. Additionally, routine maintenance of your plumbing and vigilant checks before using the toilet can prevent surprises. If you do encounter a critter, it’s best to seek professional help rather than attempting a DIY removal, ensuring both your safety and the safe handling of the animal.
By taking these preventive steps, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of a bathroom encounter with these critters and maintain a more comfortable and secure home environment.