The thought of stumbling to the bathroom at midnight only to find a snake in the bowl may sound like a scene straight out of a nightmare. But is it possible? Or is it more of a tall tale?
Can animals crawl up your toilet?
Unfortunately, they can. The fact of the matter is that animals are always on the hunt for food, water, and shelter. The sewers supply easy access to all of these necessities. But which animals could you spot in your plumbing?
Rats and Mice
Rats and mice are some of the most commonly sighted pests in a home. During the winter, rodents will be seeking shelter from the cold—if that shelter has food and water readily available, it may be difficult to get these unwanted house guests to move out.
Rats only need a gap the size of a quarter to squeeze into your home, but mice need a space only ¼ of an inch wide to infiltrate your home. These pests are most likely to enter your home through gaps around your pipes or cracks in your crawlspace, but some rats can swim for up to 3 days—which is more than enough time to find their way through the sewers and into your toilet.
Snakes
Thankfully, we shouldn’t find many pythons in our toilet bowls, but snakes are a relatively common visitor to homes via the sewers. Snakes often prey on mice and rats, which means they’re likely to follow their food into sewers pipes—some of which could lead to your home.
If you do happen to find a snake in your toilet, contact animal control for removal and contact your local plumbers to figure out how your bathroom guest got there.
Insects
Bugs are drawn to water, which means you’re most likely to find them creeping around in your kitchen or bathroom. Insects can be hard to track to a source, since they may not come directly from your plumbing, but just be attracted to those areas from the moisture. Centipedes and other insects may not come from your drains but could get stuck in sink or shower drains and climb back out once the coast is clear.
Cockroaches, however, do live in sewers and it can be relatively easy for them to crawl through the pipes and into your home. The pipes that connect your toilet to the sewer line don’t have a lot of resting water in them—meaning these pests don’t need to hold their breath to make the trip up your pipes.
Lizards and Frogs
Frogs and lizards are less likely visitors to your home’s plumbing, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never see them! Lizards are more likely to show up as someone’s lost pet. Like the snakes, if you find a lizard in your bathroom or toilet, contact animal control for removal.
Frogs are amphibious, which means they can live on both land and water. However, frogs typically don’t stray too far from water as they need it to keep their skin moist. A frog is more likely to enter your plumbing through a gap or crack in the pipes, so if you find a frog in your toilet, it’s likely time to contact a plumber.
Thankfully, you’re less likely to find an alligator in your toilet than other animals (although it’s not impossible). Most animals that find their way into your toilet are seeking food, water, and warmth and have likely wound up in your toilet on accident. Always contact an animal control expert for removal and contact your plumbing experts at Nuckols Plumbing, Heating & Cooling to ensure the surprise visitor isn’t likely to become a recurring problem.