We’ve all seen or heard about the movie Snakes on a Plane, but in recent weeks, ‘snake in toilet bowl’ has made the national news.
This startling headline is not new, but it is becoming more common each summer in Australia. Snakes can not only find their way into your toilet bowl, they can swim through sewers and contort themselves through the s bend of your toilet pan to say hello. Freaked out yet? Let’s see how common it is to find a snake in your toilet bowl and what to do if you find one peeking under the toilet seat.
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT FINDING A SNAKE IN YOUR TOILET?
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW TO PREVENT A SNAKE IN YOUR TOILET BOWL
How do snakes get into the toilet? Surprise! Snake in the toilet bowl!
There are two ways for a snake to get into a toilet.
The first is through an opening in your house like an open window or sliding door. When it’s especially hot and dry in summer, snakes will look for water and the toilet bowl is the ultimate watering hole.
The second way snakes can get into a toilet is through an opening in the sewer. Sewers can be a hiding ground for mice and rats. Snakes will enter the sewer to get their next meal. They can make their way through a sewer and slither their way through the s bend of a toilet.
How often do snakes end up in toilets?
It’s a fairly rare occurrence for snakes to end up in a toilet. Most snake handlers retrieve snakes from backyards or in bedrooms, rather than from the toilet. However, the heat can make snakes come out more frequently, so the occurrence can increase if you haven’t put prevention mechanisms in place to deter a snake entering your home.
How to prevent a snake curling up in your toilet bowl
The best ways to prevent a snake making its way into your toilet is to make your home less attractive to the snake in the first place.
- Keep windows and sliding doors in the bathroom closed or ensure the screens are fully intact so a snake can’t slide its way in.
- Prevent a mouse or rat infestation in your home with the correct rodent protection. Snakes will follow the food trail, so if you have mice or rats near or in your house, get rid of them ASAP.
- Ensure your ORG has the inserted grate and is not left open for a snake to enter.
- Ensure seals on garage doors and any openings into your house are maintained.
What to do if you find a snake in your toilet
If you find a snake in your toilet, your local plumber is not the right person to call. You will need to call your local wildlife snake catcher.
Once the snake has been caught, Gladesville Plumbing can come to inspect the toilet. A drain camera can be placed down the toilet and sewer to ensure there are no baby snakes slithering about.
Found something scarier than a snake in the toilet? Contact the team at Gladesville Plumbing. We’re only a call away to help with all your plumbing needs!
