Encountering unwanted animals, such as rats or snakes, is already unpleasant. However, the situation can get even worse when it happens in your own bathroom, through your toilet.
We want to make sure this misfortune never becomes a part of your life, so we’ve gathered some information about the types of animals that may come out of your toilet and, most importantly, how to prevent it.
1. Snakes
One morning, an Australian woman was bitten by a snake that was hiding in her bathroom. Fortunately, it was not venomous. We may be used to hearing stories about snakes in Australia, but this can happen in other countries as well. Snakes can enter your bathroom through sewer pipes (since most are good swimmers) or ventilation ducts, and in this case, the snake simply chooses the toilet as a resting place.
2. Rats
Rats, unfortunately, are also among the creatures that may one day appear in your bathroom. They are also good swimmers, and you can see in some YouTube videos how they can easily make their way through sewer pipes. Even though these cases are rare, it is still possible when the animal is searching for food.
3. Frogs
These slimy little creatures can also visit your bathroom uninvited. Last year, a mass invasion occurred in the United Kingdom. Additionally, frogs are sometimes believed to enter homes through ventilation ducts.
4. Opossums
Although finding an opossum that just came out of the toilet is far from typical, the possibility cannot be completely ruled out. For example, in 2016, a baby opossum was found in a bathroom in San Diego, USA, before being rescued by the Animal Services Department. The homeowner realized that the marsupial had entered the house through a broken window, not through the pipes.
How can we prevent these invasions?
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic. It’s best to simply close the toilet lid and place something heavy on top (like a few books) to prevent the intruder from escaping. You can also close the door and place something under the gap. Once these protective measures are taken, it’s a good idea to call an exterminator to handle the current situation and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
As for preventive measures, you can install a one-way flap that will ensure that, after flushing, nothing can enter (or climb up) the toilet.
Illustration: decorstyle / condutta. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
