How to Avoid Snakes Slithering Up Your Toilet

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You know, there are a lot of strange things that can end up in your toilet. Most people feel that you can flush pretty much anything down the toilet, but in all actuality, there really isn’t much that should go down those pipes (especially these 12 things you should never flush down the toilet). But the strangest of all that you wouldn’t expect? Snakes.

Maybe snakes slithering up your toilet aren’t as much of a big deal for you, since toilet snakes are actually a geographical issue. If snakes are a normal part of wildlife near your home, it may be an issue you are already familiar with.

Stories about snakes in toilets have been splattering the Internet lately. One man in North Carolina even reported that the snake he recently found was the sixth snake to come up his toilet in four years. One man in Texas called the police after his son pointed out a six-foot-long indigo snake poking his head out of the bowl.

How do snakes get in there?

Ventilation pipes! Yes, the one on the roof. Since bathroom plumbing is usually connected through ventilation pipes on the roof, snakes can slither their way through the ventilation system and, soon, into your john.

Snakes can slither their way up anything that will lead them to the roof—such as trees. If you have a tree close to the roof, and your ventilation pipe, your chances of a snake joining you in the bathroom can significantly increase. Discover the types of poisonous snakes that could be hiding in your bathroom.

How to avoid snakes in the toilet

It’s simple! Find a way to make sure the ventilation is covered, but can still do the job it’s intended for. Open ventilation pipes are easy enough for snakes to slither through. But having some sort of block—like a mesh or wire covering—will keep the snakes and any other pests (like rats!) out of your bathroom.

One way to do this would be installing a roof vent hood. Roof vent hoods will protect the venting while keeping the creepy pests out.

Speaking of your bathroom plumbing, how’s the ventilation? These signs of poorly vented plumbing drain lines will help you solve some other issues you may be having in the bathroom.