Imagine sitting down on your porcelain throne, only to discover a slippery snake calmly coiled up in your toilet bowl; for many people, it's the stuff of nightmares, but have you ever wondered whether the toilet snake is more than an urban legend? While stories of unlucky folks who discover snakes in their toilets make the news every so often, the odds that a snake would actually enter your home through the sewer pipes are surprisingly slim. Read on to learn more about the myth and facts behind the infamous toilet snake.

Have People Really Found Snakes in Their Toilets?

In 2010, a family in the Bronx was surprised by a three-foot corn snake in their toilet; a Florida woman made headlines in 2014 when she kept finding snakes in her toilet; in 2015, authorities in San Diego removed a rainbow boa from a toilet in an office building. What do all three of these cases have in common, except for the sheer horror associated with snakes in the commode? In all three cases, the snake in question entered the toilet from inside of the home. In the Bronx case, the snake was a neighbor's pet who slithered his way in through a hole in the wall, while the Florida snakes were entering through a hole in the back of the toilet tank. In San Diego, authorities believe that the snake was simply left in the toilet by someone who no longer wanted it. 

Could a Snake Crawl Into Your Toilet Through the Pipes?

Snakes can hold their breath for a long time and are excellent swimmers who can fit into surprisingly tight spaces. While it's within the realm of possibility for a snake to enter your home through the sewer, it's also incredibly unlikely. The biggest obstacle for the snake would simply be finding a way into your sewer system. For the snake to find access, he would have to slither his way into the vent stacks on your roof or find a hole in your plumbing pipes. It's much more likely that a snake who ends up in your toilet got there through a hole in the wall, or via a heating duct, or by simply crawling into the toilet from inside your home.

How Can I Keep Snakes Out of My Toilet?

If you've got shivers running up your spine at the mere thought of finding a snake in your toilet, there are several steps you can take to keep these unwanted visitors out. First, cover the vent stacks on your roof with chicken wire to keep a snake from somehow slithering his way inside. Next, invest in a multi-flap, which can be installed in your toilet to keep snakes, frogs and rats from entering through sewer pipes. Finally, have a plumber from a a a business like Davidson's Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning come and inspect your pipes to check for holes. Plumbing companies can use special cameras to look for damaged pipes, even if the pipes are buried underground. By repairing these pipes, you eliminate any possible entry points for snakes and other pests so you can rest easily when nature calls.