Most bathroom annoyances are manageable, whether it’s an empty toilet paper roll or toothpaste in the sink. A snake in the toilet is a different kind of surprise.
That scenario happened to an Arizona woman in the summer of 2023.
What happened?
Tucson resident Michelle Lespron found a three-foot-long coachwhip snake in her toilet in July 2023, according to The Sacramento Bee.
“Everybody has the same reaction: ‘Oh my god, that’s my worst nightmare,'” Lespron told The Associated Press. “Thank God the lid was closed.”
Michael Starkey, founder and executive director of the Sacramento nonprofit Save the Snakes, told the Fresno Bee that snakes turning up in bathrooms is unusual, though not unheard of.
“It definitely would be a newsworthy event. That’s for sure,” he said.
Starkey said snakes usually come onto properties in search of food, water, or shelter. Birds and rodents can bring them closer to homes, especially around bird feeders, pet bowls, and livestock troughs.
Hot weather can make water especially desirable. Starkey said snakes may be drawn to pools, sprinklers, ponds, pet dishes, and even leaking air conditioning units.
Starkey also said some plumbing-related cases may involve escaped pet snakes. If an enclosure isn’t properly secured, a pet snake can get into a sewer system, where it can “theoretically climb up a drain pipe into someone’s toilet.”
Why does it matter?
For a snake dealing with dry summer weather, a bathroom may be appealing: it offers cooler temperatures, darkness, and moisture.
Homes and yards can also supply what snakes are looking for. Bird feeders may attract rodents, water features can become reliable drinking spots, and openings near a foundation can provide shelter.
California is home to seven species of venomous rattlesnakes. Many snakes commonly found in the state, including gopher snakes and kingsnakes, aren’t venomous, which makes identification important.
What can I do?
Don’t panic if you find a snake in your bathroom, Starkey said. The animal is likely as stressed as you are.
“That snake is in a less-(than)-great spot. It doesn’t want to be there,” he said.
Homeowners can often call a nearby animal control office or a local reptile rescue group for help. But a rattlesnake calls for a professional, Starkey said.
Snakes follow food, water, and shelter. The same fixes tend to help: clear out what draws rodents, store pet food securely, repair leaks, and check for cracks or gaps around the foundation where a snake might escape the heat.
Keep pet snake enclosures secured, too. Wildlife removal specialists in Tennessee and Mississippi have blamed a similar rise in snake calls on small openings around roofs, garages, and foundations.
If you’re bitten and are “100% sure it’s not a rattlesnake,” Starkey said, you only need to wash the bite with soap and water. A suspected rattlesnake bite requires immediate medical attention.
“A snake does not want to be in a sewer system. It does not want to be in a drain pipe or in a toilet,” Starkey said.
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