A rat in the toilet? What sounds like a horror scenario can actually become reality sooner than you think. Read here how to prevent rats in the toilet and what to do if a rat has actually gotten into your toilet bowl.
You go to the toilet, open the toilet lid and a rat looks you in the eye. What sounds like a real horror scenario can actually become reality sooner than you think. You can find out here how you can prevent rats from getting into the toilet and what to do if a rat has gotten into your toilet.
Possible causes of rats in the toilet
To calm you down a little – it is extremely rare for a rat to get lost in your toilet bowl, but unfortunately it cannot be ruled out. Even an apartment on the third or fourth floor does not protect you from this. According to experts, however, we ourselves are to blame. Many people still do not dispose of their rubbish properly and throw food leftovers down the toilet.
Today, however, rats are very intelligent animals. If they discover food residues in the sewer system, they try to get to the source and sometimes end up in your toilet bowl via the sewer pipes. Rats are happy to accept the many obstacles on the way to your toilet if a sumptuous reward in the form of food scraps awaits them at the end.
Danger in case of flooding
Flooding can also cause rats to stray into your toilet. In this case, the animals risk drowning in the sewer system. Rats can swim, dive and climb very well, but this does not help in this case, because they are simply carried away by the masses of water. To escape this fate, rats climb the pipes of the sewer system to your connection to the house and finally into your toilet.
Otherwise, the sewer system is a rat paradise. Once they have found access, for example through an escape, they always find enough food remains there and are protected from predators. In addition, it is relatively warm in winter and pleasantly cool in summer.
Reading tip: Black worms in the toilet: how to combat vermin.
Rat in the toilet: What should you do now?
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