How to Keep Rats and Snakes Out of the Toilet

Every since I heard about a rat swimming in the sewer and emerging in someone's toilet, I've been paranoid about this happening. Apparently even snakes and frogs get into toilets this way. My plumber said it happened to him. Here's the way to prevent vermin from getting into your toilet.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• an SRVB toilet fixture
• wax seal for the toilet

1. 

   You do not need a plumber to do this if you're handy at all. If you want reassurance that you are removing the toilet right, you can borrow from the public library a book like Plumbing Made Easy: A Step-By-Step Guide or a similar title.

2. Turn off the water to the toilet by turning the knob on the pipe behind the toilet. Get all the water out of the toilet by flushing it repeatedly. Dry out the inside of the toilet so it won't drip all over when you move it.

3. Unbolt the toilet from the floor and remove the toilet.

4. Remove and clean up where the wax seal has been. It's sticky, so you may need a solvent to clean it off.

5. 
   Here's what it looks like in place

   Push the SRVB toilet fixture into the 4" waste pipe. This is the only device that I've been able to find for keeping rats and snakes out of the toilet. SRVB stands for Snakes-Rats-Vermin-Barrier.

6. 
   One brand of wax seal

   Refit a wax seal according to the instructions on the package.

7. Refit the toilet into place and attach everything. Now you are done and no longer need to worry that unwanted snakes, frogs, or rats will emerge from the sewer into your toilet.

Resources

• Where to buy a SRVB device
• Video of a rat in a toilet
• Government info about dealing with a rat in a toilet

[vallain]

on 8/24/2009 That's why I found out about this, as I'd heard a story of a rat in a toilet. Ugh!

[blakeurban]

on 8/24/2009 This is helpful. Thanks.

[paulsbabygirl]

on 8/24/2009 my mom had a snake caught in her shower drain! I replaced the drain in my shower to a small hole heavy duty one but I never thought of them coming through the toilet. I've got the eeby jeebies!

[pondripples]

on 7/29/2009 Thankfully I've never seen a rat or snake come through a toilet, but I have seen rats come through open sewer lines. When you take a toilet out, you should always cover the pipe with a tin can to keep them in there.

[sonni57]

on 7/12/2009 Now we will all be looking in the toilet for snakes and rats thanks for the good tips on getting rid of them if we do see one.