Rats in the Toilet
In order to understand how to deal with having rats in the toilet, you'll need to understand how they go their in the first place. In larger cities like Washington D.C., they have what's called a combined sewer system. This means that the waste you flush down the toilet ends up in the same place as what enters the storm drains on the streets. I know what you're thinking–it sounds impossible that a rat could navigate up the pipes from a storm drain and into your toilet bowl. It's unfortunately very possible for rats to swim for up to three days to enter your toilet bowl, and start a family in your home.
Why Do Rats Enter Through Sewers
Sewers are often great places for rats to get a meal. Human feces contains undigested food some times, and plenty of food ends up in the kitchen drains of most homes by accident. If they are able to make it into your home, they are resourceful enough to find and make a meal out of anything. Rats are some of the least picky eaters, as you may have gathered before when we mentioned that they are willing to sort through human feces for undigested food.
What Can I Do to Prevent Rats in the Toilet?
If you have rats coming up through your toilet, you likely don't have proper rat exclusion materials installed on your toilet drain pipe. One option is a one-way rat baffle. Another solution is to replace the sewer pipe entirely with one at least 24 inches wide made out of PVC or clay. Making sure that garbage cans near any swere entraces at the street-level are tighly sealed and won't provide meals for rats is also a good idea.
Help, There's a Rat Trapped in My Toilet!
While this can seem inhuman, it's in your best interest to kill a rat if you have it trapped underneath the lid of your toilet. A good way to do this is with bleach, and it will provide the rat a death by asphyxiation. Pour a cup of bleach into the toilet boil, close the lid, and place an old towel over the lid to prevent as much air as possible from getting out. In about 15 minutes you'll have a dead rat in your toilet. Remove this rat and dispose of it according to local ordinances and regulations in your area. Be aware that simply throwing the dead rat carcass in a garbage bin can bring house flies and possibly large nuisance wildlife into your home.
Don't Try to Flush the Rat
The rat will simply climb back up the same way it came. Save yourself the trouble and try the bleach trick. Most plumbers and wildlife professionals will have a snare if you contract either.
Can I Pour Rat Poison Into the Toilet
Sure you can. However, most rat poisons must be ingested to have any effect. Once they're ingested, they can take 3-4 days to work. I'm guessing that doesn't work for you?
What Kinds of Sewer Systems Do Rats Live In?
We already mentioned the combined sewer system in the beginning of this article. These types of sewer systems provide the ultimate rat and rodent mecca for these creatures. They have plenty of food, and plenty of access to homes, businesses, and areas where humans store their garbage. These swer systems are even more condusive to rat infestations if they are not concrete sewers. Old sewer systems in many major cities are built of brick, giving rats amply rough surfaces to cling their little extremities to.