How Do Rats Come Up the Toilet?
WouterRats are incredibly strong swimmers. They can tread water for days and hold their breath for up to three minutes. For comparison, an average human can hold their breath for 30 to 90 seconds. Rats also prefer enclosed spaces such as toilets, so they have a hard time swimming up the toilet pipe. Because of this, toilets often feature an air pocket in the pipe that rats can squeeze through.
Although it is highly unlikely that you’d ever see a rat in the toilet bowl, it’s always best to take precautions. While toilets are not ideal environments for rats, they’ve been known to make an uninvited appearance in homes. In most cases, rats get into homes through drainage systems or toilets. However, these rats are a persistent problem for many homeowners.
The first step to take if you find a rat in your toilet is to stay calm and call your local pest control professional. You’ll want to avoid any danger to yourself or other residents in the household, since rats can be carriers of diseases. Moreover, flushing the toilet will only get rid of the rat for a short time.
The video of the rat emerging from a toilet bowl has gotten viral and has been viewed more than 2.7 million times as of Thursday. The 10-second video clip shows the rat swimming around the toilet bowl while people nearby are shouting “sir” and “distinguished gentleman” to the rat.
