Is It Possible for Snakes to Emerge Through Toilet Pipes?

Snakes frequently rank among the top fears for many adults. Picture the shock of seeing one emerge from your toilet, especially just as you’re about to use it.

If the mere idea of snakes in your toilet makes you shudder, rest assured; although it’s technically feasible for a snake to appear in your toilet, such incidents are incredibly uncommon. These stories grab attention precisely because they are so rare and spine-chilling [source: Wickman].

In August 2020, a Texas man’s ordinary trip to the bathroom turned into an extraordinary experience when a snake reportedly slithered up into his toilet.

Back in 2010, a 3-foot (0.9-meter) corn snake made headlines after being discovered in a 19th-floor toilet in New York City. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, herpetologist Jack Conrad confirmed that it was "plausible" for the snake to have navigated through the plumbing. He highlighted snakes’ strong swimming abilities, their capacity to hold their breath for extended periods, and their skill in maneuvering through narrow spaces [source: El-Ghoy]. Reassuring, isn’t it?

Luckily, there’s no definitive proof that the snake traveled through the pipes. It might have entered through another route and simply decided to rest in the toilet. In 2018, a North Carolina man discovered a snake in his toilet, theorizing that it had fallen from a tree and entered through a roof ventilation pipe [source: Inside Edition]. While still unsettling, it’s a less disturbing scenario than imagining snakes crawling through the plumbing every time you need to use the bathroom.

So, how could a snake end up in your home via the toilet? First, it would need to access the sewer pipe, likely due to a nearby neighbor’s escaped pet snake sharing the same sewer line. Then, it would have to decide to enter the toilet and navigate toward the sewer line. Instead of continuing into the main sewer, it would have to randomly choose your pipe, crawl upward, and eventually emerge in your toilet.

If the snake bypassed your sewer pipe and ventured into the main sewer, it would likely perish due to the harsh conditions [source: Walker]. The cold temperatures in underground pipes make it nearly impossible for snakes to survive for long, unlike alligators, which have occasionally adapted to sewer environments.

The duration a snake might linger in your septic tank largely depends on the type of tank you own. In an anaerobic septic tank, which lacks air, a snake would quickly suffocate and perish. Conversely, in an aerobic septic tank with ample oxygen, a snake could survive for a while, but it would need to escape before succumbing to exhaustion or starvation [source: Ajobiewe].

If the idea of toilet snakes makes you uneasy, consider installing a multi-flap device. This handy tool fits over your toilet pipe, permitting water and waste to flow out while preventing creatures of any size from invading your bathroom.