# dead rat in toilet bowl



## old Tom (Jan 17, 2012)

my step daughter found a lg. dead rat in the toilet bowl. She has a single home...no baement. How can she prevent this from happening again?
Thank you for your help.


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

old Tom said:


> my step daughter found a lg. dead rat in the toilet bowl.
> She has a single home...no basement.
> 
> How can she prevent this from happening again?


Well, if you keep the toilet (trap) dry... the rats won't drown as easily.
Will that help?


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## psilva8 (Jan 12, 2012)

TarheelTerp said:


> Well, if you keep the toilet (trap) dry... the rats won't drown as easily.
> Will that help?


 
Or set out some water bowls??

But seriously, if there is a rat issue call an exterminator. This is not really a plumbing question.


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

I'm thinking it's most likely city water/sewer and it came up from the sewer.

Don't they have screens or traps of some sort down in those things to keep this from happening?

DM


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

There is no way to stop them if it came up through the sewer.
And how would a screen work exactly and not get plugged up?


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

You tell me! I've never been in a sewer before! :laughing:

DM


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

Could she have a back-flow gadget installed? Not sure of the actual name of it, but it keeps sewage from flowing back through the pipes.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

TarheelTerp said:


> Well, if you keep the toilet (trap) dry... the rats won't drown as easily.
> Will that help?


No!

The rat, having entered the toilet bowl up from the sewer pipe, will live long enough to jump out of the toilet bowl and roam about the house.

Close the toilet lid when not in use.


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

AllanJ said:


> No! The rat, having entered the toilet bowl up from the sewer pipe, will live long enough to jump out of the toilet bowl and roam about the house.
> Close the toilet lid when not in use.


That's just setting someone up for the proverbial "bite in the a$$"


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## Beepster (Oct 19, 2009)

old Tom said:


> my step daughter found a lg. dead rat in the toilet bowl. She has a single home...no baement. How can she prevent this from happening again?
> Thank you for your help.


This is my absolute worst nightmare. I will kiss a skunk before I will live in a house that even has the potential to have rat issues. They are the most vile creature to ever walk this earth. There isn't a smily face awful enough to show my disgust.

B


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

gma2rjc said:


> Could she have a back-flow gadget installed? Not sure of the actual name of it, but it keeps sewage from flowing back through the pipes.


....and theirs might be stuck open? 

DM


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## old Tom (Jan 17, 2012)

TarheelTerp said:


> That's just setting someone up for the proverbial "bite in the a$$"


You're a funny guy...Not! :-(


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

Beepster said:


> This is my absolute worst nightmare. I will kiss a skunk before I will live in a house that even has the potential to have rat issues. They are the most vile creature to ever walk this earth. There isn't a smily face awful enough to show my disgust.
> 
> B


Don't move to Virginia then.

In Washington D.C., exterminators can't kill rats. They have to relocate them to Virginia. Here's a link......

http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-cucci...ents-from-dc-into-va-20120116,0,1812795.story


.


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## old Tom (Jan 17, 2012)

gma2rjc said:


> Don't move to Virginia then.
> 
> In Washington D.C., exterminators can't kill rats. They have to relocate them to Virginia......
> 
> http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-cucci...ents-from-dc-into-va-20120116,0,1812795.story


Thank you for the reply :thumbup:


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## GirlWithWrench (Jan 18, 2012)

gma2rjc said:


> Could she have a back-flow gadget installed? Not sure of the actual name of it, but it keeps sewage from flowing back through the pipes.


You can't use backflow prevention devices on sewage lines, only on water. Think about it...no matter what system they use, solids will get caught. Even if it doesn't clog, it will hold the "gate" open...

The rat thing is a new one for me. Seems like there are easier places to go for a rat than navigating the trap inside a toilet... good luck!


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

GirlWithWrench said:


> You can't use backflow prevention devices on sewage lines, only on water. Think about it...no matter what system they use, solids will get caught. Even if it doesn't clog, it will hold the "gate" open...
> 
> The rat thing is a new one for me. Seems like there are easier places to go for a rat than navigating the trap inside a toilet... good luck!


google backwater valve, also check out youtube for sewer rats-kinda entertaining:yes:


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## GirlWithWrench (Jan 18, 2012)

I stand corrected. I was told once long ago they were disallowed by code, and I never gave it another thought. I just looked it up and that was incorrect information, although a section on backwater valves was repealed in 04 which may have had different rules.

Now to check out the the rats... :thumbsup:


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## ratherbefishing (Jan 13, 2011)

Had a boss a while back who had the same thing happen. Sorta. He walked into the bathroom to see the rat sitting on the rim of the toilet. When he turned on the light, the rat dove back into the toilet and disappeared. He spoke with a plumber and the county. Both said the same thing. Leave the lid down.


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

I've heard of snakes coming up through toilets. 

Leave the lid down? Some plastic lids are pretty light weight. I think a rat could lift some of them up. I don't think I'd be very happy with that reply from the county.

I think I'd make up a lot of very small maps with directions to the bathrooms in the county building and flush them down the toilet and into the sewer system. Then all of the rats would have their own map and could go visit there. :laughing: j/k


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## WillK (Aug 29, 2010)

Beepster said:


> This is my absolute worst nightmare. I will kiss a skunk before I will live in a house that even has the potential to have rat issues. They are the most vile creature to ever walk this earth. There isn't a smily face awful enough to show my disgust.
> 
> B


Last year I saw a rat on two occasions running along my fence then across vines on the neighbor's house then into it.. We called the city and next thing we know the guy is doing a massive cleanup.

That year the body count in our crawlspace was 16 dead. Our cat caught 1.

This year we only had 1 dead.

We look forward to having a foundation, loan approval permitting it will happen this spring.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

gma2rjc said:


> Leave the lid down? Some plastic lids are pretty light weight. I think a rat could lift some of them up. I don't think I'd be very happy with that reply from the county.


Put the stack of magazines you normally keep in the bathroom on top of the lid.


gma2rjc said:


> Don't move to Virginia then.
> 
> In Washington D.C., exterminators can't kill rats. They have to relocate them to Virginia. .


The rats and mice will be relocated to Virginia for ballyhoo purposes only. Otherwise they will continue to be killed by snap traps and glue traps and quietly disposed of.


ratherbefishing said:


> Had a boss a while back who had the same thing happen. Sorta. He walked into the bathroom to see the rat sitting on the rim of the toilet. When he turned on the light, the rat dove back into the toilet and disappeared. .


He was lucky the sopping wet rat didn't jump to the floor, run out the bathroom door, and disappear.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

gma2rjc said:


> Don't move to Virginia then.
> 
> In Washington D.C., exterminators can't kill rats. They have to relocate them to Virginia. Here's a link......
> 
> http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-cuccinelli-fears-flood-of-rats-rodents-from-dc-into-va-20120116,0,1812795.story


I thought that if they caught a rat in Washington DC, they just sent them back to their district with benefits.


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

47_47 said:


> I thought that if they caught a rat in Washington DC, they just sent them back to their district with benefits.


:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## Billy_Bob (Sep 11, 2008)

In some areas you are best to keep the lid closed and place a large heavy rock on it. This will keep rats from coming up from the sewer and crawling around your home at night while you are sleeping, etc.


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Removed by OP


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

GirlWithWrench said:


> I stand corrected. I was told once long ago they were disallowed by code, and I never gave it another thought. I just looked it up and that was incorrect information, although a section on backwater valves was repealed in 04 which may have had different rules.
> 
> Now to check out the the rats... :thumbsup:


You can use backflow prevention devices on sewage lines.

http://www.sewersmart.org/devices.html


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