Getting bitten by a snake is one of the most common fears that everyone has. However, getting bitten by a snake while using the toilet is absolutely terrifying to imagine.
On November 22, 2021, it was reported that Ogah Bercy, an official of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had died from a snake bite, which happened in her toilet. Bercy was said to have been bitten by a snake while making use of the restroom in her flat at the NAF Base on Bill Clinton Drive in Abuja. She was later taken to the hospital to get anti-venom but died in the process.
Cases of snake bites in the toilets are rare, but always dominate the media landscape when they occur. No one wants to be bitten by a snake, especially while they use the toilet, because using the toilet is something important and necessary. Nonetheless, you can avoid such deadly situations.
This article discusses some effective ways to keep snakes away from your toilet or restroom.
Why do snakes enter toilets?
Since snakes are cold-blooded, they may enter the toilet when they’re looking for a cool or damp area during the day or a warm place at night.
1. Cut down bushes around your house
Overgrown bushes and shrubbery areas are good spots where snakes like to hide. Bushy areas help them to stay out of sight. In addition, rats, frogs, and other potential foods of a snake will hide there as well. Thus, cut all bushes and grasses around your house, especially those around your sewer.
2. Get rid of their potential foods
Snakes are likely to be found in areas where rodents are present as this is one of their main food sources. Also, if you rear chicken or other livestock, there are likely to be snakes coming for them.
However, snakes will not stick around if there is nothing for them to eat. To keep hungry snakes away from your toilet, be sure to take away their potential foods. Kill all rats and rodents around your house always.
3. Cover all openings
Another way to prevent snakes from getting in your toilet is to cover all openings around your home. This can be done by making use of strong mesh or wire to cover to block pipes, drains, and any opening that could give access to snakes into your toilet or home. Place a metal sieve in the sewer, and drain.
4. Check for broken sewage pipes
Broken drainage or sewage pipes gives easy access to reptiles especially snakes. Snakes can use damaged pipes to make their way to your water closet. Hence, you should also ensure proper repairs of all broken sewage pipes. Ensure that they are checked and fixed regularly.
5. Remove clutters from your home
Clutter such as a pile of unused items, piles of grass, a pile of garbage, or even a stack of rocks or stones can give snakes the best environment of shade when it’s too hot outside or warmth when it’s too cold outside. With that, you should never leave unnecessary things cluttering around your home or yard.
6. Fumigate your home often
Fumigation means to disinfect or purify (an area) with the fumes of certain chemicals. There are certain chemicals that repel snakes from your toilet. Although these chemical snake repellents are available, they can pose health risks to people, pets, or the environment if they are not used properly. As such, you should hire a reputable fumigation company to fumigate your home often, at least every six months.
7. Use natural snake repellants
There are also natural ways to prevent snakes from getting into the toilet. Snakes hate the smell of these natural repellents. Some natural snake repellants you can use around your home are garlic and onions, clove and Cinnamon Oil, and vinegar.
Snakes also hate the smell of ammonia, so when you wash your toilet with a toilet cleaner that has ammonia, snakes will avoid it. The same can be said of bleach, if you wash the toilet with bleach often, then the strong smell will repel snakes away. Some people also suggest flushing your toilet with a mixture of salt and kerosene.
Conclusion
Snake bites can be deadly, but they can be avoided by adhering to the above tips. Following these tips will help you keep away snakes from your toilet always.
Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
