VIDEO: Can A Rat Navigate Its Way Through Your Toilet System?

Horrifying Demonstration Of A Rats Journey Into Your Home

Watch this National Geographic video which details how easily rats can enter your home by using the pipes to your toilet as an entry point.

National Geographic has released a video showing the ease with which a rat can climb up through a domestic plumbing system and emerge in your toilet bowl.

 

The Journey Of A Sewer Rat

Rats are attracted to sewer systems as they can provide food for rodents. Surprisingly, large quantities of food are flushed down residential toilets and rats also choose to feast upon undigested food that is found in human faeces, which is a process known as coprophagy. Regular drain cleaning can help reduce the problem – if the drains are clean, rats will move on to better areas.

In bad storms and flooding, sewers can overflow and damage the nests of rats, causing them to seek refuge and food elsewhere.

As residential sewage pipes are connected to the main sewer systems, rats are tempted to swim up them and into the domestic pipes beneath properties. From here, they’re able to squeeze through the extremely narrow and bendy system and eventually appear in the toilet bowl.

The Anatomy Of A Rat

The brown rat, also known as the Norway rat, possesses several key attributes that make it possible to complete this challenging journey. Firstly, they come with a set of sharp claws that are able to scale vertical surfaces even when they’re made from smooth substances such as porcelain.

Rats are also champion swimmers and are able to tread water for 3 days as well as holding their breath for up to 3 minutes. This gives them the opportunity to navigate a considerable stretch of piping before requiring breath from a pocket of air. Finally, rats are able to squeeze through the narrowest of pipes thanks to their collapsible hinge-like spines. If their heads can fit through a space, then their flexible bodies can easily follow.

What To Do If You See A Rat In Your Toilet

It’s important not to panic if you see a rat in your loo. If you have dishwasher liquid to hand, then squirt some around the rim of the toilet bowl and flush the facility many times to push the rat back down towards the sewers.

It would also be wise to call your water company to see if they can conduct a search of your pipes to see if there are any more. Rats tend to develop preferred routes as they travel, so it’s a good idea to contact pest control to ensure that your toilet hasn’t become part of a well-followed path into your house. CCTV surveys may also help to identify if rats are present. Rats spread disease so it’s important to nip the problem in the bud with some professional assistance.

How Much Of A Problem Is This?

Whilst the content of the video from National Geographic is bound to cause alarm in those who view it, it’s important to remember that having rats in your toilet bowl is not a widespread problem. It’s more likely to occur in older cities where the population of rats is higher than in rural areas.

There are far more common ways for a rat to enter your home, so if you’re worried about the prospect of sharing your home with rodents, keep the holes and openings in your home monitored and repaired. Be sure to check for weak points in your walls, basement and roof which make more probable entry points for a rat than your loo!

Flash floods in Manchester cause travel chaos

When the MET office issued a severe weather warning for Greater Manchester last week, most of the town’s residents paid little notice. There are many jokes about the amount of rainfall Manchester sees, but perhaps residents should have listened a little more carefully to the latest advice. Severe rain storms hit the city last Thursday...Continue reading→

Thames Water’s hidden gems open to the public

As part of the city-wide ‘Open House London’ celebrations, Thames Water is opening some of their more elaborate hidden gems to the general public. Places on tours can be booked now with the weekend the 22/23 September earmarked as the weekend the facilities will be open. Some of the sights which you could behold include:...Continue reading→

Drain ownership changes – terraced properties

From the 1st of October 2011 the ownership of drains and sewers in England and Wales will change. Some homeowners will see little difference in terms of who owns the drain, but for others it could mean that a significant portion of the drainage within their property boundary is now the responsibility of the water...Continue reading→

Drain ownership changes – flats and apartments

The changes to the ownership of drains and sewers which takes place on the 1st of October 2011 has left many people confused. It’s not too difficult to understand how the changes will affect you however, and this can be made simpler still if you know what type of property you live in. Drain changes...Continue reading→

Is a Drain Survey Possible Without a Manhole?

Drain surveys are a regular and essential procedure for both commercial and residential properties. Using state of the art CCTV cameras, drainage professionals will locate the full details and potential cause of any blockages and assess any structural defects or damage. They are also able to map the full layout of the drain in question...Continue reading→

Who is responsible for private drains and sewers? LDF explains all

Ever wondered who needs to foot the bill for your drain maintenance or repairs? LDF provide you with everything you need to know about drain responsibility and legislation here. “It’s a question we’re often asked here at London Drainage Facilities”, says LDF’s Managing Director Danny Fuller. “We thought we’d outline who exactly is responsible for...Continue reading→

What is the difference between a drain, a lateral drain and a sewer?

The drainage that leaves your property can have different names depending where in the drainage system the pipes sit. Some people occasionally get these terms confused and use them interchangeably – so we are here to explain the difference between a drain, lateral drain and a sewer in simple terms. Drain ownership responsibility changed on...Continue reading→