Following the viral story of the death of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Personnel Lance Corporal Ogah Bercy, attached to the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), who died of complications from snakebite in her toilet at the NAF Base Bill Clinton Drive Abuja, sevearal solutions have come up on how to prevent snakes from gaining entrance into your restroom. In this article, Cleaneat a professional pest control company outlines several ways to prevent such incidences.

Snakes are often high on the list of things adults are most afraid of. So, imagine the reaction to a snake slithering its way up out of your toilet, particularly when you’re about to sit down. If even the thought of toilet snakes sends chills down your spine, take heart; while it’s certainly possible for a snake to end up in your toilet, it’s extraordinarily unlikely. The very reason that these stories make headlines is that they are so very rare, and so shiver-inducing

How do snakes get into toilets?

There are two trains of thought on how snakes get into your toilet and why.

The first way is if you have an open door or window with no fly screen. A snake can slither through the window, and when it’s hot they can look for water and slide down into the toilet bowl.

The second way is for the snake to slither into a sewer opening and make it’s way through the s bend of your toilet. Sewers will sometimes have rats so it’s only natural for the snake to follow the food trail. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a drowned rat, as rats can swim in water. So can some snakes, however the air gap in a sewer makes the trail easy for snakes to slither like Mission Impossible through a sewer.

7 Ways to prevent a snake getting into your toilet bowl

1. Keep windows and sliding doors in the bathroom closed or ensure the screens are fully intact so a snake can’t slide its way in.

2. Prevent a mouse or rat infestation in your home with the correct rodent protection. Snakes will follow the food trail, so if you have mice or rats near or in your house, get rid of them faster. you can contact a rodent control company in Nigeria like Cleaneat

3. Always make sure that all the bushes around your house are properly cleared and well burnt so as to prevent any rodents or reptiles from harbouring around the house.

4. Another thing you should take note of is to always ensure you fumigate your toilet sink regularly. There are special pesticides that are made specifically for this purpose.

5. Check screens on windows that there are no holes and keep rubbish like dead food sealed in bags or in a lidded waste bin. If you do find evidence of a mice or rat infestation in your home, be quick about getting rid of them using traps or calling for pest control

6. Keep your toilet lid closed at all times and you can also make use of a flat tile to cover your bathroom filter when you’re not in the bathroom so as to stop any further movement of the reptile through the pipes and also ensure that all pipes are well fixed and closed.

7. Lastly, always make sure you check inside your toilet sink before you sit on it, avoid using the toilet in the dark and public toilets are dangerous to use anyhow. If you must use them, don’t sit directly on them, lift up your buttock slightly above the bowl and be watchful.

What to do if you find a snake in your toilet bowl

If you do find yourself in the unfortunate situation of finding a snake in your toilet bowl, feel free to scream (I would), place the top lid of the toilet down and put the toilet roll holder or something that is heavy (like a bucket of water) on top of the toilet lid. Close the window/ door and call a snake control expert