Nightmare! Total nightmare! I really don’t know how else to think or write about this. Rats in the toilet? Just the thought sends shivers down my spine, and honestly, I don’t even want to entertain the idea, let alone experience this scenario firsthand. After hearing a few urban legends, I was curious (and terrified), so I started asking around. My friends were just as skeptical and freaked out. “No way that can happen,” they laughed. But guess what? It’s not a myth.
Rats can, indeed, make their grand entrance right into your toilet, and just knowing this fact was enough for me to dive deep into a frenzy of worrying and researching. Like, what in the world would I do if I encountered a rat in my toilet? The first thing that pops into my mind is to run. But realistically, so would the rat—potentially after me! Clearly, I needed better solutions. So here’s the lowdown on what I discovered…
First Things First: Can Rats Really Swim Up Our Toilets?
Absolutely, yes. Rats in the toilet aren’t just some horror movie fiction; they’re a startling reality. These creatures are surprisingly adept swimmers. They can hold their breath for up to three minutes and tread water for as long as three days. They can even squeeze into spaces as tiny as a quarter. The usual route for these sewer-loving swimmers begins in your home’s main sewer line. They shimmy up, navigating through the narrow urban waterways, and presto, they pop up in your toilet like a grotesque surprise in a jack-in-the-box.
How Do They Do It?
Well, it turns out rats are attracted to the scents of food and waste that linger in our sewer lines. They explore these lines by squeezing through the smallest of cracks and climbing inside the vent stacks that lead to the roofs of buildings. Once they find a drainpipe that leads downward toward a toilet, it’s merely a matter of paddling upwards and making a grand entrance right into the porcelain throne.
Encounter of the Rodent Kind
Imagine this: it’s the dead of night, you’re groggily making your way to the bathroom, and as you flip on the light, there it is—a rat, casually lounging in your toilet bowl. What do you do? Well, after my initial instinct to sell the house and move to a rat-free island subsides, here’s the more rational action plan I put together after consulting with every expert source I could find:
Keep Your Cool: Panicking will likely scare the rat, potentially driving it to seek refuge in even less accessible parts of your home.
Contain the Situation: Quickly close the toilet lid to prevent its escape and place something heavy on top. Rats can be surprisingly strong, and the last thing you want is a chase scene in your bathroom.
Dial for Help: This is definitely a situation for the professionals. Pest control can manage the situation with the right equipment and safety protocols.
Handling a Deceased Visitor: If the rat isn’t alive, wear gloves to remove it from the bowl, place it in a sealed bag, and dispose of it properly. Don’t forget to disinfect every surface within a mile radius (okay, maybe just the bathroom).
Flushing is a No-Go: Whether it’s dead or alive, flushing the rat is a bad idea. It’s inhumane if it’s living, and could cause significant plumbing issues either way.
Prevent Future Uninvited Guests: After handling the immediate crisis, consider installing a non-return valve in your sewer system. This gadget allows waste to exit but prevents rodents from entering.
Regular Checks: Keep an eye on your plumbing to ensure there are no easy entry points for future intruders. Make sure all pipes and vents are secure and in good repair.
As for me, since learning all this, I’ve been extra vigilant. Maybe I’m checking the toilet a bit too obsessively before each use, but hey, can you blame me? And about that idea of moving out? Well, let’s just say my browsing history has seen a significant increase in real estate listings.
So, do you believe it now? —rats in your toilet aren’t just an urban myth but a potential reality. But with the right knowledge and precautions, you can prevent these terrifying scenarios and tackle them with confidence if they do arise. Stay alert, stay informed, and maybe keep a heavy book near the bathroom, just in case.
Barbra Streisand Says She ‘Can’t Live In This Country’ If This Happens
The well-known singer and performer Barbra Streisand reiterated her intention to leave the country in the event that Donald Trump wins the presidency once more.
The vocal Democrat, who actively supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, voiced her distaste for living in the nation under Trump’s presidency in an interview with Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show.”
When Colbert questioned Streisand about where she may go if she were to leave, she casually said, “Probably England, I like England.”
This statement is reminiscent to one she made prior to the 2016 election, in which she declared she would think about moving to Canada or another nation in the event that Trump won.
Like a number of other celebrities, Streisand chose to stay in the United States after the 2016 election, despite her prior promise to depart in the event that Trump was elected president.
Several celebrities, including Amy Schumer, Bryan Cranston, and Cher, made comparable vows yet continued to reside in the nation following Trump’s election.
Trump has frequently been criticised by Streisand, who has dubbed him the “Liar in Chief” and the “Groper in Chief.” She has called Trump “so stupid” and “so ill-informed,” expressing her profound regret in his “heartbreaking” election triumph in 2016.
With “Walls,” her album from 2018, Streisand persisted in her criticism of Trump.
The sharp lyrics of the song “Don’t Lie to Me” questioned the falsification of facts and the worldwide fallout from such activities.
Barbra Streisand described Trump’s presidency in 2021 as “four years in a black hole,” highlighting the toll that disinformation has on people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She emphasised the need of honesty and called on leaders to be open and honest, saying, “Tell people the truth; they can deal with it.”
Streisand’s public discourse on politics and societal concerns is shaped by her uncompromising candour.
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