Traveling to a Tropical Climate: Can a Snake Swim up Your Toilet or Is It Just a Myth?

There is always so much joy and anticipation surrounding a trip to a tropical destination. The climate, the plants, the animals and the activities, there’s just so much to look forward to. But there may also be a little anxiety about visiting a tropical climate. The animals, the bugs, the water–these things can really send you on a spiral if you’re not careful. We’ve all heard stories of people finding bugs, reptiles and other animals in their toilets, sinks and windows. But how likely is it that something like this will happen? Are these stories myths, isolated events or regular occurrences?  

Snakes 

Snakes can be found in all kinds of climates, but they seem to be particularly plentiful in tropical climates. But are they really lurking in the plumbing, waiting to surprise you? Unfortunately this is not a myth. Snakes can find their way into a toilet. Sanetraveller uncovered a 2016 BBC News story about a snake in a toilet. The three meter python was in an unsuspecting Thai man’s toilet. In 2019, a woman vacationing in Brisbane was bitten by a carpet python. According to an Australian snake catcher in Brisbane, snakes making their way through plumbing is fairly common. Why? The snakes are looking for food. They are following the rodents–their instinct to hunt. 

Spiders 

In some locales, dangerous spiders in the toilet are as much of a concern as snakes. There are many spiders that can travel via water. Funnel-web spiders for instance, can survive up to 30 hours in water. These spiders can get into toilets from above and through the plumbing. They are drawn to the moisture and humidity. But most spiders want to be left alone and are not looking to interact with humans. Regular cleaning of toilets can deter spiders, as their scents and chemicals tend to repel them. 

Rats 

These pesky vermin have shown their twitchy pink noses are a problem all over the world. Rats and other rodents, sadly, are notorious for getting into plumbing and toilets. They crawl through the pipe, up over the s-bend and into the toilet bowl. Indoor plumbing is not typically filled with water. The water runs at intervals and rarely fills a pipe to capacity for an extended period of time. This allows rodents to travel freely. Experts recommend that you flush if you find a rat in your toilet. Also keep in mind that rats do bite, so it’s a good idea to be careful should you encounter a toilet rat. 

Don’t let these stories of what could happen scare you out of a trip of a lifetime. Now that we’ve made you aware of what could happen, you can be more cautious while travelling abroad. The best advice surrounding living creatures in the toilet is to look before you sit. Keeping the lid down is another good idea, but if an animal is entering through the pipes, the lid will be no deterrent. But it will keep the creature from going any further into the dwelling than the toilet.