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.
“I Have 20 Boys,” Paris Hilton Shares as She Reveals Photos With Her New Baby
Paris Hilton and her husband, Carter Reum, recently shared their first family photos with their newborn son, Phoenix. The couple looked incredibly happy and proud as they introduced their little bundle of joy to the world for the first time and revealed their plans to have more babies in the future. The first pictures of the baby boy are a heartwarming sight and a reminder of the joy that new life brings. And we’re excited to know more about their family’s journey together.
The pictures captured the joy and love that the new parents have for their son, and Hilton’s stunning appearance added an extra layer of glamour to the moment. In the photos, Reum can be seen lovingly kissing his wife’s forehead as she cradles their son in her arms. Hilton’s eyes are closed, and she looks completely at peace while holding her precious baby. The couple looked like doting parents, and the images captured the joy and love they feel for their new addition.
Paris Hilton was also captured giving her newborn son a tender kiss while wearing a white robe with delicate lace sleeves. Her son, dressed in a matching white beanie and onesie, slept peacefully on her shoulder, while her husband stood close by, looking on in a long-sleeve black shirt.
The new mom looked as stunning as ever in the photos, sporting a glamorous makeup look that accentuated her natural beauty. Hilton’s signature blonde hair was styled in loose waves that cascaded down her back and shoulders, creating an effortlessly chic and glamorous look. Her overall appearance exuded elegance and sophistication, showing that even as a new mother, she can still look absolutely stunning.
In an interview, Hilton also revealed her deep love for her son and how protective she feels toward him. “I want to protect him and be with him every second. You have this mother instinct that kicks in, which I’ve never had before,” she said.
During her recent interview that came just a day after revealing the baby’s mythical name for the first time, the fragrance mogul revealed that she had initially planned to have a child on her own before meeting Carter and made the decision to freeze her eggs at the advice of her friend, Kim Kardashian. But when she and Carter met and tied the knot, they decided to start a family.
The heiress said: “Carter and I had already been talking about the future… so I was like, ’What do you think about us making embryos?’ And he said, ’Yeah, let’s do it.’” Accordingly, they had embryos frozen with the possibility of having numerous children in the future, and the collection is “all boys.” “We’ve done it 7 times… I have all boys. I have 20 boys,” Hilton shared.
In addition, Paris also disclosed that she had always planned to have a baby with the help of a surrogate due to her fear of childbirth, which developed during her boarding school years. She mentioned that watching a woman give birth while filming The Simple Life had traumatized her.
Hilton’s candid revelations shed light on the complexities of starting a family and the various paths one can take to become a parent. Her openness about her decision to freeze her eggs, to eventually use a surrogate, and her fear surrounding childbirth may help other women who are also struggling with similar issues or who are considering similar solutions to conceive.
Leave a Reply