Has anyone ever heard of a squirrel coming up the toliet? I wanted to ask a plumber if this was possible. I was in the bathroom, flushed the toliet and then heard alot of noise coming from the toliet. I looked in as I thought something had fallen from the shelf behind it, but it was a squirrel. I have no windows in this bathroom and I have cats and dogs, so I don't think it could have came thru the rest of the house to get into the bathroom inside my bedroom. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Is there something I can do to prevent it from ever happening again? I am on a septic tank if that makes any difference. I was afraid to call a plumber in town because I thought they may think I have lost my mind!!! Any responses will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Karen

One logical explanation is that the rodent entered the sanitary system through a stack vent, (roof penetration). You're not losing your mind, don't worry.

e-plumber



e-plumber
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"The society which scorns excellence in Plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an
exalted activity will have neither good Plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water." -
John William Gardner 10/8/1912 - 2/16/2002

Repair your leaking Plumbing fixtures ASAP [www.theplumber.com]
This slow drip will waste 7+ gallons of water per day.

Squirrels, rats, and even a snake on occassion. They usually come down the pipe from the roof and then they see the "glow" of light as it shines through the toilet's passageway so they follow it. The water in the bowl is only a minor inconvenience to most of them so they swim through it and wind up in the toilet, trapped by the seat. They do not go back down into the water because it is dark and the seat area is light. If you are lucky, you have turned on the light and looked into the bowl before sitting down.

I do believe he came down the roof vent, it's the only explanation. When I saw him I shut the lid, got myself together and got him out using a towel. He didn't struggle with me at all, he was very calm and seemed quite greatful I was rescuing him. I think he may have been stuned because it took him a few mintes to scurry off after i put him outside. It's funny now, but it freaked me out. Every toilet lid in my house will be kept shut from now on!!!!

My parents have had squirrel trouble in their home, and they can do quite a bit of damage through entry points in the home. Something to watch out for, and take preventative measures.

This happens once in awhile with our furry little friends dropping in. Since you live in the south I would put some chicke wire over my plumbing roof vents to discourage unanounced visits from natures tree dewelling forest critters.

bargoddess, Billtheplum has a good low cost suggestion for excluding critters from the roof vents. Another approach to solving that problem would be to install an Activated Carbon Roof Vent Filter on each roof vent on your home. The filter will keep the critters out and as an added benefit, the activated carbon will adsorb odorous gasses emanating from the septic tank.

[www.spotfree.net]

Yank, Only one problem with using the carbon filters in cold climates is that Yes, they will keep the tree rats and other vermin out,However, Unlike a tepid climate THAT I LOVE BTW like CO, it would also frost over every vent that it was used on during the winter months inessence, (pun intended)sealing off every vent. In WI,MN,IA,IL,NE plus many others they could not be used. I looked at the link you provided, and it would be a good product for warm cliamtes, I wonder how long it would be effective, I didn't have time to explore much.

Plumbermandan

PlumberManDan, TEPID??? TEPID??? COLORADO'S WINTER CLIMATE IS FAR FROM TEPID!!! Be that as it may, it is a moot issue considering that bargoddess is from Georgia. Shouldn't have to worry about freezing roof vents there. Now, Georgia has what I would call a tepid climate.

I have installed about a dozen activated carbon filters on roof vents for homes located in the Great Colorado Rockies and have not experienced the formation of hoarfrost to where the carbon filters become blocked. These homes are located at elevations of 7500 to 8500 feet and these areas are famous for extended periods of subzero temperatures.

The filter that lost its effectiveness first lasted seven years and was installed on a home with eight residents (2 parents and 6 kids). It was a simple matter of changing the activated carbon load. The second charge has been in there and functioning properly for four years.

tepid, TEPID?? I have had to bring in my brass monkeys on several occasions already this fall because of frigid temperatures.

Dang,it looks like im a little late on this one,6 years ago we got a call that a squrile
had come up through and out of the toliet on the 2nd. floor of a commercial building,i didn't run the call but from what i understand the lady that opened the lid to find the little critter jumped ,screamed,ran
etc. you name it i wish i would have seen that!anyway same problem you have the squrile climbed up an evergreen along side the building got on the roof and dove down the vent and well shall we say the rest is history! critter man was there the next morning and set some have a heart cages up.


I like the chicken wire screen concept.

Chip

Yank, Tepid....I guess I should have said tepid in relation to a normal IOWA winter, I would MUCH rather spend all of my time in CO rather than just some of it.

Plumbermandan

Author: Septic Tank Yank

"I have had to bring in my brass monkeys on several occasions already this fall because of frigid temperatures."

Brass Monkey?

(I felt like a dear with no eyes)
I hope I wasn't the only one that had 'no idea' what this meant...

Quote: (found on an unknown website)
Like many decent folk we got sucked in by the rumoured origin of the expression; "It's cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey", which goes a little something like this:

In the days when gulf wars had more to do with sailing ships than TV coverage, cannon balls were stacked on the decks in pyramids. The pyramids were held in place by a brass frame around the base, called a "monkey". When it got cold, the brass monkey contracted, and the cannon balls rolled off around the ship's deck.

e-plumber

Anyone know who coined the phrase "Monkey Wrench"?

You should nick-name him or her (I'm assuming you know from your intimate encounter)"stinky"!

Put out some nuts for "it" this winter and enjoy a good laugh.

No.......but the correct name for that wrench is a Nielson wrench.

When I was an apprentice years ago this was a heated discussion of what the true name was of the wrench.


I would assume that the inventor's last name was Nielson.


I always call them pipe wrenches.

Nielson Wrench that's right i remember hearing that a couple years ago

You know what they call a Kentucky Screwdriver don't you?

I was taught that a smooth jawed pipewrench is the true "monkey wrench." A pipewrench with teeth, is a pipewrench. What about pump pliers? Is that just a big pair of channellocks.


Peace out,

Kordts

Nope......but I'm sure if it is a drink......it has something to do with mud puddle water.

Getting back to Colorado, did you supply them with brass monkey wrenches?



Post Edited

It was a Stilson wrench. We called the smooth jawed wrenches, like the ones that came with the model T Ford, a monkey wrench.

A Hammer!

Water Pump pliers are like regular channel locks,but they have a groove cut in the jaws for removing spring clamps,such as secure the hose to the pump on a washing machine.
I was under the impression only appliance techs used these.

Huh,
ya learn something new everyday.

Peace out,

Kordts

Water pump pliers go back to the days when the car engine's water pump had a packing gland with two bolts. Mechanics used "slip joint" pliers, (Channelocks were not invented yet), to tighten them periodially.