Reptile & Amphibian Forums

You know the little holes under the rim of your toilet that shoot water into the bowl when you flush? I just found my juvie kingsnake crawling into one. There is no way for me to reach him unless I smash my toilet to pieces. How do I get him out? I put a dish with some bedding and a hide above the water level, and I de-thawed a fuzzy hoping the smell will draw him out. That is the only idea I can come up with. Is there any sort of smell or chemical snakes hate that will force him out somehow? I really want to catch him before he gets hurt or moves on to a different part of the house.

Thanks for your help!

Shut off the water to the toilet and empty the water tank. Remove the flap jack and siphon as much water out of the storage tank as you can. He may make his way up into the storage tank. Hopefully he doesn't go into the toilet bowl and down into the house waste plumbing.
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3.6 L. getula californiae - 19 eggs (Cal. King)
1.1 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
3.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

Oh - Remove water from storage tank before removing flap jack. Otherwise you'll cause a flush.
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3.6 L. getula californiae - 19 eggs (Cal. King)
1.1 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
3.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

It may be possible to put a strainer or colander in the bottom of the bowl and flush him into that.
Also, rubbing alcohol may make repel him.

Either way you could film to whole thing and call it...Snakes in a Drain.

I'd be worried the force of the water may kink the snake into a "stuck" position inside the cavity that it cant get itself out of. Maybe not likely, but I wouldnt risk it since it's easily avoided.
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Tom

"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

a true head scratcher....anyway from where you described,he's got access to the tank,but not the outlet/drain part without coming out into the bowl.i'd scoop out the water from the bowl,plug that hole up maybe with a big wad of plastic,etc....shut off the supply water to the tank,and scoop/dry the tank out also.you could remove the tank from the bowl but leaving it on once it's empty may actually help contain him if/once he comes out.from where he is the only way out is those weep holes you mentioned,and the big hole between the tank/bowl.maybe once you get as much water out of the entire fixture as you can,try a pinkie in the empty/dry tank,good luck.
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

i saw snake repellant for yards in the garden pesticide section at Home Depot,prolly not a good idea though,do you another bathroom?if so i would drain that toilet(and TANK)BTW turn of VALVE and seal waste hole off from septic,then duct tape clear plastic over bowl,then string on flapper to hold open and close when snakey travels in the tank drop the flapper,btw cover the tank with screen or mesh for visual,rmember snakes are on the move at night so good time to look or chemical deterant in bowl to drive him north.Chris.......

That sounds like its going to be a blast to get that little guy.

My only advice, I have been able to drive a snake out of a hole by blowing some cigarette smoke in at him. The smoke makes em move around. But even if he doesn't, a few seconds of cig smoke isn't going to hurt him.

Let us know what happened.

I'd like to get an update on the toilet snake...
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0.1 Lampropeltis Getula Floridana

Whats the latest?
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Tom

"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"