Suddenly, you feel something slither across your bare feet.
You look down and see a snake emerging from your shower drain.
It sounds like something straight out of a horror movie. And I’m sure there have been movies where this exact thing happened.
But what about real life?
Can snakes come up through shower drains in real life too?
Keep reading to find out how common this is. We’ll also cover what you can do to prevent snakes from coming up your drain and what to do if it ever does happen.
Table of Contents
Can Snakes Come Up Through Shower Drains?
Yes, snakes can come up shower drains. I know what you’re thinking: great, another horrific thing to worry about.
But before you freak out and vow to never take another shower as long as you live, take comfort in the fact that it is an extremely rare occurrence.
Furthermore, the kind of snake that can fit through a shower drain is generally small and non-venomous.
How To Prevent Snakes Coming Up Your Pipes
In order to prevent snakes from coming up through your pipes, you first need to know how they manage to get into the shower or toilet drains in the first place.
How Snakes Get In The Shower Or Toilet To Begin With
Most snakes coming up shower drains or toilets actually come from the ventilation pipes initially, and not the water pipes.
Ventilation pipes are generally found on the roof. Snakes can climb up latticework, roof drainage pipes, or other structures attached to your roof.
Another common way for snakes to get on the roof is by climbing trees and using tree branches that are near or touching your roof. They get up there and find the opening of the ventilation pipe and decide to investigate.
The ventilation pipes connect to the drainpipes to let air and gasses escape and avoid too much pressure build-up. Once a snake has access to the ventilation pipe, it can easily get into the drainpipe and then the shower or toilet.
Best Way To Block Snake Access
Since snakes use ventilation pipes mainly to get into shower or toilet pipes, the most logical and effective way to stop them is by blocking access to the pipe in the first place.
First, it is ideal to trim any tree limbs that may be hanging on the roof. This will not only limit snakes from getting up there, but other pests that may be getting in your pipes or attic as well.
You can’t go around cutting all the latticework off your house or other pipes that go from the ground to the roof, but be aware these are pathways snakes can take.
Another option is to purchase something called a multi-flap. This device fits over your toilet pipe and lets water and waste out but will not allow anything as big as a snake to come in through the drain.
These devices are relatively inexpensive, but it is recommended to have them installed by a professional, which may cost a bit of extra money.
Finally, get some wire mesh and a vent hood and top off your ventilation pipes. This will stop any animal from getting inside these pipes. And if they can’t get in the exhaust pipes, they have no way to get into your shower drainpipe or toilet. Unless, of course, they come from the sewer.
Can Snakes Live In The Sewer?
It is extremely unlikely that any species of snake could make a home in the sewer. Snakes are cold-blooded and rely on the heat from their environment to keep them warm.
The temperature below ground is usually much too cold for snakes to survive for any length of time. In warmer climates, it is more feasible, but still unlikely due to the lack of suitable places to nest or mate.
However, there have been instances where snakes were found in the sewer. These poor guys most likely fell through a water grate or otherwise got accidentally trapped in the sewer.
In these cases, the snake may find a drain, like the ones leading to your toilet or shower, and use it to try to escape certain death in the sewer.
What To Do If A Snake Is In Your Shower
IMPORTANT: DO NOT HURT THE SNAKE! Snakes deserve to be here as much as we do and having respect for all living things, including snakes, makes you a better person. Be nice to snakes.
If you are one of the unfortunate few people to find a snake in your shower, the first thing to do is to not panic.
Snakes do not want to hurt you. They want to get as far away from you as they can, because you are a giant thing that can kill them.
Do not freak out and try to kill the snake. First, that’s just evil. Second, it will just cause the snake to become aggressive if you start prodding it.
If you don’t know anything about snakes, call a professional immediately to safely remove the snake. Local SPCA chapters will be happy to come and help you remove the snake.
If you are familiar with snake species and can identify what kind of snake it is, it will make the situation much simpler to deal with.
If the snake is non-venomous (and you are 100% sure that it is), simply pick it up, take it outside to a safe place, and set it free. You don’t need to use a snake trap.
If the snake is venomous and you are not an experienced venomous snake handler, call a professional to remove the snake safely.
If you are experienced in handling venomous snakes, you can remove the snake yourself. The good news is that the chance of a venomous snake making its way up your shower drain is almost zero.
Where Snakes In Shower Drains Is Most Common
You can probably already guess this, but there have been more reports of snakes ending up in shower drains and toilets in Australia than anywhere else in the world.
Australia has a lot of snake species and there is an abundance of homes that are up against snake habitats.
In the US, there have been more reports of this happening in the southeastern United States than anywhere else.
This is because there are more snakes in the southeast and because there are more instances of snake habitats overlapping with human neighborhoods.
Specifically, there have been more reports of snakes in showers and toilets in North Carolina and Florida than in other states in the southeast.
Where It Is Least Common
There have not been many reported snakes escaping from drains in the western United States, or in the northern states.
In the western USA, it is most likely because there are not many lush woodlands right up against human-occupied land.
In the north, it is probably because the temperatures are so cold in general. If it is too cold for a snake above ground, there is no way a snake could crawl through a drain underground.
Snakes Coming Up Shower Drains: Final Thoughts
Snakes can come up through shower drains, but it is extremely rare. Most of us never need to worry about this.
Even if you do live in an area where this is more likely to happen, take comfort knowing it is still rare in those areas. And if it does happen, it is almost always a small, non-venomous snake that won’t do you any harm.
If you’re worried about snakes coming through your shower drain, take the preventative measures we outlined above and you can reduce the possibility to almost zero.
Sarah says
What if the snake didn’t come out? Where did it go? Is it still on there? Will it come back? Did it get flushed to the sewer? Mine showed in the overflow drain. It moved out of site. The cover was removed and it wasn’t seen. The tub was filled up to where it would drain in the overflow for a while. The toilet was fished and sinks in the house all run. ???
Michaelyn says
Can a snake come through the bathtub drain? Mine was shaking and rattling like something was trying to come through.