Finding a snake in your bathroom is startling, but most of the time it’s harmless and more scared than you are. The key is to contain it quickly so it can’t slip into the rest of the house, then either guide it out or call for help. Here’s the whole thing, step by step.
Right Now: Contain the Snake
- Shut the bathroom door. This keeps the snake in one room. Slide a towel under the gap at the bottom. For more, see How to Identify Venomous Vs Non-Venomous Snakes.
- Close the toilet lid. Snakes can come up through plumbing, and the lid closes off that route.
- Cover the drains. Lay a towel or stopper over the floor and sink drains.
- Get everyone out, pets included.
- Look at it from a safe distance. If you can’t identify the snake, treat it as venomous.
How Snakes Get Into Bathrooms
Snakes usually enter through open windows, gaps around pipes under the sink, floor drains, or roof plumbing vents. They’re drawn in by moisture, warmth, and the insects or rodents that come with a bathroom. Knowing the route helps you seal it up later.
Getting the Snake Out
- Open a window or exterior door if the bathroom has one. The snake may leave on its own.
- Guide it with a long tool. A broom or mop handle can steer it toward the opening from a safe distance.
- Trap it under a bucket if it’s holding still, then slide cardboard underneath and carry it outside.
- Call a professional if the snake is venomous, you can’t identify it, or it’s gone into the plumbing.
Safety note: Never try to flush a snake down the toilet. It can survive in the plumbing and reappear in another bathroom. Never grab a snake with your hands. If it’s gone into the pipes, call a plumber and a wildlife control operator.
How to Keep Snakes Out of the Bathroom
- Seal gaps around pipes with expanding foam and steel wool.
- Put screens on bathroom windows.
- Cover floor drains with mesh covers.
- Keep the room dry and clean to cut down on the insects and rodents that draw snakes in.
For more, read my garage snake guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s possible, though rare. A snake can enter through a roof plumbing vent, travel the pipes, and come up through the bowl, especially a small species. The toilet lid is your first line of defense.
Through open windows, gaps around sink pipes, floor drains, and roof plumbing vents, drawn by moisture, warmth, and prey.
Close the lid immediately and don’t flush. Call a professional wildlife control operator or plumber, and keep the bathroom door shut until help arrives. Don’t try to pull it out yourself.
Most are non-venomous and more scared than aggressive, but any snake can bite if cornered, and a small room makes it harder to back away. If you can’t identify it or safely remove it, call a professional.
The Bottom Line
Stay calm, close the door and the toilet lid, and cover the drains. Then open a way out or guide the snake with a long tool, and never flush it or grab it by hand. After it’s gone, seal the pipe gaps and add window screens so it doesn’t happen again.
