How Can Animals Get Into My Shower

The only thing worse than pulling back the shower curtain and seeing a rat staring out at you is sitting on the toilet and hearing splashing in the water beneath you. You may just say rats!  - jump up, and slam the lid down. Or like the character in the movie Snakes on a Plane, you may resort to other four-letter words. But no matter what you say, you have a problem. On second thought, you have a three-pronged problem. You have to figure out how the rat got in, how you're going to get it out, and how you're going to make it hard for any more to get in.

It Happens More than You Think

While it's not an everyday occurrence, you'd be surprised at how many animals find their way into people's showers. Not lions, tigers, or gorillas although that would make a more exciting story, but small relatively safe animals like mice, rats, squirrels, and the occasional opossum, or banish the thought - skunk or bat. However, these larger mammals are more likely living out of sight in your attic.

Why?

If you're asking yourself why your house, rest assured it's nothing personal. It's not that your house is bigger or fancier than others on your street. It's more a case of any port in a storm. But it doesn't have to be stormy. Hot, cold, or extremely dry conditions outdoors tend to challenge animals to find their way indoors. Getting back to that three-pronged problem, your first challenge is to find out how they might get in.

Where and How?

While all these furry invaders see your house as a warm dry sanctuary, not all will find their way to your shower. Some like squirrels may live in your attic or even your walls! Bats and opossums like the dark, and so they too may hang out in your attic. Common points of entry for these warmth-seeking upstairs guests tend to be

1. Roof vents and soffits

2. Chimneys

3. Cracks or holes in shingles and siding

The rats you may find in your toilet or more likely your shower, sink or under your kitchen cabinet are occasionally bold enough to enter through an open door or window but are more likely to seek out gaps in the wall surrounding your water pipes, gas pipes, or drains, And if they can find an open drain they'll use their sharp claws to climb right up and into your sink, shower, or tub. And oh yes, your toilet.

Mice are amazing contortion artists capable of squeezing their bodies through cracks you would never think were possible to fit through. 

Taking It from Here

Knowing where and how these uninvited guests get into your home will get you but so far. The critical questions are how do you get them out and what can you do to deny them re-entry. 

Getting rid of squirrels, opossums, skunks, and bats is a job best left to professional exterminators. You can put poison out or set a trap, but then you have the problem of rotting body odor when they die. In addition to being inhumane, in some states, the practice is illegal and some species of bats are on the federal list of protected animals. Calling an exterminator who's licensed to get the job done is the safer wiser, and legal way to regain control of your attic.

As for mice and rats, it isn't against the law to poison and trap them. Be careful, however if you choose poison since there's the very real possibility you will poison your cat or dog instead. There are traps on the market that are incredibly fast and effective, taking care of the job instantly, causing the rodent a minimum of suffering.

Looking to the Future

Now that you feel safe taking a shower or going to the you know what, you'll want to take steps to make sure it doesn't happen again. Mice and rats are best dealt with if they never get in. And this is a job you can do yourself. Start inside and work your way out.

1. Seal any gaps around bathroom and kitchen pipes, drains, or fixtures. 

2. Clean out and place covers on all the drains.

3. Check the sewer trap cover to make sure it is sitting securely

4. Move your stove and stuff steel wool around gaps in the wall surrounding the gas pipe.

5. Walk around your house and seal any gaps in the walls or foundations. There are easy to apply sealants specifically made for this purpose.

And remember this is not a once and done chore. Keep an eye on all these points of entry because you can be sure your furry neighbors are doing the same. Contact us if you have any questions!