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How did a large snail get into the toilet bowl?

(53 Posts)
25Avalon Wed 21-Jul-21 11:35:14

There was a large brownish lump on the side of the toilet bowl at water level. I was about to accuse dh of not flushing properly, when I realised it was actually a large garden snail! How on earth did it get there? Did it swim up the drain from outside? I didn’t realise snails could swim. It’s now been flushed back down with the help of the toilet brush. Will it be back I wonder.

henetha Wed 21-Jul-21 11:50:41

It is amazing where snails can get to. I once grew plants high up on a balcony and they managed to climb the walls.
I once had a garden worm in the toilet (not when I lived high up, but here at ground level).

grandtanteJE65 Wed 21-Jul-21 12:11:17

If it came up the drain from outside there is obviously some hole or crack either in your drain or sewer!

Surely it is more likely to have crawled up the wall then fallen down into the toilet?

The real mystery is how it got into the house, but if the weather is warm it probably came in through an open door or window.

Could you or someone else inadvertently have brought it in on your clothes?

Blossoming Wed 21-Jul-21 12:41:37

I thought of several humorous replies, but not really very helpful! Was the toilet seat up or down? Is it an upstairs toilet?

25Avalon Wed 21-Jul-21 12:57:29

The toilet discharges into the same drain as the down pipe from the gutter so is open. It must have climbed up there. We rarely use that toilet as we mostly use the en-suite in the master bedroom. It is a bungalow so I suppose not too far to climb. Never heard of this before.

Blossoming Wed 21-Jul-21 13:03:55

Yes, sounds like it climbed up.

Infinity2 Wed 21-Jul-21 13:08:44

Blossoming - yes I thought that.
Did it fall and was it pushed ?

Aveline Wed 21-Jul-21 13:09:51

I posted about this before once. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it waggling it's horns at me from the toilet bowl. We live in a 4th floor flat. It was during another of these hot dry spells too.

DiscoDancer1975 Wed 21-Jul-21 13:11:05

I bet ‘he’s’ livid. It probably took him a few weeks to get there!

25Avalon Wed 21-Jul-21 13:52:35

Snail Joke-

A man is at home when he hears a knock on the door. He opens it and sees a snail in the porch. He picks the snail up and throws it as far as he can. A few years later there’s a knock on the door. He opens it and sees the same snail. The snail says “What the heck was that all about?”

muffinthemoo Wed 21-Jul-21 14:01:18

25Avalon

Snail Joke-

A man is at home when he hears a knock on the door. He opens it and sees a snail in the porch. He picks the snail up and throws it as far as he can. A few years later there’s a knock on the door. He opens it and sees the same snail. The snail says “What the heck was that all about?”

superb grin

ElderlyPerson Wed 21-Jul-21 14:16:57

I remember an old puzzle about a snail.

The snail is at the base of a ten foot high wall.

Each day the snail climbs two feet up the wall.

Each night the snail slides back one foot. down the wall.

How long does it take the snail to reach the top of the wall?

Callistemon Wed 21-Jul-21 14:53:47

I posted this on another thread:

A few years ago we wondered why the toilet wouldn't flush properly, then found a snake in the cistern.

Aldom Wed 21-Jul-21 17:09:42

A relative of mine went to use a public loo when in NSW Australia. Looking up at her from the toilet bowl was a frog. grin

Callistemon Wed 21-Jul-21 17:16:15

Aldom

A relative of mine went to use a public loo when in NSW Australia. Looking up at her from the toilet bowl was a frog. grin

Oh yes, I've seen a couple of those too, quite sweet unless you're nervous and desperate to use the loo.

As long as it wasn't a cane toad, Aldom shock

Hellogirl1 Wed 21-Jul-21 17:36:35

I quite like snails. I know they`re a slug with a shell, and I hate slugs, but find snails pretty. Better that than an alligator, as has happened a few times in Florida.

Infinity2 Wed 21-Jul-21 19:11:55

Callistemon - what kind of snake was it and what did you do with it ?

annodomini Wed 21-Jul-21 19:17:44

I once put some snails I had collected in a bucket of water, expecting them to drown. But I later found them crawling up and out, I don't know if they can actually swim, but they evidently can survive in water.

NanKate Wed 21-Jul-21 19:59:01

The other morning I woke up and was about to creep downstairs to get a cuppa and not disturb DH. Then I noticed something large and long climbing up the bedroom wall. It was a slimy slug. I gently picked it off the wall in a tissue and took it downstairs opened a window and put it on a leaf. I must admit it left a horrid green slime from its body on the tissue. ?

Callistemon Wed 21-Jul-21 20:03:49

Infinity2

Callistemon - what kind of snake was it and what did you do with it ?

I can't remember, but it was a poisonous one and I kept away - SIL dealt with it!

Bluebellwould Wed 21-Jul-21 20:28:21

That’s nothing!
I went to the loo yesterday and when I pulled down my pants a slug fell out!
Cue very hot shower.
I’d been sitting on the paving weeding garden so I think it crawled in then.
Otherwise……

rubysong Wed 21-Jul-21 20:35:04

Callistemon please tell me it wasn't in the UK. Otherwise I shall be traumatised each time I go in the bathroom.

MrsTagain Wed 21-Jul-21 20:41:57

Slugs are disgusting! They can get in anywhere because they have no bones to worry about -a bit like octopuses (octopi?) who can squeeze through amazingly small holes. I lived in an elderly ex-council house, and despite having various wooden downstairs floorboards replaced, I would still occasionally find a large slug on the living room carpet, if I had reason to come downstairs in the night. I now live in a relatively modern town house with slug-proof concrete floors -thank God!

Katie59 Wed 21-Jul-21 20:58:03

Do you have grandsons staying for a few days!, just the tricks my sons used to play.

ElderlyPerson Wed 21-Jul-21 21:02:59

NanKate

The other morning I woke up and was about to creep downstairs to get a cuppa and not disturb DH. Then I noticed something large and long climbing up the bedroom wall. It was a slimy slug. I gently picked it off the wall in a tissue and took it downstairs opened a window and put it on a leaf. I must admit it left a horrid green slime from its body on the tissue. ?

Good for you.

You respected its life.

Well done.