Here's How Rats End Up In Toilet Bowls

If you don't like rats, you might want to sit down for this -- but maybe don't sit on the toilet.

Intrigued by the question of how rats make it into toilet bowls (and yes, it does happen), National Geographic put together this brief video tracing the rodents' paths from street to sewer, sewer to indoor plumbing and, ultimately, into the toilet. Perhaps the most incredible part is how easily a rat can navigate the sharp 180-degree U-turn within the actual toilet pipes, all while underwater.

Watch the video below:

Per National Geographic, rats are naturally strong swimmers and can tread water for three straight days, paddling underwater with their back legs while the front paws steer. They can also hold their breath for up to three minutes.

Rats also have unique ribs that flex around joints along their spines, the video notes. This allows the creatures to compress their ribcages to fit through small openings, thereby navigating pipes with ease.

Of course, rats take advantage of far easier routes into houses as well. According to the New York State Department of Health, the rodents can even squeeze through the quarter-inch gap underneath a door.

H/T Digg