# What's this thing that came out of my toilet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2025, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534 "2025-03-13T15:09:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/41 "2025-03-15T18:11:08Z")
Snakes have bitten dogs here. I have a Chihuahua that was bitten on the head last year. By a small rattler. No antivenom was used. It’s extremely expensive and most folks won’t pay it for a dog. They shot our dog up with steroids and antibiotics and sent him home. Looked horribly swollen and in misery for 2 days By the 3rd day he was almost normal(he’s never really been _normal_ 😀) Had a beagle get bit inside his mouth by a cotton mouth. I don’t know how that dog lived. His head was bigger than a basketball. But, live he did. Dogs can live thru poisionous snake bites, easier than we can. In my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/42 "2025-03-16T16:28:40Z")
Note that rattlesnake bites usually aren’t fatal to humans, either. Extremely painful, but probably not lethal unless the person was in poor health already, or you do something stupid like get them drunk in an attempt to treat it. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/43 "2025-03-16T18:16:16Z")
But, big water moccasins can certainly kill a small dog or cat. Their hemotoxic venom breaks down blood cells and tissue, causing severe swelling, pain, necrosis, and potentially fatal effects if untreated. I’ve come across many moccasins around my house. Just another reason my cats are indoor kitties (although cats have quicker reflexes than snakes—20-70 milliseconds—and swat with extreme precision. They could come out on top in a showdown). 🐍🐈 ---
**Author:** ![Hakushon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hakushon/32/5503_2.png) [@Hakushon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakushon)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/44 "2025-03-20T00:56:52Z")
If your home was worked on (by subcontractors etc.) they love to flush trash that ought never to be flushed. Example: a plumber found and extracted a six-inch strip of wood molding that was jammed in our toilet’s P-trap. What you have there looks like a wad of polyurethane foam sealant (aka- “Great Stuff”). It comes in a can and you spray it–typically, in the gaps between an air conditioner and a window frame. It expands and forms a wad of plastic foam–which, once dried, is pale yellow in color and looks _exactly_ like what you pulled out of your toilet (minus the poop). They make a rigid version (which would probably still be stuck to your house), and a spongy, flexible version (which someone likely yanked out of a wall or window, and stuffed down your toilet). ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/45 "2025-03-20T02:45:13Z")
> [@Hakushon](#): > > f your home was worked on (by subcontractors etc.) they love to flush trash that ought never to be flushed. Example: a plumber found and extracted a six-inch strip of wood molding that was jammed in our toilet’s P-trap. > > What you have there looks like a wad of polyurethane foam sealant (aka- “Great Stuff”). It comes in a can and you spray it–typically, in the gaps between an air conditioner and a window frame. It expands and forms a wad of plastic foam–which, once dried, is pale yellow in color and looks _exactly_ like what you pulled out of your toilet (minus the poop). > > They make a rigid version (which would probably still be stuck to your house), and a spongy, flexible version (which someone likely yanked out of a wall or window, and stuffed down your toilet) So what does that mean in pratical terms? Is this likely to cause me a problem? Was it doing an actual job within the toilet? I haven’t noticed any problems. ---
**Author:** ![Hakushon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hakushon/32/5503_2.png) [@Hakushon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakushon)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/46 "2025-03-20T04:44:01Z")
If the foam came out of the toilet in one piece (which it seems to have done), then you shouldn’t have any further problems. But, if there’s still trouble with flushing (as if the line is blocked), you might want to think about about having the sewer line snaked. From what you’re describing, though: it sounds like you got all of the blockage out. And, no… I doubt it was doing any “job” within the toilet (if hypothetically it _had_ been, somebody had a _very_ odd idea of how to fix a toilet). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/47 "2025-03-20T13:20:49Z")
I’d far rather blame incompetent DIY than malicious contractors. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/48 "2025-03-20T23:28:41Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Above and beyond the call of dooky. Ouch. Oh, ouch. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/49 "2025-03-20T23:48:12Z")
Not me. I love blaming builders, contractors, home repair and delivery folks. They are eeee----vil. They are without apologies because that sneer on their face tells you they “don’t give a shit, Lady” kinda vibe. It runs down my spine so fast. I wanna ruin their day. Of course, I never have, and probably never will. In my heart I blame them. Bitch at them. Teach them the error of their ways. Alas. It ain’t in me. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/50 "2025-03-21T01:48:45Z")
IME is different. I spent thousands of $ every single month bringing contractors into the condo complex I managed. Plumbers, electricians, drywall dudes, finish carpenters, flooring specialists, etc. They treated us right. Or else they needed a new complex to work in. After I blackballed them to all my peer managers. I/we rarely had a problem; contracting firms fell over themselves to deliver a good product for a good price. I can see the balance of benefits might be different for a homeowner. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2025, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/51 "2025-03-21T02:01:17Z")
Yeah, aint no one falling over themselves to provide a service in these parts. You’re lucky if you get someone to answer their phone. Or find someone qualified, at all. Then you wait a month. They never have what they need, no matter how you have prepared them. That adds another day. I used to thwart my contractors “Gotta go pick up ??” by insisting I do it myself. He hated me so bad before this house was finished. I swear he put a hit out on me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534.md?page=2)