Hamster escaped probably dead and it's my fault

[namechangedbutneedadvice]

Our awesome hamster Donut escaped into a side panel of our bathroom unit that I thought was sealed (hence let him run around free). It's been 3 days now. He went down a floor and was in a partition wall, we heard him moving around. He escaped into the fire once before and I panicked so much but he just came out later when he was hungry. I've done everything I could, laid traps, took the toilet panel off the wall but no sign. Last night I heard him scratching until about 2am then silence ever since. The poor soul, he might have escaped next door but probably is dead to be honest. Won't give up hope but my DDs will be devastated. Any wise words?

[mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork]

Any chance you can remove the side panel to your bathroom unit and leave it open (possibly with some smelly food by hole) so he can find his way back???

[namechangedbutneedadvice]

Thanks Mrsjoyful it's all open and a trap is there. I think though that he presumably can't get back up having gone down a floor. I did hear noises the other night so dug 3 large holes in the wall and set another trap. No sign yet... but still hoping he's just off having a whale of a time

[Chocolatecake12]

Apparently they like cucumber and peanut butter.
Our hammy escaped a couple of times - first time he was under the fridge and the second time he was under the sofa. Both times the cat had completely ignored him.
I hope he comes back

[chocatoo]

Thats so sad. We never let ours roam free as too scared would go missing. He has a nice big pen (as well as cage) and is often handled but never roams free.

[SusanWalker]

He's probably curled up asleep. I wouldn't give up just yet.

Our last hamster was a real escape artist. He could open his cage door by himself. At first I thought I was forgetting to shut him up until I finally realised what he was doing and tied up the door.

He could quite often be gone for a couple of days. He was coming out at night, taking the food I'd put down to tempt him out, then going back.

Eventually I discovered he liked it behind the kick boards in the kitchen (we had a little gap) so would open it up and tempt him out with food.

[BrexitIsComing]

Leave a bowl of water & some food out for him. My sister's hamster escaped several times, once for 3 days. We always got it back.

[KitKatCHA]

My sister's hamster escaped under the floorboards once for about 2 weeks. He eventually came back out after leaving food traps out for him. He was filthy when he came back, we had to change his name from Snowy (as he was white) to Sooty, poor bugger was never the same colour again, even after numerous baths 😂

[Livedandlearned]

Mine went under the floorboards for three days, I left her cage (in the trapdoor) and one night I woke up to the sound of her squeaky wheel and I flew out of bed, laid on the floor and reached down and closed the cage door. Little bugger!

Don't give up!

[OlderThanAverageforMN]

Many years ago, DB found my lost hamster after having been missing for three weeks. He went to get a clean pair of socks from the back of his drawer and discovered Hammy had made a rather nice nest among said socks, and chewed many of his cherished photo's into bedding. He was not amused...... but I was very happy to get Hammy back