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Original poster

Oh of course we have now gone and lost the family hamster

63 replies

LennyPugGoat · 23/03/2020 15:01

Like being stuck in with 3 children isn’t pleasurable as humanly possible we now have an escapee .

Last seen in his ball by the stairs, I guess they can climb stairs? All doors were open up and down.

We have no chance of finding him, do we?

OP posts:
nitgel · 23/03/2020 15:02

is he still in his ball?

Stampy84 · 23/03/2020 15:03

Yes they can climb stairs! You’ll hear him tonight! Did he come out of the ball?

ChicCroissant · 23/03/2020 15:12

Food traps! Put a small dish of food down on the floor of every room (yes, they can climb stairs but not in a ball) and shut all the doors. In the morning, see where the food has gone from and that will narrow it down a bit. Presumably you have found the ball somewhere but not the hamster?

Hope hammy turns up very soon.

Ponoka7 · 23/03/2020 15:14

Ours has always tried to get back to the cage, so leave it open and do what's been suggested.

TheReluctantCountess · 23/03/2020 15:15

Don’t lose hope! My hamster once escaped, and managed to evade six cats! He was found under the fridge and was completely fine.

CaptainMyCaptain · 23/03/2020 15:16

If you can find out which room he's in put down a large slippery sided container (I used to use an old fashioned sweet jar) set at an angle with food at the bottom. It will get in for the food and be unable to climb out.

JasonBrun · 23/03/2020 15:17

Box with a hole in the lid and a light covering (baking paper) over the hole. Bit of food on top of th baking paper. Leave overnight- in the morning, hamster in a box.

Helps if there are no other food sources.

RamblingFar · 23/03/2020 15:21

Put the cage open on the floor overnight.

They like to explore and find food, but then tend to panic when they can't get back to their nests. I'm not convinced mine really ever liked freedom when they escaped (all recaptured safely).

Fresh01 · 23/03/2020 15:24

Food traps in various rooms especially Apple or something with a bit of a smell. Sit quietly listening in different rooms this evening as likely you will hear scraping noises somewhere. They can climb up and down stairs. Then if you find it try and put a tea towel over it to catch. Then quickly lift it up and get it back in its cage. Tea towel not to hurt it but trying to catch a scared hamster especially when they have pouches filled with food is mission impossible. A broom handle or multiple handles good for obstructing the tiny 2 inch gaps under beds to force them out one side. We have hunted a few hamsters over the years.

Joanna1232 · 23/03/2020 15:26

We lost ours once he got trapped underneath the kitchen cabinets. Had to take them apart as he couldn't work out for himself how to get bk out. Please don't just hope he will come back to the cage. Keep looking. When ours was lost he was silent for hours but got hurt in the cupboards and was then screaming. Had to take him vet. Not trying to scare you just hamsters are awesome but delicate. Please keep looking incase he is trapped.

Letsnotargue · 23/03/2020 15:29

Paper on the floor with a sprinkling of flour will show you if he's crossed that way. I used this when we had a mouse in the house and it was really helpful to see where it had been while we were asleep. Hope you've found him before then though.

Spam88 · 23/03/2020 15:30

Ours was underneath the kitchen cupboards.

JoshArcherStoleMyTractor · 23/03/2020 16:18

Well that's one way to keep the DC occupied!

annonymousse · 23/03/2020 16:20

Our ndn list their hamster and it turned up in our house three days later. Gave me one heck of a fright lol. Couldn't believe what I was seeing

Walkerbean16 · 23/03/2020 16:24

On our local FB someone found a hamster in their house, it belonged to someone down the street and had been missing 9 days!

Qwertygert · 23/03/2020 16:27

At least you don't have a cat to worry about muching on the hamster! We lost a pet rat down the back of the sofa a few weeks back. Was a total ballache trying to get her out! x

MitziK · 23/03/2020 16:34

Wait until dusk, then check the cupboard where the food is kept. And the one where the cereals/rice/pasta are.

And under/behind the cooker. Before switching it on.

Youngatheart00 · 23/03/2020 16:34

Aww I hope you find him soon!! Isolate each room if you can and put a little dish of food down in each. But be careful for him dashing in or out as you open the door.

BrigitsBigKnickers · 23/03/2020 16:55

Our hamster disappeared under the floor boards in the bathroom behind the bidet once. Thought we would never see him again but took the bidet out and put the tube from the cage down the hole with treats to tempt him and four days later found him asleep in the bedroom compartment of his cage!

rosegoldivy · 23/03/2020 17:16

How is the hamster hunt going?

YourVagesty · 23/03/2020 17:22

Get a humane rodent trap and put some nice things in there for him. Make sure you check it regularly, you don't want him stressing out in there obviously.

OR! Check the cornflakes box. That's where my old one used to head to. Bloody loved the cornflakes.

serialtester · 23/03/2020 17:34

I'm now totally invested in the fate of this hamster.

Armi · 23/03/2020 17:38

And me, @serialtester.

Troels · 23/03/2020 17:40

Mine spent a month living in the base of the couch, he'd made a hole in the fabric on the bottom. Probably was living on bits of biscuits and crisps that fell down the side.
I managed to get him out with a ruler, little sod bit me me when I finally caught him to reunite him with his cage.

serialtester · 23/03/2020 17:40

I need to know it's name.