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

[LennyPugGoat]

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?

I had one that made a nest in a sock drawer.

Are you sure you are not actually consumed by guilt and in denial after eating a Hamster barm in a self isolating frenzy?

Perhaps the hamster is self isolating??

Hamsters can climb anything! I had one climb the curtains, found sitting at the top looking over. One I had as a child was found half way up a wall, he had scaled the embossed wallpaper!

You may have to sit up late to find the hamster though! He's probably sleeping somewhere!

We found our lost hammy with the bucket trick

Put a layer of hamster food/veg in the bottom of a bucket (decent sized - not a kids bucket and a spade one!)

Stack books up alongside the bucket like a staircase

Ham smells food, walks up the book staircase and falls into the bucket to retrieve the food. He can’t get a grip to climb back out so is stuck until you come and check the bucket!

Worked a treat. Good luck OP!

Sorry should have said he has escaped from the ball.

Apart from the initial hysterical tears to start with we now have lots of ideas to finder the little bugger!

Aaaahh they’re sneaky little buggers.
Ours used to climb the stairs and was quite speedy, all things considered.

Good luck.

That should keep the kids occupied then playing hide and seek with the hamster!!

Ours went from the bathroom to the larder in the kitchen and back again. I left her cage in the bathroom and she eventually made her way back. Another time, she nested in dad’s very lovely fair isle sweater, made by his deceased sister. Omg, I got a big bollocking for that.

Left the cage open on the floor with food in and its might go back to its nest.

Also stick a bucket next to steps made from a pile of books with something delicious like peanut butter at the bottom to make a hamster trap (this has worked for me before).

Get a washing up bowl and a way for hamster to get into it

Add food

And wait

I once found my hamster in my wardrobe. No idea how she got in there

Your hamster is the social distancing role model we all need in these trying times.

When he returns, please throw some sunflower seeds from a safe 2 meter distance with thanks from all on MN.

Any update on little hammy?

Look it's a shit time for all of us so no pressure but you really need to find this hamster for the good of the mumsnet community.

Ours used to get under the kitchen units and then pop up through the hole for the pipes i the unit under the sink as that's where the bin was with food scraps!

Our terrier once found our escaped hamster. When we came in the room the hamster was stood on her back legs, puffed up and hissing! I had no idea they had such good defence mechanisms.

I'm super invested now, update with developments please #findhammy

Order a 'trip trap' from amazon or the like. Hopefully by the time it arrived hammy will have turned up but, you'll have one for next time (and there will be a next time)!

For now, yes jar or box(not a heavy one) with food in the bottom so he can get in and not climb out. Look under floorboards and behind kitchen cupboards. Leave food hanging about wherever there are nooks and crannies.

My Russian dwarf hamster once escaped while I was cleaning his cage. Eventually tracked him down to under the bed. Don’t think he cared for freedom all that much, cos when DH lifted the bed up, hammy came running towards me and actually leapt into my hands. Cutest thing I ever saw!

Good luck with the hamster hunt, think we’re all over invested 😁

Ours always went behind the fridge. Leave the cage open with food. Also try putting some cardboard boxes with a hamster size hole and some food inside about - hamsters are really noisy on cardboard.

@LennyPugGoat Hope he turns up soon. (He will!)

This happened to me when I was a kid. My dad heard it scrabbling about under the floorboards and ripped up one of the boards and found the wee fucker. How it got under the floorboards I have no idea. I don't have any suggestions I'm afraid but perhaps you might hear it scrabbling about as hamsters do and know where to look.

As others have suggested an improvised trap is the way to go...

1. When you go to bed, leave a large high sided bowl in the middle of the room where the hamster usually lives. Place a piece of fresh food that the hamster can smell (and usually likes) in the bowl. Also maybe put a bit of its used bedding (not clean) in the bowl so it can smell it.

1. Make a staircase of books up to the rim of the bowl with a couple of seeds or dry food on each ‘step’ to lure it up.

1. The idea is that the hamster walks up the book staircase, goes in search of the food and then can’t escape, so it’s there in the morning waiting for you!

Worked a treat whenever one of our little guys went AWOL!

Found mine once years ago after 7 days, in the bath one morning when I woke up!

When we lost ours, having looked everywhere for hours, I just left his cage open, on the floor, with nice food inside (obviously) and in the morning he was back, curled up fast asleep in his bed.
It’s worth a try!