Hamster escape!! The dreaded 'next to the toilet hole' :o(

[Diege]

Woke up this morning to find dd1's hamster has escaped from her cage. It's kept in downstairs loo at night becuase of the noise, and there is a suspicious knawed through hole at the side of the toilet (fibre glass everywhere). WHAT can be done? No signs of scrabbling/running, though no doubt she is knackered afer the effort it's all taken. DH has left a carrot by the hole before he left for work , but I was thinking about humane traps to entice her back? Or is that it d'you think? . And what do I tell dd1?

when I was little, my hamster did a similar thing and my dad set a trail of hamster food from the hole in the wall to a box in the middle of the room. Twas just a cardboard box with a hole in the side and the plan was that we would check the box every hour or so until we caught the hamster and put her back in her cage (reinforced cage!)

Not really sure why I'm telling you this, other than it seemed like a good idea, as hamster never came out from under the floorboards.

But... I was quite happy to talk to the floor and imagine that my hamster was sitting there listening, in fact, I spoke to her for years, long after she must have died.

Sorry I have no helpful advice. Is dd1 young enough that you could get a replacement from the pet shop if hammy doesn't return?

Thanks for your reply SQUONK . I presumed it would be a pretty straight forward capture, but from reading through the threads there aren't many happy endings . DD1 is 6 - am tempted with the replacement idea, and a new cage, although dd would have had to pick out the unusual grey brown and white hamster! I don't know maybe I should just be honest? (though I think I would have worried as a child about water/food etc and it not being able to climb out..)

my hamster was quite happy under the floorboards for a long while (we could hear her moving around) and they do like dark places, so hammy will probably be absolutely fine. Tis your daughter you need to worry about - will she take the news ok...

Next time, get one of these - they are almost impossible for the hamster to get out of unless you leave a door open.

yes humane traps. Mice are easier to catch if you put the traps right next to a wall (no gap at all) not sure about hamsters - perhaps one either side of the hole against the wall?

Try chocolate drops near the hole. If she's under floorboards in a bathroom she'll have water from condensation and will be able to sniff out the chocolate. Ours survived over a week (was a birthday present for dd - escaped 3 days after we bought the damn thing ). Once you know it is coming back to the bathroom for food then lay a trap (the humane traps we used didn't work). We used a plastic bucket, tilted on top of some books, so hamster climbed up the books, then down into the bucket for the yummy chocolate drops, but the bucket was at a fairly steep angle and plastic so she couldn't climb back out. Got this tip from a fellow hamster owner and it worked!

Good luck!

Oh and don't forget they are nocturnal so you'll have to lay the trap at night and check chocolate/bucket in the morning.

My friend once got her parents to almost demolish their whole fireplace becasue she was so convinced the hamster was there. They did so, and obviously there was no sign. Then she found it - in its bed!
Sorry don't have Hamsters so can't help

Thanks for the tips It was dds birthday present,and although (as predicted) all the care has come to down to me, she is still besotted. Spme great advice here girls - I think I'll try the bucket one tonight TITCHY - she adores choccy drops! SQUONK - can you believe your link is very close to the cage we have got! One of the 'extensions' has a plastic lid though that was clipped down but she obviousuly figured a way out (she is female after all!). I think I can stall dd1 (and dd2 and 3 aren't especially interested) but may have to send dh on hunt for double at weekend if no joy

SALTIRE - I shouldn't laugh at your friend but that story is hilarious ...in fact I've been back to double check several times, although up-turned lid is a bit of a giveaway

Just had a poke about down the hole she's gone down with a stick (after the carrot I'd used dropped down ) and I don't think there's any way she would be able to climb back up . Had stupid idea of trying to put ladder-type construction down there, but don't really think that would work either. Would anyone consider the 'ripping up the floor/firebrigade' route for this?

You have made me go and check my little lads hamster with your messages!! Thankfully Cena, named after the wrestler (dont ask) is still in the cage. Good luck. Why dont you say the hamster has got married and gone on honeymoon! I'm rubbish at this - sorry

Spooky my dd2's hamster is on the run too as of last night!

Well, we have a conclusion to the story...Seems that Nibbles (the hamster) managed to get outside into back garden through the hole in the floor of the downstairs (there's a route out, with chewed hole in covering board as evidence - we had a leak a while ago and dh hadn't closed up the hole properly). And, (would you believe) our bloody cat must have found her and brought her back through the cat flap to devour . Dd2 found her dead on lounge rug this morning, but thought it was a mouse, thank god! I screamed my head off and quickly removed with the help of tea-towel. Now he (the cat) keeps going back to the spot, and jumps out of his skin looking v.guilty when I call hime to get away! At least we know what's happened though, and that dd1 didn't see! Now of course we have the dilemma of a replacement/or not. Think dd2 (the findee) had a hunch as she said Nibbles wasn't in her bed (to which I replied, of course she is, I've just seen her!! (no word of a lie...)

Any news wildwoman on your escapee?