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Original poster

Help Hamster has escaped...

43 replies

bergedorf · 08/08/2013 07:45

We are looking after a friend's hamster. Last night I thought I hadn't seen him for a bit so I opened the sleeping compatment to check he was still there.

It seems I didn't close it properly and this morning I came down and he's escaped.

I feel absolutely dreadful. The study door was open so he could in theory be Anywhere in the whole house.

Are there any secret Mumsnet tips in helping find an escaped hamster? Please??

OP posts:
Original poster
bergedorf · 08/08/2013 10:23

Or a cunning trap with food inside ?

OP posts:
YouveCatToBeKittenMe · 08/08/2013 10:28

I suggest a [[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Mouse-Trap-4-5-17/dp/B000WFI866/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375954002&sr=8-2&keywords=humane+trap humane mouse trap] or two
You can often get them from hardware stores. Leave them again walls and in gaps behind appliances. Bait them with some tasty hamster treats, you should catch him, hamsters aren't the brightest of creatures!

YouveCatToBeKittenMe · 08/08/2013 10:29

sorry
here's the link properly
humane mouse trap or two

Caster8 · 08/08/2013 10:36

Oh dear. Right now he is probably sleeping somewhere. He may not staret to move about till baout 8pm this evening.
You are right, he could be anywhere.
I have opened a kitchen curtian to find mine[didnt know he had even escaped that time, so that was a bit of a shock first thing in the morning!], to finding him up amongst the cereals, to suspecting he was down a hole in the floorboards.

I seem to remember we rigged up a bucket with a blanket in it, and treats [cant remember what sort of mini ladder we rigged up] to catch ours once too.

Floralnomad · 08/08/2013 10:44

If you haven't caught him by tonight sprinkle talcum powder/ flour in the rooms and close all the doors and at least then you can narrow down where he is by the footprints . When our rat escaped she was in a drawer in the kitchen as she had found a gap under the kick board to get in . Also leave some cucumber down as it has loads of water in it so he won't dehydrate .

eddiemairswife · 08/08/2013 10:50

When my class hamster escaped we rigged up a bucket like Caster8 and he was in there the next morning. Good luck.

Original poster
bergedorf · 08/08/2013 10:52

Thanks. I'm off to a hardware store. I've also spoken to a pet shop who also suggested a bucket ramp construction. Oh my God. I'm still hyperventilating. The woman at the pet shop said it might be a few days....

OP posts:
Original poster
bergedorf · 08/08/2013 11:10

Ok I've set up 3 buckets with food and water at the bottom. What else can I put in there to tempt it? Carrots? Cucumber? Grapes? Pet shop woman suggested raisins?

OP posts:
Original poster
bergedorf · 08/08/2013 11:10

OMG OMG. I need to get a grip.

OP posts:
Original poster
bergedorf · 08/08/2013 11:13

Only just read the other messages properly.. Good idea on the flour, thank you.
When you say do that tonight, do you think he'll come out in the day? We are all going out this afternoon so hopefully will be nice and quiet.

OP posts:
MissStrawberry · 08/08/2013 11:15

Oh heck Shock. Good luck getting him back.

eddiemairswife · 08/08/2013 11:21

Have you laid a trail of food up the steps/ramp to the rim of the bucket[s]? they are nocturnal so he's probably sleeping peacefully at the moment.

Birdy28 · 08/08/2013 11:41

Check your sofas as well. We found ours had nibbled a hole in the bottom (they were cheap sofas) and had holed up in there.

Also check drawers with clothes in them as friends have reported that their hamsters had crawled in (from behind and then underneath if they aren't flush against the walls) and made themselves cosy amongst their clothes. Smile

The hamster will be looking for somewhere cosy, warm and comfy to build his second home in. This includes airing cupboards and behind kitchen appliances.

You could also leave the cage door open and on the floor so they can get in it (but near to where it was originally located). Ours escaped one night, was AWOL for a few days but one morning we found him curled up asleep in his bed. I think he found surviving on his own far too much hassle and returned home instead! Smile

Floralnomad · 08/08/2013 11:45

It depends when he was normally awake ,they tend to be creatures of habit . Good luck ,perhaps this afternoon you could leave some chunks of cucumber in each room and close the doors ,at least if he's about you can narrow it down .

Birdy28 · 08/08/2013 12:59

Oh and make sure you leave traps upstairs as well if your stairs are carpeted.

We once found one of our hamsters halfway up the stairs after he escaped from his ball. They can grip onto the carpet with their little claws and pull themselves up if they are determined enough (although it does take them a while!).

Original poster
bergedorf · 08/08/2013 17:07

Back fr

OP posts:
Original poster
bergedorf · 08/08/2013 17:13

Back from an afternoon out leaving house nice and quiet but no sign yet. You're right, he's probably still sleeping. I'll definitely follow the other suggestions... And am amazed by the thought he could have climbed up the stairs... I'd just automatically discounted that. We also have a basement .. I guess I should do a bucket down there too, or at least a bit of cucumber/flour.
I'm now in the resigned/depressed stage. Oh god.

OP posts:
Madratlady · 08/08/2013 17:19

My brother lost his hamster once. He was found in my bedroom sat under a chair. He must've squeezed under the door because it was shut.

Madratlady · 08/08/2013 17:19

Sorry that post seems hugely unhelpful, I just meant they can get into tiny spaces.

Katisha · 08/08/2013 17:26

Not grapes. Our hamster can't be arsed with cucumber. I'd say cheese. Ours lives cheese above all else. Failing that carrot or broccoli .

Caster8 · 08/08/2013 17:31

Sorry,cant remember what we tempted him with. Possibly just his normal food. But a mixture of things might be good.
As far as I can remember we put a rolled up cloth at the bottom of the bucket so that he did not fall in. But the cloth was far enough down, so he couldnt get back out again.

whosshe · 08/08/2013 17:33

Can he get back in his bed if he wants? Some hamsters come back to their bed if they can find the way, and get back up to it. Depends how far he has wandered from home base though. Put the cage open on the floor in the room he escaped on, he might find his way home overnight.

Also, when it gets dark you can try switching everything off in the house and quietly sitting in each room of the house for 20 mins, they can be a bit noisy scratching around and you can locate them. A team of people can cover more rooms. Silence and darkness is a must.

goodasitgets · 08/08/2013 17:36

Definitely cheese. It's strong smelling too which will tempt the little bugger out
Mine appeared a few months ago from under the fridge with a look of "me? Just chilling" on his face

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 08/08/2013 17:42

Don't lose hope, we found ours under the floorboards 3 days after the little blighter escaped. New hamster has also escaped and got off of high wooden table Confused
I heard him nibbling in the corner before I'd even realised.

Floralnomad · 08/08/2013 18:31

The reason I'm saying cucumber is so he gets water as it contains lots if he's loose for a few days not because cucumber is a hamsters favourite food . Stick some cheese next to the cucumber .