Lost the hamster

[HopefulFor2020]

We got DS a hamster last week after he had done months of research on how to look after them etc etc and now I've bloody lost it!!

He only had it 2 days before he went to his dad's for the weekend and was looking forward to starting to 'train' it over half term now that it's had a few days to settle in. I went out this morning and when I got back it was gone. I think I left part of its cage not quite closed (although it was still loosely close when I got home so must've closed behind him) when I went out.

I've searched the house with no sign and now left the cage on the floor so he can get back in easily with some treats just inside. Anyone know what else I can possibly do? DS is back tomorrow and is going to be utterly devastated when I tell him. I've been crying all evening because I feel like a terrible parent and awful pet owner! Massively hormonal at the moment and keep thinking of this poor little creature alone, lost and hungry 😢

@ChicCauldron A plant pot is currently decorating his roof terrace

I'm tempted to move the Alexa to face him so I can drop in while I'm at work and check up on him!

I think we're going to look into a different cage too. Although what he has is bigger than the recommended minimum he just looks huge in it and I'd rather he had one of the flat wheels (can't remember what they're called) and I know that would take up more floor space. Any recommendations? Links appreciated

Very glad he's back but trust me, it'll not be the last time he escapes.

You'll need to keep one step ahead of the little Houdini.

Some hamster are leapers and seem to escape at every opportunity. Brace yourselves for the next breakout!

As a teen mine managed to twist open and pull inside one of the small lids and escape in a conservatory with about 4 dogs in. I thought id find him sat in the 12kg sack of dog food gorging but nope. Stupid ass thing launched its self from the top of the cage into the mop bucket and drowned 😑 i dont do too well with little animals

Glad you've found him. Imo the best hamster home for a Houdini type is a glass fish tank with lots of different toys to keep him entertained. Hamsters are very intelligent and quickly learn how to escape new houses.

One of ours used to bash the cage door open with his enormous bum, somehow get down off the sideboard & wander round the house, I found him in the base of a chest of drawers, snuggled under a radiator, he walked across my late partner's foot whilst he was having a wee & got a shock shower. He always turned up eventually.

well mine has got out for the third time this week....

one of the kids had removed the water bottle which sits in a hole in the cage. They didnt put it back so he climbed out, my DS found him at 3.30am and put him back in but we couldnt find the water bottle, so i covered the hole but he as pushed it all off and escaped again. This one is a nightmare for getting out. We have three levels and he has pushed open the latch door on level 2 and 3 and got out, these are all securely taped up, he pushed up the roof lid and escaped that way. His cage is starting to look like fort knox....

Pungent food like broccoli can lure them if they are hiding in a hole somewhere! Talking from experience!

Second ham never escaped but she had this massive "bin cage" (with another room attached by tube) - the only possible escape point was if she decided to attack the tube which she never bothered with. Came out for a play and attempted cuddles every night and was usually satisfied enough to scuttle off back to bed afterwards and occupy herself with the wheel, toys, scattered food etc overnight.