degus loose in the lounge

[Jenasaurus]

I cleaned out the cage today and went upstairs, pleased they were in their nice clean cage. I heard my DD call up to me and say that the degus were loose. One was on the sofa chilling and my DDs boyfriend popped him back in the cage, where he demonstrated how he has managed to open the door (how they got out), I have secured the door but now the other one is running amok, he is under the sofa, so move that he then darts off to our alcove area which is basically an arch to an understair storage place,, so since 6pm I have been trying to catch him to no avail.

I have left food and water for him and cordoned off the wires around the router and TV (but he had already chewed through the fairy light cable!) Can I leave him tonight and continue trying to catch him tomorrow, his little mate seems upset too, probably wondering where his brother is, He came right up to me for a tickle and looked so sad.

There isnt anything dangerous for him to eat but I wonder how I will actually catch him, so any advice welcome

Would the hamster trap work? Bucket with steps up to it built from books, bricks, etc food rubbed on the steps and food in the bucket, animal jumps into bucket!

Can you throw a towel over him? I'm not talking bath sheet but like a hand towel would that cause him to sorta stop in his tracks and give you time to catch him?

I'm no expert on small animals though...

I wouldn't leave it he will chew threw everything and anything you might find a hole in the sofa! There will be poo and wee everywhere too

I wouldn't leave him, degus are super chewers, you'll have holes in your walls.

Ok. looks like im back down in the lounge then, I like the towel idea, will try that

I use to find a fishing net works wonders

Hes literally vanished. I have set a trap that once he gets in for food should keep him there until morning, but there is no noise, he may off course be sleeping but its so odd, I have to be up for work early tomorrow and not sure what to do

Put some shredded wheat in a tube (with one end covered), and rig up a cap trigger for when he tries to walk back out (YouTube should have instructions probably under a squirrel trap). Then put an iPad or something you can FaceTime nearby, and leave the room as if you’ve given up.

Monitor, recover and secure degu, and then perform a ritualistic victory dance to exert dominance

Hes been found, at 6pm today, my DDs boyfriend caught him and popped him bac in with his friend, he immediately went to the door he managed to open before but I had secured it much to his frustration.

Last night he would come out, look at me and if I so much as moved, even blinked he would rush off under the sofa or behind the book case. Cheeky thing

They’re cheeky and clever little monkeys, aren’t they? If there’s a next time, sit with your back to it with his favourite but off-limits human snack next to you on the floor. Most animals are driven by their stomach and he will hopefully find it irresistible and come on over to help himself!