# Escaped/Lost Hamster



## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

I was cleaning little Jester's cage on Friday Morning and put him into his Trixie hamster carrier whilst I was doing it. I had him in it in the living room but decided to take it up with me to the bathroom as I had all four cats in the living room and rather than round them all up as two were behind the blinds I took Jester up to the bathroom in his locked carrier with me, so the cats would not pester him or sniff the carrier. However I forgot a scourer to clean the botton of his cage and only left him just over three mins in the carrier in the bathroom whilst I went down to the kitchen to get a new scourer and I heard tapping so I rushed back upstairs to find him gone. Somehow he had managed to get the lid open on the Trixie carrier. There is a hole on the floor at the back of the bathroom sink he must have got through and it leads under the floorboards. I lifted the floorboards up at the bathroom door but it didn't lead to the bit he must have gone through and I can't get the floorboard up at the hole he went through as it leads to under the bath and I can't get the bath panel off to get the floorboard up at that side of the bathrrom. I can get my hand down the hole and have put his cage ladders down so he can get back up and I have put a humane mousetrap with food in it and food at the top of his ladder to lure him up but he has not came back up and I can't hear anything. I am worried sick and have been in tears all weekend. I would be so grateful for any other ideas that anyone might have. He could have got anywhere by now as I am not sure if he has climbed to a different part of the house. Does anyone know how long he will survive without food and water? He is used to getting all kinds of goodies like asparagus, strawberries, blueberries, brocccoli, pear, apple etc I am honestly beside myself with worry:crying:


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Do you know how to make a bucket trap? Basically put food and a bowl of water inside a bucket then make a little ladder or steps using books etc to get up to the rim of the bucket, the hamster in theory will drop into the bucket and not be able to get out. I would set bucket traps in as many rooms as you can, also put some of his soiled bedding in if you have it, place the trap near the side of the room and he wont like to come into the middle of the room. I have everything crossed that you will get him back. Last year Mojo (mouse) went missing for three days and I heard the cats scratching at the empty cage and she was hiding behind it, I got her back safely so watch the cats behaviour as well, if they hear him they will go to have a look.


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Do you know how to make a bucket trap? Basically put food and a bowl of water inside a bucket then make a little ladder or steps using books etc to get up to the rim of the bucket, the hamster in theory will drop into the bucket and not be able to get out. I would set bucket traps in as many rooms as you can, also put some of his soiled bedding in if you have it, place the trap near the side of the room and he wont like to come into the middle of the room. I have everything crossed that you will get him back. Last year Mojo (mouse) went missing for three days and I heard the cats scratching at the empty cage and she was hiding behind it, I got her back safely so watch the cats behaviour as well, if they hear him they will go to have a look.


What would be the best food to put in the buckets? Do hamsters have a good sense of smell as how will he smell what is in a bucket? I have a tiny bit of his old bedding left as I threw what was in the bottom of his cage out when I cleaned it. However I managed to get the bedding that was in his house back and I have put that in his little house at the top of the hole in the bathroom that he must have went down. Also at the top of the hole I have put a bowl of food and he has not been anywhere near it as there is no spillage. On Friday night I put peanut butter and chicken in the trap that I put down the hole but cleaned it yesterday and put a dried raspberry and a piece of broccoli in it. I have been keeping the heating on as much as possible as well as if he is under the floorboards he might go into hibernation if he is cold?


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I would put whatever he is used to eating in there, is there anything that is a particular treat that he will like best?


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## Emmiiee (Jan 3, 2010)

one of our hamster got under the floor boards, my mum pulled up 1 board and put an empty princles tub in the hole, like cheese flavourd one, that really stinks!! and the hamster was in there within minites! x


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> I would put whatever he is used to eating in there, is there anything that is a particular treat that he will like best?


He really likes baby corn on the cob but they don't have much of a smell. I will buy some tomorrow and try putting them in a bucket:idea: If he has managed to get to another part of the house under the floorboards I don't know how he will manage to get out as there are no more escape routes in the other rooms that I can see any way. Surely he would have to come back up the bathroom exit he went down. I hope he has not fell down any holes where the pipes are leading to the downstairs level. I am worried if he has that he has injured himself. All sorts of horrible thoughts are going through my head. I really hope the cats don't get him if he does manage to come out , that is a big worry as well:crying:


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

Emmiiee said:


> one of our hamster got under the floor boards, my mum pulled up 1 board and put an empty princles tub in the hole, like cheese flavourd one, that really stinks!! and the hamster was in there within minites! x


Your Mum was so lucky to get your hamster backx


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I have three cats who are big hunters and my mouse managed to survive out in the open for 3 days with them around so try not to worry too much, also bear in mind that hamsters are good climbers so if he has fallen down anywhere he should be able to get out, its easy for me to say because I would be terrified if I was in your position, I just hope Im reading that youve got him back safely soon.


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

aww, sorry to hear about Jester 

good luck getting him back though - i'm sure he's fine! cheeky little mite. One of my hamsters escaped a (few...) years ago and we found her almost 2 weeks later in the drawer with all my brothers shirts that he'd left when he went to uni... She'd built herself a little nest and was sleeping quite happily!


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> I have three cats who are big hunters and my mouse managed to survive out in the open for 3 days with them around so try not to worry too much, also bear in mind that hamsters are good climbers so if he has fallen down anywhere he should be able to get out, its easy for me to say because I would be terrified if I was in your position, I just hope Im reading that youve got him back safely soon.


 I have been up the last couple of nights through the night trying to listen for him but nothing. I have had a nightmare of a weekend. He escaped on Friday morning and would you believe I found a field mouse in my drawer next to my bed on Friday night!!! The cats had been acting weird this last week and on Thursday night I got up 3 times to try and see what they were looking for as they were running around my bedroom and staring at my drawers then on Friday night I went up to my bed to find one of the cats fixated on my drawers and I opened it to find a mouse running around!!! I waited up trying to catch it and it eventually ran across my room floor and one of the cats grabbed it and ran down the stairs with it. I screamed at him and he let go and I managed to get a hold of the poor wee mouse by the tail and put it in a carry box and walked up to the woods at 1.50am and let him go luckily he seemed unharmed. He has shredded three of my good tops in my drawers!!! I have not got a clue how he got in as all the cats are house cats I pulled out my bed and there was mice droppings all around the back of it and in my drawers. I spent yesterday cleaning all my room and emptying my drawers and washing all my clothes that he had not eaten!!!! He must have been there around a week as that's how long the cats had been acting weird through the night, to think I was laying sleeping as well So glad I caught him and set him free. I just hope I have as much luck with little Jesterhmy:


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

metame said:


> aww, sorry to hear about Jester
> 
> good luck getting him back though - i'm sure he's fine! cheeky little mite. One of my hamsters escaped a (few...) years ago and we found her almost 2 weeks later in the drawer with all my brothers shirts that he'd left when he went to uni... She'd built herself a little nest and was sleeping quite happily!


Wow two weeks later!!! There might be some hope thenhmy: I am worried he gets cold and goes into hibernation under the floor boards and dies. I suppose I am imagining all the worst case scenarios:crying: I keep checking the mouse trap and hoping he is in it. You would think he would smell the food if he is still under there in that area and go try and get it I keep looking at the food at the top of the hole as well to see if he has been taking it as he would spill some over the sides.


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

I went to bed at 2am and got up at 6.30am and when I went into the bathroom half the bowl of hamster mix was gone and the hamster igloo/bed and been movedhmy: So he must have came up the ladders stole half the food went into his little hamster bed took some bedding out and hot footed away down the ladders into the new den he has made himself under the floorboards!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well I hope that's the case unless there is another field mouse now lurking in my bathroom!!!! I have tried my best to make a bucket trap and have put the bucket at a slight angle against dvds and books and put a load more hamster mix in it and blueberries, yoghurt drops and fresh raspberries. Of course if he has taken half the hamster mix out of his bowl it could take days for him to re surface? I looked in the mouse trap and he has not bothered going in there to get the dried raspberry or the broccolihmy: He just came up the ladder and took the hamster food. I wish I had stayed up all night I would have heard him but by 2am I was shattered with being up the previous nights. I do hope he comes back for more and falls in the bucket. I hope I have done the right thing putting the bucket at a bit of an angle, sort of propped up a bit?


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Oooh thats really good news cos it means hes around doesnt it. One trick is to scatter flour on the floor then follow the footprints to where he is hiding.


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

I am going to get a bag of sunflower seeds today as well and scatter them up the staircase to the bucket and hopefully he will follow the trail and fall in!!!! I am shattered with the lack of sleep:huh: I just hope he comes back in the next night or two and falls into the bucket!!!! He must have came up hole at the back of the sink that I put ladders down to I think anyway! Imagine him not going into the trap that would have been great. There again maybe he didn't come up the ladders at all and didn't actually pass the trap and he is maybe in another bit of the bathroom there is a tiny space under the wooded panels where the skirting board is


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY Guess who I have just been tucking up back in his little bed Yip the bucket trap worked. He is back and drinking like a little fish and doesn't look any worse for wear

Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions. I will sleep well tonight knowing he is back safe and sound


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

That is fantastic news give him a telling off from me, than a little snuggle as well.


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> That is fantastic news give him a telling off from me, than a little snuggle as well.


What a relief


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

I am now paranoid and keep checking he is in his cage


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## diane_1980 (Jul 31, 2009)

Thats great news,glad hes back safe and sound


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

Yay!!! Really please hammie has come home


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

Noticed before I went to my bed last night he is shutting his right eye a little bit. I will check him this evening when he wakes uphmy:


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## Sarah+Hammies (Jul 20, 2009)

Thats fab news that hes come home, maybe he got a bit of dust or something from under the floorboards in his eye thats irritating it.


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## Flissy (Jul 27, 2009)

I'm glad you've got him back


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## Parlourpuss (Jul 31, 2009)

Just managed to have a look at his eye and it seems ok now Maybe it was just dust in it. I have just ordered him his Wodent wheel as his coming home gift I am so pleased to have got him back. The bucket trap certainly worked


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## webzdebs (Feb 16, 2010)

I agree, try the bucket trap. Fingers crossed for you that your hamster is found safe and sound


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