[kesaiserris]

My daughter left my hamster's cage open during the night and the door to the room with the cage as well so obviously she got out. She managed to find the worst possible place imaginable to go. She destroyed the dishwasher and went back into the insulation in the floor. We can't reach her from above and we can't reach her from underneath the house either. From where she is she could potentially get outside now we have lots of cats and predatory birds in this area and even if she could avoid all that, winters here are brutal. Obviously I love her and I am worried and want her to be safe but practically I am scared she will start a fire that will destroy the house result in deaths. Where I live it is light most of the day now so I fear there is only a tiny window where she might even consider coming out from hiding and that would be in the dead of night when we would be asleep. I have tried some food enticement but the smell of that installation is strong and who knows how deep in she is. We have tried setting a humane bucket trap if she would come out for food but I just can't trust my hamster to make intelligent choices. I feel the risk of a hamster biting a wire is high but what is the risk of that causing a house fire? If a house fire starts in the floor like that the house will be destroyed for sure and certain and this house was our once in a lifetime shot at having a house, there isn't going to be another if we lose it. We could also die in a fire. So I need to know what the risks are, what someone with almost no financial means can do (we can't afford to fully tear everything out)? I don't want to gas her but if it is necessary please be honest.