Hammy Has Escaped...

[Jill Bayles]

Don't know how or when. Never thought I'd have to learn all about escapism so soon but there you go.

I don't think that Aidan has had anything to do with this as he was in bed when I put Hammy back in his cage for the last time last night...and if he'd sneaked downstairs I would have known about it. I'm sure I secured the lid when I settled Hammy.

I just happened to notice that the cage was empty when I checked on Hammy at about midnight. I can't even say for sure whether the lid was open when I got to the cage.

I'm absolutely frantic. I've hunted high and low. There's no sound to assist in locating his whereabouts so I suspect he's fallen asleep somewhere. I'm sure he must be downstairs as he couldn't negotiate the stairs when I was playing with him on the staircase last night.

I've emptied my cupboard under the stairs and there was no sign of him. The rest of the house has been trashed in the hope that I'd find him, but to no avail.

I left my mop bucket in the kitchen unemptied as I mopped the kitchen floor last night and I was worried that he may have been able to climb up and fall in...it took me ages to pluck up the courage to empty it but when I did it was hamsterless, thank goodness. I will never make that mistake again I can tell you.

Anyway I've set a bucket trap complete with a staircase made out of books plus food trail, put his cage on the floor with food and water and I've put saucers of seeds and other tit-bits in the other rooms in the hope of tempting him out of his hidey hole and now I'm going to try and sleep and see what "later" brings.

One thing's for sure, Hammy cannot possibly have got outside so at least I know he's inside the house somewhere.

Sleep is not going to come easily but at least I'll rest if I'm in bed. I'll be up and down like a yo-yo for the rest of the night, hoping that Hammy's returned to us.

Will let you all know what develops.