Today just needs to end.

4Taylor20 · 01-11-2015, 03:40 PM

Today I came home, and was putting stuff away and noticed the glass cage that dos loves in, has a huge crack in it!! No idea how it got there as I wasn't even home and my hamster is not the Incredible Hulk. So I went about my day and decided to clean frodos cage, so I put him in his ball and put him in the bathroom. Dos was in the tub having play time and I was cleaning the bin outside. I come back in and the ball is open and Frodo is gone. Every door in the house he can get under. I checked every room like 10 times and I can't find him anywhere. The real kicker is, the basement door is right next to the bathroom door. If he got in the basement-- he is dead. There are tons of mouse traps, and random weird holes and crevices. I ripped the entire house apart and I'm in tears and I lied. This is the real kicker. Today was the first Time I held him without him running like a mad man. He just cuddled up in my hand and cleaned himself like a cutie... Hope I find him.... I'm pretty sad about it.. So any tips on finding them would be good

**DrKMcK** · 01-11-2015, 03:55 PM

OMG! You poor thing. First, get up as many traps as you can from the basement. Do your best to get them all. Most hammies stay fairly close to where they disappeared. Do the bucket trap in the bathroom and, if you can, set up another in the closest room to the bathroom. I know you are frantic, but try to calm down and listen for him. Make sure everyone in the house steps carefully. Oh, I hope he shows up soon.

Nameless_ · 01-11-2015, 04:00 PM

I'm sure there is a video of this on the ErinsAnimals channel, I'd have a look at it if I were you.

It consists on making a staircase leading into a 'trap' making the hamster unable to get out, using treats to lure it in.

4Taylor20 · 01-11-2015, 07:52 PM

Found him-- he must have been searching for mordor. Silly hobbit. One does not simply walk into mordor. In less dorky terms, he was hiding in a blanket I had in my closet. He is lucky I found him. I was really bummed out

Thin Lizzy · 01-11-2015, 08:19 PM

OMG! Thank goodness you found him! When I read you're first post a minute ago, I nearly died with shock and as I scrolled down I let out a long sigh - phew! What a frantic few hours for you, and to find him in in a blanket in your closet. You've had a fright but, frodo must have been so scared and finding the blanket probably had your smell on it and he recognised the smell and hide in it.
That's what I'm guessing must've happened.

**DrKMcK** · 01-11-2015, 08:50 PM

Hello 4Taylor. I just woke from a nap and all I could think of was Frodo. I jumped right on HC and went to your thread. I am so, so, so, happy you found him. All I could think of was the traps. As Frodo is a dwarfie, I don't know that I could get a small hammy like him out of a trap safely.
Several things for you to think about...they sell strips that cover the opening at the bottom of a door to keep heat from escaping the house. I think they call them door brush guards. They attach on the door with a sticky strip in about 1 minute. Get one for the basement door before any hamster escapes happen again. They don't cost much. It will keep a hammy from getting under the door long enough for you to either find it, or make it hide somewhere else. The basement has way too many things that can hurt a hammy. 2nd, it is always better to have one hammy in the tub and the other in its cage when you cannot supervise them. Hamster roll-about balls need to be secured all the time a hammy is in one. That means that the center is either taped or crazy glued shut permanently, and the little round door has to have a small bit of tape on either side of the door after hammy is in it because they are notorious for opening up as the ball rolls around. They also need to be supervised...even if it is taped up. A hamster out of its cage is always in danger if not watched. Someone not realizing hammy is there might kick the ball accidently. Someone might open the basement door for all kinds of reasons and hammy could go flying down the stairs. These things can do serious damage to a hamster, especially a dwarf hammy.
I think everyone who has ever had a hammy has had an escape at one time or another. I used to have one pair of gerbils who always escaped together and always went to the same spot...a closet in our playroom...all the way at the back under every last thing in the closet. A ball opens, a cage door is left open, a hammy falls behind a headboard. They escape in all kinds of ways. It just reminds us to do everything possibly to keep hammy safe if they do get out.
I've had so many stressful, sleepless, worried nights over an escaped small furry over the years. I'm just happy you won't be up half the night , scared something bad might happen to Frodo when he finds the real Mordor. Pet him for me please.

Piebald · 01-12-2015, 05:18 AM

Whew! So glad you found him safe. The day has ended TG.