Baby Hamster Escaped

[xSmiles]

Yesterday, a friend of mine had given one of her baby hamsters to me. I didn't have a cage yet so I'd been keeping her in a box until I got one. She kept trying to climb out of it, but it really didn't seem like she would even be able to. This morning, right after I had woken up, I checked on her and realized she had somehow climbed out. I've looked around my house literally for hours and found some droppings here and there, but I can't seem to find her. She's so tiny and I'm worried I might not be able to find her. Does anyone have advice?

[Zouave]

Yea, get her back with her mother before she dies!! Babies should not be touched and not taken away from their moms. :mad: Even now it may be too late. :rolleyes:

As for escapes in general. . .


The first thing you can do is a forum Search for "escaped hamster" threads, and then read them. You will learn many things. There have been numerous threads on this topic in past months.

Besides doing that. . .

Secure the room. Be sure there is no way out. If you are foolish and selfish enough to have cats in the same house as small rodents be sure they are kept in one place until the hamster is found. Keep all dogs confined.

At night, leave out food and water. I once had a ham escape for ten days and be found safe; yesterday I caught an escaped gerbil after 12 days! I knew he was there as he'd disturb the food and water at night or when I was not there.

So, what do I do to find one? I have a deep big pail or bin ready with food inside. As they often hide under chairs or furniture I try to flush them out by making noise and causing them to move away from the noise to an area I want them to be, an area I can corner them in, often with boxes or guinea pig gates blocking them off. This is exactly how I caught Luke, the escaped and very fast gerbil. I slowly and patiently got him into the kitchen, which I then blocked off.

Once he was in there, knowing I could not grab him with my hand (some I can) I waited, and waited, motionless, and then he got curious and smelled the food, and went into the bin! In an instant I righted the bin keeping my hand over the top so he could not jump out, although it was likely too deep for a gerb; a ham never could have. I had him!! :)

Sometimes hamsters are too nervous and only come out at night. Leave crinkly paper around or something so you can hear them moving. It will give you an idea where they are, and you can try cornering them. At some point you may have to just wait patiently: in Dion's case, he being very nervous, I had to leave clean big flower pots on their sides with a little food. Eventually (after those ten days!) I heard him moving. Slowly I tip toed to where I heard the sound, slowly. I saw his behind sticking out of a pot. Again, I quickly righted the pot so the opening faced up, and I had him! Cutest hamster I ever had.

On rare occasions if a ham or gerb is under a chair or something and I can kneel nearby mortionless; eventually they usually get curious and look around, and I have grabbed a few that way, the gerbils by the tail; the hams only with a glove as they might be scared and bite. I dumped each instantly into a nearby pail.

If you have a wooden floor you can lightly dust it with talc and trace his footprints to any hiding place.

If all else fails, buy a Have-a-Heart humane trap which you can find online. They are cheap, and safe for small animals. I was about to order one for that escaped gerbil I mentioned today, but I caught him so no need.

And that is what I do. Good luck.

[FemaleCheetah]

zouave - Im sure the baby hammie is weaned, as long as the pup is 3 1/2 weeks old which is when it should be weaned then i can survive on it own although I recommend keeping a pup with its mom until 5 weeks old age but they can be seperated as early as 3 1/2 weeks and be just fine.

[FemaleCheetah]

Zouave - another thing... I dont think its foolish and selfish to have cats in the same house as rodents, I have two cats and 28 hammies, all I do is keep the cats out of the hammies room.

[HandcuffedAngel]

I have 2 cats and they help me find my hammy if she gets out of her ball (which she does quite often).

My cat Heidi used to go in and grab my hammies out of their cage and then set them on the floor and watch them run around. Not all cats kill rodents ... mine certainly don't.

I have a bird, too.

[amandala45]

Omg Zouave i have a cat and rodents and not in over a year have i had a death of a animal(exept a stillborn runty gerbil on nov. 1st...) it's called A LOCK ON THE 3 ROOMS FROM THE RODENTRY AND THE RODENTRY DOOR!!!i usually put jars with food and sit silently but still awake(a lotta coffee usually helps with this)till it goes in a jar.then scoop it up.