How to Find a Lost Hamster
Has your little critter become an expert escape artist? Hamsters are notorious for being able to wiggle their way out of your hands when you are holding them, so it should be no surprise that your fuzzy friend has managed to chew his way out of the happy home you have designed for him.
Your Hamster Escaped: What Now?
You are logically wondering how on Earth you are going to locate something so tiny that is able to squeeze himself into such compact spaces.
To begin with, be sure to leave his cage door open, in hopes that he might decide to wander back to his source of food and water. Here’s hoping!
Looking for a Lost Hamster: Where to Begin
Your hamster may not have gone far. Start looking for your hamster close to his cage, and go from there. When searching for your hamster, be sure to check behind and underneath furniture and couch cushions.
Leave no stone unturned, so to speak. Look inside of drawers, cabinets, bookcases, and on shelves. Look in any boxes you have sitting around.
Go ahead and check inside your purse to make sure you don’t have a hitchhiker. You had better check inside of your shoes as well so that you don’t accidentally step on him.
If you haven’t found him yet, be sure to look for any holes or openings that he could have climbed into.
How to Track a Lost Hamster
If you haven’t been able to locate your little creature, you might the following tips:
- Search for him at night: Keep in mind that hamsters are nocturnal, so that is the time that you will find him moving around.
- Keep seeds laying about: Try placing a small pile of seeds on the floor of each room and see which one they disappear from.
- Lay down aluminum foil: Leave a piece of foil where you think your hamster may be hiding out and turn out the lights. Listen for the pitter-patter of little hamster feet.
How to Catch Your Hamster
Let’s say you found him, but you are having trouble actually catching him to put back in his cage. What can you do?
One option is to leave his cage open, with plenty of fresh food and water waiting for him. The only problem with this approach is that you may have to hang around and wait for him to go back inside so that you can shut the cage door when he decides to come home.
Something else you can try is to set up a bucket trap. This starts with a bucket, that has a towel placed on the bottom. Now, place a really tasty treat on top of the towel. Make a ramp that leads up into the bucket, so that your hamster can get into the bucket, but not back out of it.
Final Thought
If your hamster escapes, don’t worry about him too much. He can survive for a few days by eating crumbs that he finds around the house. Just have a little patience and try these tips. Before you know it, you will have outsmarted this little critter.