My dwarf hamster escaped how do I find hammy?

[rattfan69]

My hamster just went across my floor, so cat did not eat ir. i try to catch him in the closet,, but he got away, he is very tiny. I had to put my cat in my bed room and shut the door. I did that just now. I have the cage by in my closet. Hammy went in the closet but I could not get him. when he comes back he should go into the cage.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Excellent he's been seen and is OK. I hope he comes out and goes into the cage. Yes, Escape might be a good name for him

 

[Maz]

Great news! So is the closet in the living room? And the cage is inside the closet? And you think the hamster will now go into the cage where there's food and water I'm guessing. At least you know where he is, and he has access to food and water. However they sleep during the day so he may already be asleep curled up in cosy clothing or something, and not go in the cage until later. But at least he has access to food and water and you know where he is! Keep that closet door closed!

The tricky bit now is when you open the closet again. In case he runs out again! He's had a big taste of freedom now. So I would keep the closet door closed and listen out for any noise. If you hear him running in his wheel then you know he's in the cage and then you can open the closet door and quicky close the cage door.

I'm wondering if he's a roborovski dwarf hamster if he's really tiny (and they are very fast!).

This is a robo - they have quite a distinctive face and markings - they look like they have "eyebrows" with their markings (unless it's a white face robo).



This is a Russian dwarf hamster

 

[Roborovskis r us]

I do not have any flour but I can buy some. I will get the no kill traps today from Amazon. I wounder if my hamster is behind the stove. I hear weird noises behind it but the stove is heavy and I can't move it, to see if hammy is behind it. If he is behind the stove I will wait for him to come out. I am not sure hammy is behind the stove, or not, could of been a weird noise and nothing more, hard to tell.

Sounds like he is behind the stove , those traps are a good idea.

 

[Maz]

Sounds like he is behind the stove , those traps are a good idea.

He's out from the stove now and in the closet - and the cage is in the closet too!

 

[Lovelyness]

That’s good that you have sight of him now. Hopefully he will be back in his cage soon!

 

[rattfan69]

Great news! So is the closet in the living room? And the cage is inside the closet? And you think the hamster will now go into the cage where there's food and water I'm guessing. At least you know where he is, and he has access to food and water. However they sleep during the day so he may already be asleep curled up in cosy clothing or something, and not go in the cage until later. But at least he has access to food and water and you know where he is! Keep that closet door closed!

The tricky bit now is when you open the closet again. In case he runs out again! He's had a big taste of freedom now. So I would keep the closet door closed and listen out for any noise. If you hear him running in his wheel then you know he's in the cage and then you can open the closet door and quicky close the cage door.

I'm wondering if he's a roborovski dwarf hamster if he's really tiny (and they are very fast!).

This is a robo - they have quite a distinctive face and markings - they look like they have "eyebrows" with their markings (unless it's a white face robo).

View attachment 10732

This is a Russian dwarf hamster

View attachment 10733

He is a robo -hamster, looks just like the photo, and yes he is very fast. So do you want me to keep the closet door shut, how is hammy supposed to get in his cage with the closet shut, did you mean close the bedroom door? I had to open the bedroom door as it is very hot where I live and I had to let my cat out, so could kitty could be in the AC. At night it is cool enough to put kitty in the room, with a fan. I have the AC on right now, is a hot one today. I only have AC in the living room, not in the bedroom. I thought I hear the trap shut but I guess not, no hammy yet. I looked.

 

[Maz]

Ok I thought you said you put the cage in the closet as well with hammy! You could try that maybe? Carefully open the door (while the cat is shut in the other room) and put the cage in the closet with the front door open. And hope hammy doesn't jump out when you open the door. If you can get him back in his cage you won't need any traps.

I think if you know where he is, you have to try and safely get him out of the closet without him going on the loose again or there's a chance you might not get him back the next time possibly. I wouldn't rely on the traps.

What kind of closet is it? Is there space on the floor to put the cage?

 

[rattfan69]

Yes the closet is big enough for his cage. I have his cage in the closet. When I seen hammy in closet I tried to shut the closet door, but hammy escaped before i could get the door shut. I can shut the door half way to the closet, if that will help? I have my bedroom door open, so cat can come the living room where there is AC. I did not have the cage in the closet when I fisrt seen hammy in the closet. I tried to shut the closet door, but hammy got away before I could shut the door. I then decided to put the cage in the closet, the next time if hammy will go back into the closet. There is nothing in the closet right now, except for the hamster cage and non kill trap by the cage. I could of sworn I heard the trap door snap shut but there is nothing in the trap and the trap door is still open with no hammy. I checked both traps and nothing.

 

[rattfan69]

The good news is that cat did not eat the hamster and he is ok. I hope little hammy returns to the closet. He got away from me before I could shut the closet door, he is very fast. Next time I will not try to get him, he prob got scared and ran away. I have the closet door half open, that way I have enough time to shut the door, before hammy takes off again. I mean if he will return to the closet. I do not see him as of yet.

 

[Maz]

Oh no. So he was in the closet and he got out again? I think tonight you really need to capture him as he needs water. Suggest leaving little saucers of water about. Also leave the cage on the floor again. So is he still in your bedroom or not?

 

[rattfan69]

Oh no. So he was in the closet and he got out again? I think tonight you really need to capture him as he needs water. Suggest leaving little saucers of water about. Also leave the cage on the floor again. So is he still in your bedroom or not?

He only got in the closet one time, sorry for any confusion. I did not have the cage in the closet the first time I seen hammy in the closet. I then decided to put the hamster cage in the closet. i am not sure if hamster is in m bedroom, cause I have the bedroom door open for the cat (Too hot to leave cat in bedroom during the day). I will leave water out for hammy, thank you!

 

[Maz]

If hammy is on the loose still you will need to keep the cat in the room that the hamster isn't in, with the door closed, until the hamster is back in his cage really.

 

[rattfan69]

I can put the cat in the bedroom at night with the door closed. During the day I have to keep cat in living room, with bedroom door shut. I can't put my cat in the bedroom during the day, it is way too hot for kitty. I have a fan and it is still hot. Tonight I will put kitty in the bedroom with the door closed, that is what I did last night, so cat wasn't in same room as hammy and still no hammy in cage, or non kill traps.

 

[Maz]

It's tricky I know. It helps if you know which room the hamster is in! At least there is food and water for him to find. Fingers crossed.

 

[rattfan69]

My bedroom has cooled off and I also have the fan running, so kitty should be fine. I just put kitty in bedroom with door shut, she is meowing cause she wants out, but she has to stay in the bedroom. I have a feeling hamster is in my living room, but I am always going to keep bedroom door shut. That way I keep hammy in one room, with, without the cat. When hammy came out of hiding my cat was in the same room. I should have left the cage in the closet. But I moved the cage and put by my bedroom door. I hope hammy comes back soon.

 

[rattfan69]

Kitty cat is mewoing a lot, she is not used to a closed door, but she will be fine, she just wants out of the bedroom. I am keeping my eye out for hammy I am going to look again, see if I can find him but if not maybe he will return to his home. Hard little guy to catch, very small and really fast.

 

[rattfan69]

I found hammy in the kitchen but too fast for me to catch. I place mouse trap, with a trail of cheese leading up to the trap. I also placed cheese near the cage and in the cage. I have peanut inside the traps. My cat is still meowing loudly but I can't let her out right now, once i catch hamster then she can come back into the living room.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I found hammy in the kitchen but too fast for me to catch. I place mouse trap, with a trail of cheese leading up to the trap. I also placed cheese near the cage and in the cage. I have peanut inside the traps. My cat is still meowing loudly but I can't let her out right now, once i catch hamster then she can come back into the living room.

I hope he will take the cheese and you will get him back soon

 

[Maz]

I found hammy in the kitchen but too fast for me to catch. I place mouse trap, with a trail of cheese leading up to the trap. I also placed cheese near the cage and in the cage. I have peanut inside the traps. My cat is still meowing loudly but I can't let her out right now, once i catch hamster then she can come back into the living room.

They are incredibly hard to catch unless they go into something you can pick up and "trap" him in. And he will run away from you. It almost sounds like you need a big net! To throw over. Or even a small fishing net (the type children have on a stick). My OH has used one of those to catch bats before (we occasionally get a bat in the house).

I think this is why it is sometimes better to not be there. Set up a bucket trap, have the cage on the floor and wait for him to get trapped. Somehow you need to make sure he stays in the living room now.

He may just avoid the human mouse traps.

He will likely be asleep somewhere during the day. It is very difficult with your cat as well. You will need to keep a close eye on the cat at all times during the day. And ideally try and keep him in the bedroom as much as possible.

I think this next night you will catch the hamster. I think you need to go to bed by about midnight and have the bedroom door closed with you and the cat in, and ideally have all lights out and it be quiet and still overnight. And have all this set up in the living room

1) Set up a bucket trap in one area
2) Have the cage on the floor with a ramp up to it in another area.
3) Still have the humane mouse traps
4) Only have food leading up the bucket trap - nowhere else. A trail of seeds up the books, cheese at the top and cheese right at the end of the ruler or "plank" he needs to walk on to fall in.

You can still have cheese inside the humane mouse traps and inside the cage, but you want him to go for the bucket trap rather than just eat on the loose!