Where did our hamsters go? Another update (possibly the end) Final update #183

[Cruise]

Hope you catch her OP.

This reminds me of a few years ago when we spent the night at DH's aunts and uncle's and they were having similar issues with a pet SNAKE! (See, it could be worse!)

My cousin had a pet tarantula that got out once.

 

[torinsmom]

My cousin had a pet tarantula that got out once.

My brother had one of those once, and my mom had a big concrete block on top of that aquarium. No way was she letting that sucker out

 

[Fly4free]

I had a cousin who would often forget to feed his, and one of them ate the other! We are going to do guinea pigs instead

Guinea pigs make very nice pets if you spend time with them. They are shy and need to get to know you. Also they are NOT escape artists.

OP I hope you are able to catch these little guys when you get home. I had no idea hampsters where such escape artists! I've been watching this thread.......waiting for good news.

 

[torinsmom]

Guinea pigs make very nice pets if you spend time with them. They are shy and need to get to know you. Also they are NOT escape artists.

OP I hope you are able to catch these little guys when you get home. I had no idea hampsters where such escape artists! I've been watching this thread.......waiting for good news.

They are more stinky though. I inherited one as a classroom pet and had to clean that cage once a week or there would be maggots in there, no lie. He was like a turtle, dragging his igloo around. He would drag his igloo over to the food bowl to get food, over to the corner to pee. It would have been hard for him to escape, dragging that igloo with him I didn't find him to be social at all, no matter how hard I tried. My kids kept putting non-edible stuff in his cage and I gave him away to a staff member to keep at her home.

My hamster is much more social and I don't have to clean his cage more than once a month. As long as you take proper precautions--wire ties to hold wire doors together or a secure top on a plastic or glass cage, they don't get out easily.

 

[dixonismydog]

No hamster yet!?! (I have no life either!)

I have to disagree with a PP though.............some of them DO get out easily! We wired, duct taped you name it and Toffee would escape. He spent hours everyday trying to get out of that cage. We purchased new cages.....didn't work either. We have had hamsters in the past, that didn't even try to escape.........not our last one though!

 

[DawnM]

Did not catch them, BUT, the food put out to go into the "trap" was indeed eaten, so whatever is down there was smart enough to eat what was outside the trap/bucket!

We will try again when we get back. We are at Disney now!

 

[tomaszewski58]

Our little guy NEVER got out during the year that we had him. So imagine, my surprise when I discovered droppings on the bathroom floor early one morning. Yes he was gone. And unfortunately fell thru an air duct. It was a quick demise and we had reason to have our ducts vacummed out later that day.

 

[FergieTCat]

Any news?

 

[DawnM]

I thought I should give an update (possibly final update) on our search.

It hasn't gone well.

DH discovered some ripped to shreds shop towels in the garage in the basement.

Each night I have been putting out a "stairstep and book trap" with a bucket. Each night something eats the food and manages to get OUT of the bucket again.

Each night I put a taller bucket out. Last night's bucket was over 18 inches tall and smooth sides. It ate the food, left droppings, and got out again.

I don't think it is one of our hamsters at this point, I think it is something else.

I will try tonight with one more taller bucket, but I am not hopeful and kind of afraid of what we might catch!

We have seen no other evidence of hamsters anywhere for the last week and a half (since we came home from Disney) and I have been so sick that I have been in bed for the entire week after Disney.

It makes me sad, but we do have 2 healthy hamsters in cages now that we are making SURE don't get out and they are very friendly and loving.

Dawn

 

[EllenFrasier]

Don't feel bad. It sounds like you have done everything possible to catch the missing hamsters.
I would be kind of afraid of whatever can get out of the big bucket too!

 

[Mom2Ben02]

Dawn, I did not read all the posts here - but did you butter the insides of the bowl you are using? I hope you find the hamsters!!

 

[DawnM]

Oh, interesting idea.

It is a large plastic storage bucket, so it would mean quite a bit of butter.....but maybe some cheap oil would work?

Dawn

Dawn, I did not read all the posts here - but did you butter the insides of the bowl you are using? I hope you find the hamsters!!

 

[Mom2Ben02]

maybe shortening? the oil wouldn't stay coated, kwim?

I will be so proud if I solve this for you after hundreds of ideas.

 

[DawnM]

Hmmm.....will have to go to the store.....

Dawn

maybe shortening? the oil wouldn't stay coated, kwim?

I will be so proud if I solve this for you after hundreds of ideas.

 

[torinsmom]

Have you tried a no-kill trap? Once the animal gets in there and sets it off, they won't get out without you letting them out.

 

[sjs314]

Good Luck with the Hamsters and hope you feel better soon.

 

[mad_for_mickey]

Any update? (I am WAY too concerned about a stranger's hamsters.)

 

[DawnM]

I wish there were an update. We tried once more with a 28" tall plastic bucket....it got out....this is NOT a hamster in our garage.....we are going to have to take more drastic measures to get THAT thing out! We live a bit in the country, so it could be about anything....

I feel so bad. These new two hamsters (well, they were the babies of one that ran away that we kept) are held by the kids daily, but they haven't even named them and don't seem that interested in naming them, which makes me think they aren't that attached. They were to the two that got away.....

There is also no more evidence of hamsters in the house or anywhere else. I think they are gone.

Dawn

 

[mtblujeans]

I wish there were an update. We tried once more with a 28" tall plastic bucket....it got out....this is NOT a hamster in our garage.....we are going to have to take more drastic measures to get THAT thing out! We live a bit in the country, so it could be about anything....

I feel so bad. These new two hamsters (well, they were the babies of one that ran away that we kept) are held by the kids daily, but they haven't even named them and don't seem that interested in naming them, which makes me think they aren't that attached. They were to the two that got away.....

There is also no more evidence of hamsters in the house or anywhere else. I think they are gone.

Dawn

My DH wonders if you might have a packrat that can get in and out of the garage. He is telling me you would notice things missing from the garage if that were the case.

It sounds like the hamsters moved on....I'm sorry your kids are missing them. It can be hard with kids and pets.

 

[FergieTCat]

I wish there were an update. We tried once more with a 28" tall plastic bucket....it got out....this is NOT a hamster in our garage.....we are going to have to take more drastic measures to get THAT thing out! We live a bit in the country, so it could be about anything....

I feel so bad. These new two hamsters (well, they were the babies of one that ran away that we kept) are held by the kids daily, but they haven't even named them and don't seem that interested in naming them, which makes me think they aren't that attached. They were to the two that got away.....

There is also no more evidence of hamsters in the house or anywhere else. I think they are gone.

Dawn

I am sorry to hear that; I know how tough it is to lose a pet.