[joyluo1999]

Well I went to bed one day and I forgot to close my hamster's cage door. It has only been one day but I am very worried.

How long can they without food or water?

Can a hamster climb stairs because I've looked in the basement but I'm not sure if he could get upstairs. I've set a few traps around the house that won't hurt him and I have his cage out in the living room.

Is there any other way I could find him/my hamster?

[joyluo1999]

I tried the "ladder and bucket" trap but my hamster just ate some seeds and ran away.
Didn't even bother to go up the ladder.

Well at least I know what room he's in.

[shazamataz]

You might want to consider getting one of those humane mouse traps.
They are a little cage that the mouse goes into but can't get back out.

He might be to smart for the bucket trick ;)

[Alty]

Our hamsters were great escape artists. One of them got out, went into the floor vent (which we didn't know at the time) and was gone for over a week. We kept his cage out and he wouldn't return. We thought for sure that we'd lost him.

Well one day while doing laundry (the laundry room is downstairs, the hamster escaped upstairs) I head scratching in the vents. I called my husband down. He had to take apart the vent but voilà, there was Sweetpea, still alive, a bit dirty, but none the worse for wear. She had gone through the vent, started to walk and then must have fallen on the first incline and ended up in the vent downstairs where there's a long flat piece but inclines on either side. It's metal so she couldn't get back up. Poor little thing. If she hadn't scratched when I was in there we never would have found her.

Our other hamster Chicklet would escape and then hide under the stove. Every single time. I'd just leave her cage on the floor with the door open and she'd come back on her own.

Don't leave treats out, just leave food in her cage, maybe a special treat but only in the cage, your hammy should come back.

I like the humane mouse trap idea but there is a problem with it. Hamsters are chubbier then mice and even mice sometimes get stuck in those traps. I have used humane mouse traps for years, we have mice in our garage, and too many of them ended up getting injured because of the trap. Just fyi. :)

I hope you find your hammy.

[joyluo1999]

Our hamsters were great escape artists. One of them got out, went into the floor vent (which we didn't know at the time) and was gone for over a week. We kept his cage out and he wouldn't return. We thought for sure that we'd lost him.

Well one day while doing laundry (the laundry room is downstairs, the hamster escaped upstairs) I head scratching in the vents. I called my husband down. He had to take apart the vent but voila, there was Sweetpea, still alive, a bit dirty, but none the worse for wear. She had gone through the vent, started to walk and then must have fallen on the first incline and ended up in the vent downstairs where there's a long flat piece but inclines on either side. It's metal so she couldn't get back up. Poor little thing. If she hadn't scratched when I was in there we never would have found her.

Our other hamster Chicklet would escape and then hide under the stove. Every single time. I'd just leave her cage on the floor with the door open and she'd come back on her own.

Don't leave treats out, just leave food in her cage, maybe a special treat but only in the cage, your hammy should come back.

I like the humane mouse trap idea but there is a problem with it. Hamsters are chubbier then mice and even mice sometimes get stuck in those traps. I have used humane mouse traps for years, we have mice in our garage, and too many of them ended up getting injured because of the trap. Just fyi. :)

I hope you find your hammy.

Thanks,
Since I know what room he's in I think it'll just be a matter of time before I catch him. I know he's getting food cause he ate a bit of food from his cage, when I put it out, but then scampered off again but I can't tell if he's getting water.

[Alty]

Thanks,
Since I know what room he's in I think it'll just be a matter of time before I catch him. I know he's getting food cause he ate a bit of food from his cage, when I put it out, but then scampered off again but I can't tell if he's getting water.

Hamster can actually live for a long time without water, but if you're concerned put a little bowl of water out. Not too deep, the can drown if the bowl is too deep.

Does he have a hamster ball? Maybe try laying that out and put a bit of food in it. When he steps in the ball may move and trap him.

Remember that they like to hide in the darkest place they can find. Also, he'll be sleeping during the day, that's the best time to look for him because he won't be moving around. At night he'll come out to play. :)

[joyluo1999]

Hamster can actually live for a long time without water, but if you're concerned put a little bowl of water out. Not too deep, the can drown if the bowl is too deep.

Does he have a hamster ball? Maybe try laying that out and put a bit of food in it. When he steps in the ball may move and trap him.

Remember that they like to hide in the darkest place they can find. Also, he'll be sleeping during the day, that's the best time to look for him because he won't be moving around. At night he'll come out to play. :)

Thanks,
I'll try the hamster ball.

[Alty]

Let us know how it goes. :)

[joyluo1999]

I found him!
I was getting really worried about him.

He was in the basement. I'm not sure how he got down there but I finally found him. I just saw him running around while I was putting some food in the cage to try to get him to come back to the cage.

I'll try to post a picture.

[joyluo1999]

I found him!
I was getting really worried about him.

He was in the basement. I'm not sure how he got down there but I finally found him. I just saw him running around while I was putting some food in the cage to try to get him to come back to the cage.

I'll try to post a picture of him.

How do you post a picture?

[joyluo1999]

It's not that clear but you can see him.

[joyluo1999]

How do you post a picture?

I figured it out.

[Alty]

He's so cute, I love his coloring. :)

I'm so glad you found him. What's his name?

[joyluo1999]

He's so cute, I love his coloring. :)

I'm so glad you found him. What's his name?

His name is Cocoa.

[Fr_Chuck]

If it worked here is a photo of my hamster "Lightening"

[Alty]

Chuck, is he in a lunch bag?

He's really cute. Lightening? Good name. :)

I had pictures of my former hamsters but I never could get a clear pictures, they were always fuzzy.

I've had a Panda Bear hamster (short haired Syrian, black and white) named Fluffy (my son named him). A long haired teddy bear hamster (Long haired Syrian, golden brown) named Chicklet and a multi colored short haired Syrian named Sweet Pea.

Fluffy was almost 4 years old when he died. Chicklet and Sweet Pea didn't fair so well, they both died before they were two, both over night with no signs that anything was wrong.

Sweet Pea is the one that escaped and went down the vent.

[Fr_Chuck]

Yes, I was trying at first to hold him in my hand and have my son take the photo, he would not hold still or face the camera

He is in the top obverstation deck of his multi story home. I have one glass container about 4 inches off floor, with a house and a wheel, and then a tube leading up to a shelf with another plastic and wire cage with a buit in wheel and then up to another level with a observation deck.
With a slide

I have two lightening and sparky,

These are the dwarf hamsters, had them about 8 months, they were free, my over the top housing ( guess you have to have a hobby) was not free

[Wondergirl]

Hey, guys! Have you ever seen an ugly hamster??

All together now -- Aaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwww!!

[Alty]

yes, I was trying at first to hold him in my hand and have my son take the photo, he would not hold still or face the camera

He is in the top obverstation deck of his multi story home. I have one glass container about 4 inches off floor, with a house and a wheel, and then a tube leading up to a shelf with another plastic and wire cage with a buit in wheel and then up to another level with a observation deck.
with a slide

I have two lightening and sparky,

These are the dwarf hamsters, had them about 8 months, they were free, my over the top housing ( guess you have to have a hobby) was not free

I really wanted to get dwarf hamsters for the kids because you can actually keep them housed together, unlike Syrians. I was told not to because they're usually more aggressive then other breeds. Is that true?

I should have sent you my three hamster cages after we decided not to get any more hamsters. The cages were huge and they connect to most other cages. We had a maze, add ons, you name it, they had it. They lived in a mansion, lucky little rodents. ;)

[joyluo1999]

Chuck, is he in a lunch bag?

He's really cute. Lightening? Good name. :)

I had pictures of my former hamsters but I never could get a clear pictures, they were always fuzzy.

I've had a Panda Bear hamster (short haired Syrian, black and white) named Fluffy (my son named him). A long haired teddy bear hamster (Long haired Syrian, golden brown) named Chicklet and a multi colored short haired Syrian named Sweet Pea.

Fluffy was almost 4 years old when he died. Chicklet and Sweet Pea didn't fair so well, they both died before they were two, both over night with no signs that anything was wrong.

Sweet Pea is the one that escaped and went down the vent.

It's hard to get a good picture of a hamster.