If your hamster decides to feel a little free, stay calm and follow the simple suggestions below. Hopefully, with a little patience, you can find your hamster just as happy and healthy as before. Stay alert!
Step
Part 1 of 4: Finding Hamsters
Step 1. Stay calm
Chances are, you'll find the runaway hamster. Some people can find it after a few hours, others will find it after a few days, and some even find it weeks later. Do not be discouraged.
Remember, sudden movements and loud noises will frighten your hamster, so ask everyone to stay calm, don't make noise, and stay away from areas where the hamster is missing
Step 2. Close all doors
Secure areas where hamsters are hiding. Close the door leading to the room once you find out that your hamster is gone. Cover any gaps in the wall or floor, and make sure all windows are tightly closed. Try to trap the hamster in the smallest area so it is easier to find. Also, don't let the hamster move around the room while you're looking for it.
- Cover the toilet to make sure the hamster doesn't drown.
- Tell everyone to be careful when stepping when the hamster disappears.
Step 3. Move all the other pets
Once you notice your hamster is missing, remove all other pets from the room. Pets to watch out for are cats, dogs and ferrets. If you can, place all of the animals outdoors, in a closed room, or in a cage.
Remove any rat traps, rat poison, or other substances that are dangerous if your hamster gets close to them
Step 4. Find a hamster
Look for the hamster in the room. Hamsters like dark and warm places. Look for places that are never exposed to sunlight. Look in pipes, near heaters, behind toilets, and behind furniture. You can also find hamsters in cupboards, behind drawers, under the refrigerator, behind the washing machine, or under beds. Grab a flashlight and check your closet.
- Decide where your hamster likes to go. Where do you think it will go? Think about his behavior.
- Look for signs of hamster presence in the form of hamster droppings or grain marks.
Step 5. Prepare the food
One way to determine which room your hamster is in is to leave a small amount of your hamster's favorite food in each room before you go to bed. Line up the food on the sides of the floor that your hamster is likely to explore. Close all doors. The hamster is more likely to be in the room if the food provided has been consumed, which will make it easier for you to narrow down the scope of your search.
Step 6. Secure the room once you find it
If you already know which room the hamster is in, secure the room. This means that you should vacate the room and close the door to reduce the chance that your hamster will be accidentally hurt by someone else. Then crawl around to find it. Check every hiding place, don't make a fuss, and watch for possible routes for the hamster to escape.
Part 2 of 4: Catching Hamsters
Step 1. Leave the hamster cage on the floor
Place the hamster cage on the floor. Put some food and water in the cage and leave the door open near the hamster's hiding place. Over time, your hamster will want to return to a place that is safe and smells familiar.
If you have an aquarium, you can place it sideways
Step 2. Take out the hamster wheel
Another way to catch a hamster is to take out the hamster wheel. When you hear the sound at night, you'll know where the hamster is hiding. You might be able to sneak up and catch him.
Step 3. Place the food on the foil
Put some of your hamster's favorite treats on foil in the corners of the room. Dim the lights at night and listen to the rustle as the hamster steps on the foil in search of food.
Step 4. Surround the snack with flour
When you put snacks out at night, surround them with flour. When your hamster is provoked by a treat and takes the food to its hiding place, it will leave footprints in the flour that will lead you to the hiding place.
Step 5. Try a more human mousetrap
Humane mouse traps can be a way to catch hamsters. Set traps at night and be sure to check them out as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Step 6. Listen to the hamster sound
Turn off all lights and electronics. Stand tall in a dark room. Listen to his voice. You may have to wait a little longer. Gradually, you will hear the hamster move.
You can try tying the bell and carrot with twine. When the hamster is eating a carrot, it will move the bell
Step 7. Throw a light towel over the hamster's body
When you finally find the hamster, you have to catch it. Throw a light towel over your hamster until it covers him. This will stop the hamster and catch it safely. Gently pick up the hamster and put it back in its cage.
Step 8. Lure the hamster into a tube
If you know where the hamster is, you can try to lure it into the tube with the end closed. Place the tube near the hamster and put some food in it. When the hamster is in the jar, cover the exposed side and lift the jar. Put the hamster back in its cage.
Part 3 of 4: Making a Trap out of a Bucket
Step 1. Choose a bucket
Find a small clean bucket. The bucket should be deep enough that the hamster won't be able to climb out again, but low enough that the hamster won't get hurt. The depth of the bucket should be about 25 cm.
- If you're afraid your hamster will try to climb out of the bucket, try putting butter on the sides.
- Place a towel or wood shavings at the bottom of the bucket as a base when the hamster falls into it.
Step 2. Put the food in the bucket
You have to lure the hamster into the bucket. To do this, put a fragrant food in it, such as peanut butter or apples. You can also put a snack or a roll of toilet paper in the bucket.
Put water and lettuce in the bucket in case your hamster gets thirsty
Step 3. Make a ladder for the hamster
Stack a few books, CD packs, or DVDs as a ladder to climb to the top of the bucket. You can also build a ladder out of Lego, use a tube from a hamster cage, or make an incline out of a piece of wood. The ladder should reach the edge of the mouth of the bucket.
Step 4. Place a sheet of paper on top
Cover the top of the bucket with paper. The hamster will climb onto the paper and fall into the bucket.
Step 5. Lure the hamster to approach the bucket
Leave any bits of treats or hamster food leading to the bucket, then climb the ladder until you reach the bucket. Line up the treats on top of the bucket, and place some of the food on the paper covering the bucket.
Don't put too much food on the ladder that leads to the bucket. You should lure the hamster, but don't overfill it so it doesn't want to collect any more food
Step 6. Set a trap in each room
If you haven't narrowed down where the hamster will be in any of the rooms, place a bucket trap in each room.
Step 7. Use the trash can
Just like a bucket, use wax paper and a trash can. Place wax paper or aluminum foil on top of the trash can. Do not tighten the foil, and let it cover only the top of the trash can. Rest the ruler on the side of the trash can. This will cause the hamster to climb onto the ruler and stomp the paper on the surface of the trash can.
- Line up food or snacks on a ruler and place some in the center of the paper.
- Make sure you use a low trash can. Hamsters should not fall deeper than 25 cm.
Part 4 of 4: Preventing Hamsters from Escape Again
Step 1. Make the hamster cage more secure
Check which parts are fragile, loose, or not working properly so the hamster can escape. Fix it right away.
If your hamster runs away frequently, cover the cage with an iron padlock on the outside. Plastic padlocks can be dangerous and will not work if your hamster bites them
Step 2. Check the holes
Check the hamster's cage again to see if it has drilled holes in the bottom or sides of the cage. It's possible that your hamster has nibbled on parts of the cage in places you can't easily see.
Step 3. Secure the cage door
Make sure you secure the hamster cage door. Try bulldog clips for wire cages. You can also try to glue the outside of the cage.
Step 4. Get rid of anything that frustrates or scares your hamster
If your hamster often hears loud noises, sees lots of people or other pets passing by, or other disturbances, he will not like the room where you keep his cage. Move him to a quieter place where people or other animals don't see him.
Step 5. Check the hamster's comfort level
If the hamster runs away, it could be a sign that the hamster is unhappy or wants to leave. When you catch him, keep an eye on your beloved hamster and if he looks sad, consider buying him a new toy or treat. Maybe the hamster needs attention; if so, give him your attention.
Tips
- Avoid cardboard boxes as hamsters can bite them.
- Don't feel like you'll never find your hamster again.
- You can scare your hamster, so don't make loud noises.
- When the house is quiet, put your head on the floor of each room and try to listen to where your hamster might be. Most likely, he was biting into something.
- Check between the scarves or towels; the hamster may be trying to warm itself up.
- When you know your hamster is in the same room as you, place something in front of the door so it doesn't leave the room. Hamsters are small enough to slip through doorways.
- If it's been a month and you haven't found your hamster, chances are you won't be able to find it. Check all your neighbors-they may have found them walking outside and tending to them.
- If your hamster is in a room with a lot of wires, make sure the wires aren't plugged in so he doesn't get electrocuted.
- Be sure to lock the cage door every time you leave or sleep.
Warning
- If your hamster moves on its own when it finds it, give it a container (or ball) for it to enter, and immediately put it back in its cage. Don't pet it first. If he's injured, you could accidentally make him worse. Put the ball in front of the door
- If your hamster falls or jumps from a high enough place, don't try to pick it up. If he's not moving but still breathing, tuck the paper under him and put the hamster in the cage. Call or take your hamster to the vet if you're concerned.
- Be aware that your hamster can injure himself, (because his bones are very fragile), if he falls from a height of more than 25 cm.
