If you are reading this article, then I am assuming that your hamster has escaped or you are trying to help out a friend whose hamster has escaped. How frustrating! But don’t worry, because there are steps you can take to find them and prevent future escapes.
In this blog post, I will be talking about how to find a lost hamster. I will cover what you should do if your pet hamster goes missing and the best ways to locate them. I will also go over some tips for preventing your hamster from going AWOL in the first place!Â
I hope that by the end of this article, you have a better understanding of how to get your furry friend back home safe and sound.Read on for some easy tips and tricks on how to find a lost hamster!
Why Do Hamsters Escape?
As a pet hamster owner, you should first understand what might be the reasons that have caused your animal to escape. Without understanding this information, there is a very high chance that they will continue escaping, and we cannot prevent it from happening again.
There are many reasons hamsters can escape from their home. Some of them include:
1) They Want To Explore The World!Â
Most hamsters are naturally curious creatures and want to find out what’s going on outside of their enclosure. If they see a chance, these furry friends will seize the opportunity to escape! How frustrating, right? But there is nothing you can do about this behavior because it is in their nature. It isn’t something that can be trained away either.
However, it is important to remember that hamsters who have been outside for a little while will usually come back on their own. It’s only if they are gone overnight or longer do you need to take action!
If your pet has escaped once before and came back the same day, then chances are they might try it again- especially if you are not putting in the effort to keep them secure.
2) They Don’t Feel Safe In Their Enclosure
If your furry friend isn’t feeling safe in their own home, then there is a chance they might want to escape.This is a common reason for hamster escapes. If you notice your pet is not behaving the same way they usually do, then this might be one of the reasons.
If you have rearranged the furniture or bought a new hamster cage, or bought a new pet, then your pet might not feel safe in their surroundings. They may even try to escape so they can find somewhere more secure!
3) They’re On The Lookout For A Mate.
If your hamster is sexually mature, then there’s a chance they might be looking for love! How cute, right?
Mating season is another common time for hamsters to escape. Male and female hamsters will do whatever it takes to find a mate, even if that means running away from home!
It isn’t possible to stop them from doing this as it is their natural instinct. You can try taking more preventive measures and ensure they don’t escape.
4) They Are Hungry Or They Have Smelt Food
If your hamster is hungry, they are likely to try and find some food. How would you feel if you were extremely hungry? You’d do anything for a bit of grub, right? Your furry friend feels the same way!
There are chances they’ve decided to go on an adventure in order to find something yummy to eat!
This is another reason why it isn’t a good idea to feed your pet outside of their enclosure, because this could encourage them to escape more often. Wherever there’s food…they will follow their nose until they reach it! It’s just the way hamsters are!
5) They Wish To Go Into Hibernation /Torpor.
Hamsters are pretty smart and they know when winter is approaching . Though pet hamsters do not actually go into real hibernation like wild hamsters might, they might still show certain tendencies towards voluntary slowing down of their metabolic activities (referred to as torpor) under certain conditions, and this might be one of the reasons why they would want to escape from their cage.
If there isn’t enough space in your hamster’s cage, then chances are, they will try and find somewhere else to hibernate. This might include under furniture or even inside of your carpet! Don’t worry though- this doesn’t mean they’re sick. It just means that they need more room to sleep during the colder months .
Click Here To Read More About Do Hamsters Hibernate?
Steps To Find A Lost Hamster
When trying to find a lost hamster, there are certain steps you need to take in order for it not to be too difficult. You should follow these tips if your pet goes missing…
Assess The Situation :
Firstly, you need to assess the situation! How did it happen? How long have they been gone? What time of day did it happen? Knowing this information will help immensely in finding them again .
It is important to act quickly because if they’ve already found somewhere new to sleep, then chances are… they won’t be coming back any time soon!
Close The Door Of The Room Where The Hamster Cage Is Located.
If you’ve lost your hamster, then the best thing to do is close all of the doors in the room where their cage was located. This way, they can’t go anywhere else and will more likely find themselves back in their cage. It makes sense, right? This will prevent them from going into other areas in the house and making it more difficult for you to find them!
Thoroughly Inspect Their Cage:
If your hamster is missing, check their cage thoroughly. I know this sounds like common sense, but it’s amazing how many people find themselves searching for a lost pet in all the wrong places when they should be checking inside its enclosure first!
It can happen, especially if you have large cages with multiple levels to explore and search through -just make sure to search all the deep corners and nooks within those spaces as well. Hamsters like to burrow and hide inside small spaces , so take everything apart carefully and check.
Examine The Area Behind And Beneath The Room’s Furniture.
If you’ve just finished searching the cage and still haven’t found your hamster, then it’s time to move onto checking behind or under any furniture in that room. Your furry friend may have decided to burrow somewhere deep inside where they’re left undisturbed .
Check behind and under all the furniture in the room where they escaped. Carefully plop out all the cushions.They could have burrowed out of their cage and hidden underneath one of your chairs or beds, or they could have hidden inside a small dark space somewhere!
Remember to look in EVERY conceivable location!Every nook, cranny, and space is important when trying to find a lost hamster, so don’t leave anything unchecked ! You might even want to try getting down on all fours and crawling around as well! Anything for our pets, right?
Check Inside Shelves and Drawers
If all of the above hasn’t turned up any results, then it’s time to start checking inside shelves and drawers. Hamsters are very small, so they can fit into some pretty tight spaces once again, especially if your pet is trying to hide somewhere safe!
They may have even found themselves hiding underneath items on your shelf or in a drawer . Just make sure you check everything carefully before moving onto another area.
It’s important not to forget about anywhere dark , since darkness provides safety for our little friends. Therefore, under beds with dust ruffles, along with dressers without any drawers pulled out, are great spaces to check as well .
Check Inside Cabinets And Bookcases
If you have cabinets or bookcases in your house, then it’s time to start checking them! Hamsters are known for being very sneaky and can even get into small spaces that would seem impossible. It happens all the time, so don’t be surprised if they’re hiding inside of one of these areas .
Be sure to check underneath anything big enough where a hamster could fit through too- just lift up any large items carefully on top before removing the bottom cabinets. This way, everything is clear and it will make finding your furry friend much easier !
Check Inside Purses, Bags And Backpacks
If you find yourself with no other areas to search in the house and your hamster is still missing, then it’s time to start checking inside purses, bags, and backpacks.
Hamsters are small, sneaky animals that can get into spaces you wouldn’t believe. Hammy might be hiding in one of your purses or bags, and if not, then he/she could actually be inside some other object, like a backpack! I know it sounds crazy, but hamster owners have found their little creatures hidden everywhere, from under furniture to inside books .Â
Just make sure when you check these spaces that you look underneath everything (just like in all of the previously mentioned places ) by lifting up any items before removing them completely.
They may be hidden underneath a scarf , boots, gloves, or even tucked away in an extra pocket somewhere! It happens more often than we think, so don’t overlook this space either !
Check Inside Shoes And Boots
If you’ve checked all of these places and still haven’t found your furry friend, then it’s time to start checking inside shoes and boots! It may seem weird, but hamsters have been known to hide in shoes and boots, so don’t underestimate their determination to be safe.
When searching through them, remember the same rules apply- check every nook, , and space that is possible . Open up each shoe or boot before placing them into a separate pile where they can be thoroughly checked over.
They may have crawled into one of your socks; simply remove each pair slowly and check carefully before moving on to the next.Don’t miss out on finding them because you weren’t thorough enough !
Check Behind Your Home Fixtures And Appliances
If you’ve checked all of the places I mentioned and still haven’t found your little friend, then it’s time to start checking behind your home fixtures and appliances. This may seem like a last resort, but hamsters can fit into extremely tight spaces, so don’t underestimate them in any way .
Look behind things such as: dryers , washers, refrigerators, televisions, and even dishwashers, since these are areas that aren’t used often. This is where they’ll be most interested in hiding ! Also, check around cords, cables, or anything else running along walls – sometimes there will be small holes where our furry friends love to crawl through!
Check All of the Boxes in Your House
If you’ve checked all of the places I mentioned, have found no signs of your hamster and are still desperately searching for him/her, then it’s time to check inside any boxes within your home!
Hamsters love hiding in small spaces, – even if they might not fit perfectly. This includes things like shoeboxes , cereal boxes , tissue boxes, and anything else that is big enough for a little furry friend to tuck himself away into . Look through each box carefully before discarding them or moving onto another space, since sometimes one will be overlooked !
Check Inside Closets And Wardrobes
Look through each closet or wardrobe carefully before moving onto another space!
Your hamster could even have snuck somewhere within your clothing already. Check everything thoroughly by taking clothes off very slowly  and hanging them back up afterwards. You never know where they’ll decide to go to hide!
Check Inside Your Bathrooms And Laundry Room
Just like the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry rooms are great places for a hamster to hide. There are all sorts of items inside that you might not think about checking!
Just remember to check behind things such as: toilets, bathtubs, and cabinets . Don’t forget any drawers either, since these areas aren’t checked out often enough! !They can be under sinks , behind toilet paper rolls or above shower curtains, so don’t forget about these areas either .Â
What To Do If You Still Can’t Find Your Hamster
If you have completely searched every nook and corner in your house and you are still unable to locate your hamster, then it’s time to move on to other methods. Tracking your hamster and baiting your hamster are the two most common ways of trying to get your lost hamster back.
Tracking A Lost Hamster
Tracking a lost hamster can be done by following droppings or footprints that they may have left behind.
The best way to go about it is keeping your eyes peeled  for any small pieces of evidence such as: droppings, chewed up paper or wood , food wrappers or anything else he/she might have decided to leave behind while making their escape!
Start Tracking After Dusk
To begin tracking a lost hamster, you should start as soon as the sun goes down or even after dark. This is because they are crepuscular in nature and become highly active at dusk and dawn time!
If we search during their daytime period, it’s possible that our furry friend has snuck into some deep hiding corner where they’ll be sleeping off all of their worries from earlier on, – so the chances of finding them are greatly reduced.
Track Their Footprints With Flour Or Baby Powder
Once you’ve started your search after dusk, try to track their footprints by using either flour or baby powder. Sprinkle flour or baby powder around their favourite snacks . Repeat this process in every room and in front of places where you think your hamster might be hiding .
When your hamster comes out of its hiding place to eat its favourite snacks, it ends up stepping on the sprinkled flour or baby powder, and when it goes back to its hiding spot, it leaves a tell-tale white set of footprints.
This will leave a thin layer of white foot print residue around the floor, which makes it easy for you to see where they have gone and hidden ! Just remember that this may take some time since hamsters are very tiny in size, so keep looking until you find a set of tracks .
Pay Attention To Movement Sounds
Sometimes it might be difficult to see where your hamster is hiding since these creatures are nocturnal in nature. So the best way to track them down would be to listen for any sounds of movement .
You could use little pieces of aluminium foil, craft paper or cellophane paper at different spots in your home. Place these on items- such as the floorboards near a wall where its crevices are most likely to be found, in front of cupboards, in front of furniture, etc -and wait for crinkly noises that would indicate the presence of your hamster if they walk over the foil or cellophane .
Usually, when a hamster comes out of its hiding spot and then moves across these types of materials, rustling sounds can be heard, which will give a clear indication of where your pet hamster might be hiding.
Track Using Thread Tied To Snacks
Hamsters are very clever animals. If a hamster spots something interesting on the floor, it will pick up the snack and head back to its hiding spot with great care so as not to leave any telltale signs of where you can find him/her!
You can use this nature to your advantage. Tie long pieces of thread or yarn on to a few tasty snack pieces. Place these around the areas where you think your hamster might be hiding and wait for them to come out .
If your hamster comes out of its hiding spot and picks up the snack and then decides to go back to its hiding spot, it leaves a thread trail which you can clearly follow and get a definite idea as to where your hamster is hiding.
Use Snacks To Determine Their Location
If you have a feeling that your hamster might be near by but can’t see any signs of them, then the best way to track it down is through their favourite snacks.
Place some pieces of cheese or other treats in different spots around your living room and kitchen . Count and take note of exactly the number of snack pieces you are putting into each cup or bowl .
After a few hours, you can check on each food bowl or cup, and the room that has the one with fewer snack pieces is most definitely the one where your hamster is hiding. (Unless your other pets are raiding the bowls;)
Baiting A Lost Hamster With Food And Treats
After you have tried the above methods and your hamster is still missing, you can try baiting it.If a lost hamster can’t be tracked, then baiting them with food and treats is another great way to get them out of hiding .
Set Up A Bucket Trap
If your hamster has been missing for a day or so, you can set up a bucket trap to capture it. The idea is simple-Â place some tasty smelling food bait, such as peanut butter or cheese, in the bottom of an empty bucket or deep container, and place it below where you think they are hiding .
Set up a ramp for them to climb up to the top of the bucket or container. You can use a wooden ramp or even place a small pile of books arranged as a ramp. Ensure you sprinkle little food crumbs all along the ramp pathway.
The hamster will fall into the bucket when trying to reach its yummy smelling food, which means that once it’s inside, there’s no way out! Do not forget to place a thick towel or cloth inside the bucket to prevent your hamster from getting injured, when it falls into it. You should have your lost pet trapped by morning if this method works.
Leave The Cage Open With Treats Inside
If you think your hamster is hiding in a certain room, then the best way to find them would be by placing their cage on the floor and leaving it open and filling it with tasty treats such as seeds, cheese, nuts, or dried fruits.
You can also scatter some pieces of sliced fruit on the floor along with a few tiny chunks of bread, which will attract it from its hiding spot towards the direction where its food source is. Also, try smearing some peanut butter to the cage bars.
This method might take time, but if you are persistent enough, eventually your hamster should come wandering into view and go right back into its cage.
Don’t Lose Patience Or Hope
Keep in mind that hamsters get very stressed out when they lose their homes and families, so patience is the key. Your new friend might just be taking some time to feel safe enough before he comes out of hiding. Many times, ,the lost ones are found within an hour or two after setting up a trap, but there have been cases where they take days to show themselves. But don’t give up hope! Keep trying these methods over and over again until you find your furry family member back home.
How To Prevent Hamsters From Running Away In The Future
When you find your hamster back home, do not forget to take some time out and talk to it. Let the little one know that you are happy they’re back . If you have problems with your hamster escaping, then there are certain things that can be done to prevent it from happening again.
- First of all, make sure the cage is locked properly and securely so no one- not even a curious child or another pet gets into it.
- Never leave its door open when you’re away, as this might encourage them to escape through an open door .
- Keep heavy furniture in front of doors or any other openings (ventilation holes) which lead outside, so that they cannot squeeze their way out through these openings by pushing objects like chairs etc.
- Another great way to prevent your hamsters from escaping is by providing them with ample space. Hamsters are very active animals that need a lot of exercise and playing time. They love running around in large open areas without any walls or boundaries .
So make sure you provide them with larger cages which have plenty of room for activity inside, ramps , tunnels, etc… Also ensure there are no holes or gaps through which they can squeeze out easily! If you do this, then your hamster will normally not attempt to wander out of its cage.
Wrapping Up
You may have lost your hamster, but it’s not the end of the world! Do not be devastated or blame yourself. It can be difficult to find a small creature that scampers around. The best thing you can do is keep an eye out for any sign of your furry friend and don’t give up hope just yet.
Check under furniture periodically and look in dark corners where light doesn’t reach. Put food or water by potential hiding spots so if he does come back, there will be something waiting for him. Be patient, don’t lose hope, and continue looking until you finally find him again!
XoXo
Genie
