How to Catch a Hamster

Hamsters are obsessive diggers and chewers, which makes them seasoned escape artists. If your hamster does get loose, you will need to catch your hamster before it becomes permanently lost or the victim of predators.

Things You'll Need

  • Hamster food
  • Cat
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Instructions

    • 1

      Close off all doors and exits in order to catch a missing hamster. Ask all people to leave the house, and remove all other pets. Once you have eliminated all dangers and escape routes, you can quietly search each room in your house, carefully listening for signs of your missing hamster.

    • 2

      Leave small piles of food in various rooms of your house in order to catch an escaped hamster. If any of the piles of food are eaten, you will be able to narrow your search. In fact, if you put your ear to the ground and listen carefully, you might even be able to hear your hamster chewing or gnawing on something.

    • 3

      Check all warm or cozy corners of your house in order to catch your hamsters. Your pet will probably be looking for a warm, soft place to burrow once it cannot find its way back to its cage. Check all bedding, sofa cushions, closets, hampers and anywhere hot water pipes may be providing additional heat.

    • 4

      Call out your hamster's name continually during the search. If you have already bonded with your hamster, it will begin to associate the sound of your voice with feeding time. You may be surprised when your lost hamster actually comes when you call it.

    • 5

      Keep the hamster cage open and accessible, unless it houses other pets. Your hamster might have escaped out of boredom, and it might return once it has finished exploring and becomes hungry or thirsty. You might want to place the cage on the floor, along with a fresh dish of food, to entice your pet back to its home.

    • 6

      Use the family cat as a last resort to catch a lost hamster. Cats are natural hunters, and it will be able to smell and hear signs of your missing pet. The secret, of course, is to intercept the hamster before your cat moves in for the kill.