While we all had a great time at Winnie’s birthday party the other night, there was one black cloud hanging over the festivities. We are hamster sitting for Aunt Shel’s furry friend, Crash, while she gets ready for her wedding and honeymoon. Crash and Winnie do not socialize, but they are aware of each other. So, we thought, what a coincidence, Crash can come to the birthday party. We’ll put them each in their own ball and have hamster races at the end of the party.

But then Crash disappeared. We came down one morning and he was gone. Unfortunately, Geetle blamed this on Pookie and we believed her for a little while. Then we determined that Crash had busted out thru the top of his cage, popping the tape that Aunt Shel had put there to prevent that very thing.

So, he has been on the lam for about 4 days now. We have a carrot in the middle of the kitchen floor, just waiting for him to come and get it. Its gone limp by now, and we have no sign of Crash.

Winnie got out once, the morning BAGD and I were to leave for our cruise. But BAGD is smarter than the average domesticated animal, so he rigged a trap. He put Winnie’s food in a bowl inside her cage (a fish tank at that point), made a ramp so that she could walk up to the top of the cage and jump (fall!) into the cage, but could not get out again. It worked within 12 hours. Unfortunately, Crash is not falling for this trick.

Come to think of it, Winnie got out another time. She lives in the basement playroom, but when she got out that time, we found her under the stove. She apparently walked up the stairs and thru an old cat door we have in the door leading to the basement. I saw her, got her a carrot and she came out. That’s why I thought a carrot would work on Crash.

According to this website, it is best to find the hamster within a few days. We are already at 4 days, so our window is closing. We just thought he would come back on his own. But tonite I am going to try the peanut butter mentioned in the article. Maybe the carrot was not the best bait. Uncle JB is here tonite. Maybe I can get him and BAGD to look under the furniture and appliances (Crash was bunking in the dining room). I would do it myself, but if I do and then I go into early labor, I don’t really think it was worth it. Sorry Crash.