jen3kids Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 ...and the hamster got out, climbed (fell?) of the 4' high dresser, pulled enough carpet away from the closed bedroom door to escape under it.... And the cat caught her, in my bedroom, at 5am, waking me up. I chased the cat down the stairs (with Mousie in his mouth) and caught him. Thankfully, he didn't kill her, but little Mousie's front right leg doesn't seem to be working, and of course, she's a little disheveled looking. This is the THIRD time this little one has escaped. The first time, she pushed open the main door of her wire cage because it wasn't latched fully (my younger son took responsibility). That time she made it off the dresser, out the (open) bedroom door, and down 2 flights of stairs and was roaming around the main floor. Dh came home from a trip and found Mousie poop trails and eventually her. Thankfully the cat was outside. The second time, I left the front of her new cage open and she climbed out, but ds found her in the room before she escaped its safety. This new cage is attached to her old wire cage and is a maze of climbing tubes. This time, I took off one of the tube access lids to clean part of her tunnel last night and I forgot to put it back on. I hope she is ok. Dd, who is off at university, will be heartbroken if she dies, especially from a cat attack. All 3 escapes have happened since she left in August! I love that little Mousie, but I need to be more mindful of her cage. I sat on Dd's bed crying for probably 20 minutes this morning. It was so awful. And the cat, he's all purry and lovey, and sleeping at the foot of my bed. He was just being a cat, but I keep telling him, "Mousies are friends, not food" He doesn't get it - sigh :( I just checked on her again, and she's up in her sleeping spot, so she navigated her climbing tubes to get up there. She sleeps all day, but I'll check on her periodically. She always wakes up when I go into the room and looks at me with her sleepy, half opened eyes. She is so cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 What a horrible incident! I hope she's ok soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 You might want to keep an eye on any scratches - cat mouths are full of nast things that cause infections in incidents like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted November 21, 2017 Author Share Posted November 21, 2017 What a horrible incident! I hope she's ok soon. It really was - poor little thing. You might want to keep an eye on any scratches - cat mouths are full of nast things that cause infections in incidents like this. I did give her a quick look over and she didn't appear to have any scratches or bite marks. I'll look closely at her bedding tonight when she is (hopefully) up and active. This cat also caught a pigeon and a downey woodpecker, and didn't hurt either of them. If he had more time, he would have, but they were both rescued early enough. He was still in 'play with my food' mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 I hope your little mouse is okay. Please update when you know more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 :grouphug: Hamsters are escape artists. I had one who opened his own cage door until we put something on top of it. They also can fall from great heights - relative to their size - and be just fine. I am glad your cat did not eat breakfast...and little guy is okay. I suppose I'd wait to see if the front leg recovers. They are nocturnal and do all their climbing and escaping while we sleep ;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 (edited) FWIW, hamsters need much more space than the Habitrail/Crittertrail cages offer. US pet stores are woefully behind in this area. You're much better off with a big glass tank and a mesh lid that you can add latches to or weigh down so she can't escape anymore. Because hamsters absolutely LIVE to escape wherever they are! Edited November 21, 2017 by ILiveInFlipFlops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 I hope your little mouse is okay. Please update when you know more. She sat up whenever I checked on her today and is moving around a bit tonight, but she hasn't climbed down to play yet; it is still early for her to be active. And she took a treat from me. She's definitely not as perky as she usually is, but I hope she just needs more time to recover. I guess we'll see what happens overnight. :grouphug: Hamsters are escape artists. I had one who opened his own cage door until we put something on top of it. They also can fall from great heights - relative to their size - and be just fine. I am glad your cat did not eat breakfast...and little guy is okay. I suppose I'd wait to see if the front leg recovers. They are nocturnal and do all their climbing and escaping while we sleep ;). Well, she has fallen from the dresser twice and made it down stairs once. So, she can definitely handle the drop. FWIW, hamsters need much more space than the Habitrail/Crittertrail cages offer. US pet stores are woefully behind in this area. You're much better off with a big glass tank and a mesh lid that you can add latches to or weigh down so she can't escape anymore. Because hamsters absolutely LIVE to escape wherever they are! Yes, thanks. My dd did a ton of research. Little Mousie has 2 cages, plus her tunnels for climbing. She is much happier moving food and bedding around through those than a single cage. Unfortunately, she seems to prefer the great open spaces. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 (edited) Yes, thanks. My dd did a ton of research. Little Mousie has 2 cages, plus her tunnels for climbing. She is much happier moving food and bedding around through those than a single cage. Unfortunately, she seems to prefer the great open spaces. That's great to hear. I've some saaaad cage setups :( Yes, they really seem to want to do whatever you don't want them to do--chew whatever they shouldn't and never the toys you give them, escape when they should be staying in, staying in when you finally want them to come out. Contrary little stinkers! Do you have a vet you could take her to if she doesn't improve through the night tonight? She might need some pain meds while she heals. Edited November 22, 2017 by ILiveInFlipFlops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 :grouphug: My boy’s dwarf hamster loved escaping and hiding under my piano or sofa bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 That's great to hear. I've some saaaad cage setups :( Yes, they really seem to want to do whatever you don't want them to do--chew whatever they shouldn't and never the toys you give them, escape when they should be staying in, staying in when you finally want them to come out. Contrary little stinkers! Do you have a vet you could take her to if she doesn't improve through the night tonight? She might need some pain meds while she heals. Yes, we have a great vet who has taken care of all our animals - cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. He's wonderful and knowledgeable about the smaller too. That's hard to find sometimes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 How's your little mouse today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 She seemed to improve over night - moved around and ate/drank - so I didn't take her to the vet. When I picked her up a bit ago, she seemed shaky and unsteady again, but hopefully that's because she was sleeping. He won't be available tomorrow, so I'm hoping she continues to improve. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted November 23, 2017 Author Share Posted November 23, 2017 She didn't make it. I went and checked on her, but she was gone. There were no marks on her, but it looked like there was blood around her eyes, which leads me to believe that she had some brain trauma from the attack. I have no idea how I will tell my dd. She loves all creatures so much, especially all the hamsters she has had over the years. She knows they don't have much of a lifespan, but this is a lot different. Dd got this little girl about a month before she left for university. Juno wasn't very friendly at first, but dd has an amazing amount of patience and understanding with these little ones and eventually Juno would sit in her hand to eat. I had been holding her regularly and she'd stay for a bit, but was always trying to escape to the floor as soon as she had stuffed her cheeks with whatever was in my hand. It is going to be so hard. Poor dd, poor Juno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Hugs. I'm so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Oh no :( I'm so sorry :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Oh no! I am so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guinevere Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Oh no! I'm sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 So sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 I am so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 (hugs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Oh no. I'm so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 I'm so sorry. How sad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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