Hamster pest!!! - Orchid Board

snowflake311 · #1 05-02-2016, 01:15 PM

So I go in to check my orchids and I see this !

Even a root was ripped off. I thought dogs? No they would not dig in it. Then I thought Mice no I have had mice around and this never happen? Then I thought this looks like something the hamster would do.... The hamster cage is in the same room. So I go to the cage ( a 20gal tall aquarium) to find NO HAMSTER!!! The little F$%#@ jumped out at night and tried to get into my orchid pot.

I was shocked the hamster got out and went after my plant. I am going to repot this plant into semi-hydro I guess. The hamster is still missing and I have dogs that kill rodents so I am not sure how this story will end but I don't think it will end well. What a crazy thing to wake up to.

DeaC · #2 05-02-2016, 01:24 PM

Do think the plant will have a better outcome. Sometimes trauma produces more strength and vigor.Think positive!

AndreaK · #3 05-02-2016, 01:26 PM

To find the hamster you can put out a dish of food and lay down lines of baby powder. The hamster will then leave a trail indicating the direction it has traveled. Unfortunately, ours found its way inside the wall to the basement steps, it was not located until it was too late. You could also bait a sticky trap, check it several times a day. If caught you can wear super thick gloves (protection against biting), coat the trap with oil to release the hamster gently. This method worked with a 6 foot salt and pepper king snake that my daughter "forgot" to latch the lid to its enclosure. Good luck with the hungry dog aspect, can't help in that department!

Leafmite · #4 05-02-2016, 01:59 PM

The best way (we have caught hamsters and gerbils this way) is to get a bucket, put some food and a little dish of water inside, build a ramp with books or something so the hamster can climb up into it. He falls in and cannot get out. Make certain no other food or water is available.

My kids had hamsters and gerbils for many years and this would happen frequently. Gerbils will often come to you but when they didn't.... Except for one trained Russian Dwarf, the hamsters always had to be caught with the bucket method.

The hamster is probably thirsty...thus digging into the pot (or building a nest).

snowflake311 · #5 05-02-2016, 02:51 PM

Thanks guys for the Ideas and hope that we could find him. This hamster loves to run! he loves to dig I think he was tired and was trying to nest in the orchid pot. I will try and make a trap. The dogs have not found him yet so there is hope.

---------- Post added at 10:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:25 AM ----------

GOOD NEWS! I took my flash light and looked around and I found the little stinker in the corner of a Closet. She is back in her cage now. WOW that was a close one because if my dogs found her first it would have been bad.

The orchids is doing well now too. I put it in Semi-hydro and it only lost one good root the rest of the roots are fine.

AndreaK · #6 05-02-2016, 04:10 PM

Great news, glad you found her first!

estación seca · #7 05-02-2016, 11:56 PM

Glad for the happy outcome. I let the dogs see me handling the snakes and put the snakes where they can sniff, but I don't know what would happen if one got out when I'm not around.