Lock 'er up!

What do you get when you cross an open cage and a mouse? Answer: A furry escape!!  Sometimes it's because we forget, sometimes it's simply because we think we did it but we really haven't, but almost everyone has done it once in their life-time--leaving open the cage by accident is a common mishap in our daily lives. The horror when at work or school. The terror while shopping at the mall. OH NO!!!! I left the cage open again... You worry. When you arrive home, you search the couch before you sit down, hoping the hamster or rat isn't being squished to death by his own owner. You, for some reason, are unable to turn on the TV to watch football. Looking over by the back of the TV, you see him. He must of chewed the cord right over there.  Poor guy. To avoid that happening, quickly close all doors and push towels underneath the doorways. Put treats under beds and near the baseboard of the walls, so the hamster(or rat, gerbil..etc.) will eat the treats(and not starve to death). Every morning, check the areas where the food was most eaten and put a "trap" in that room. A non-harming trap involves a plastic bucket, and a wide ruler leaning against the bucket. 1 or 2 hand towels stuffed in the bottom will be fine. Get some fresh food(like apples or bananas) that smell strongly to a small animal and put them on the towels. If there is no sign of the pet, this means he is outside. Put a live trap( usually sold at some tractor supply stores) out side close to the house and bait it with peanut butter or any other treat you don't give your pet often. If this doesn't work, your pet may be gone for good. To avoid this whole catastrophe in the first place, maybe you should remind yourself to close that cage!!