Lost Hedgehog

[godhunters]

Last night my hedgehog escaped from her cage, it had a cover on top but she actually moved the lid and escaped. Our house and garden is very big with lots of plants but i dont think my hedgehog would leave our house becoz there are walls surrounding our house and a small gap in our gate which i think my hedgehog would not fit into.. Do hedgehogs return to their cages when they escape? im really worried, it has been 7hrs since she had been missing and it was raining outside last night :tantrum:

 

[Nancy]

I assume you live in a warm climate that hedgie would be able to get out to your garden?

No, they usually do not come back to their cage. Block off the room her cage is in and thoroughly check it. Look under dressers, book cases, up inside couches, chairs and box springs. Look in dresser drawers and in laundry baskets and hampers. Look EVERYWHERE. Once you are absolutely certain she is not in that room, start on the next room but make sure the rooms are blocked off so she can't move between rooms.

Once it's dark, sit in the room her cage is in and wait and see if she comes out. Put food in a dish in the room and you can set her wheel on the floor near the dish. Flour on the wheel and around the dish will let you know if she has been near it.

Is she huffy? Does she huff with noises? If so, while checking the rooms, make noise and listen for her.

Good luck

 

[godhunters]

She's really quite tamed so i dont think she would huff alot, but maybe if i could make noises she would be surprised and huff a bit, she could be in the garden but our garden is really big, i live in the philippines so the climate here is warm but it was raining last night. It's quite sunny today, Plant pots after plant pots, trees after trees.. Our garden is like a FOREST Y_Y

 

[LovinHedgies]

I hope you find your hedgie - please keep us updated!!

 

[godhunters]

Maybe i should wait till night time. she could be sleeping beneath a plant or must have burrowed underground Y_Y.. any stories about missing hedgehogs that they have lasted for days in the garden?

 

[Nancy]

Look now and look at night. While you aren't looking, she could be moving somewhere else. Don't stop looking until you find her.

 

[godhunters]

Sad to say she could be gone, it has been 2 days. If i could have just given her some of my time instead of eating and celebrating xmas eve, if i had checked her before that i would have seen her trying to escape.. Sorry for being a lousy owner , i've had her for 2 mnths and she opened up to me easily.. It breaks my heart to lose u, SORRY!!!!!!!!!!

 

[caiti]

Keep looking. I have no idea how long hedgehogs can survive in a house or garden, but I would keep looking just in case. Leave out her food and things like Nancy said and try to coax her from wherever she could be hiding. If you just methodically go through all the places she could be you'll at least know you tried your absolute best and there was nothing more you could do.

I have heard of a couple insanely improbable stories of people getting their chinchillas back after days and weeks of being lost. It happens, even to great owners, so don't get so down on yourself. You know how she escaped so you can prevent it from happening again if you get her back or get another small animal in the future. That's the best thing you can do about it now.

Good luck, I hope you find your hedgie!