# African Dormouse Escaped



## TheDoctorsTardis (Oct 1, 2012)

My Dormouse maybe somewhere in my room. I am planning to stay up half night and wait for him to come out, tempt him with food in the middle of the floor. My room is pretty secure. However there are two prowling cats on the other side of my door. Is he likely to still be in my room? Anyone lost one before and managed to find him again? 

Any advice or tips would be welcome. Never had an escapee before.

Kind regards,


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## Ophexis (Feb 19, 2010)

Well the main question would be when were you last certain he was in his cage? When I've had escapees in the past they tend to find somewhere warm and dark to make a nest to snuggle down in before going out looking for food. Have you considered using a bucket trap? Hope you find him!


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## PresqueVu (Jul 27, 2008)

I've got them with humane mouse traps before, baited with peanut butter is quite good. I usually place these at the corner of the room, or higher up if you have shelves. I've caught one before that had climbed a couple of shelves up and was nomming on the bowl of fruit...

If you've got a gap under your door they might be able to squeeze out, but hopefully they'd not venture too far first of all if you've only just lost them.

I've not tried but head of people putting some tinfoil on the floor with a towel or similar nearby and then at night when they hear the rustling quickly switching the light on and throwing the towel over it before it recovers from the sudden light!

If they've got a favourite nest its worth putting some bedding and similar around where your trap is.

Good luck!


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## TheDoctorsTardis (Oct 1, 2012)

Ok good good. Peanut butter. Towel. I'm optimistic about the whole operation. I feel he's still in the room. The cats would of got him if he was anywhere else. He's probably been out for a night and today. (I am at work)

My only concern is last night i'm sure the heating turns itself off there would of been a period of the coldest part of the night where my room was not heated. It would of been very cold- would it of been possible he might go into hibrnation mode?

Tonight i shall slowly pull everything out and search everything there's boxes and boxes under my bed.. Hopefully he'll be curled up asleep if not, i shall sit up for the night and listen for him.


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## UrolithicTitan (Sep 12, 2010)

You've got one of two options to choose from as a first step, If you think there is a likely hood that he may of gone into torpo then he is likely hunkered down somewhere and will not come out to find food, and therefore any of the traps you intend to set. If you think this is the most likely outcome from his escape then you should tear the room apart looking for any possible hiding holes and if you have any hollow walls making up the room, check that he hasn't chewed through into them, because if this is the case he could be anywhere in the house or even outside by now. But when you are taking everything apart make sure to keep everything in the same room and have a net to hand because these guys can be like bouncy ball on speed, as I'm sure your aware.

Your second option is that of trapping, using any of the above mentioned methods. I would personally recommend humane mouse traps as these have yielded the best results form my experience of small escapees. As a bait I would recommend that you use pure maple syrup. Because tree sap makes up a part of their diet in the wild, hopefully the little guy will get a craving for the stuff and unknowing enter a trap.

From the sounds of your situation and how long you believe he has been out for, I would set traps up as soon as possible and if you don't get anything in a few days, which should be adequate time for him to establish a nest and think about foraging, then resort to stripping everything down. I would not recommend tearing everything apart to start with as this could drive him further into the hiding, and even if he doesn't manage to get out of the room, the disturbance may make him hold off foraging.

Good luck!


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## TheDoctorsTardis (Oct 1, 2012)

Oh i will need all the luck.
That was my only worry the cold and its triggered hibernation.

I will start by gently tearing the room apart for most of the evening and if that fails and still no sign i will put everything back and wait in the darkness- playing cod, but waiting nonetheless. 

And so it begins.... 

Thank you for your help & advise. I shall shout as soon as i found him/or not.


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## TheDoctorsTardis (Oct 1, 2012)

So day two and no sign of him. I looked everywhere for signs of droppings, which i guess would of been the first clue if he was anywhere. But nope. The food wasn't touched, i left a buffet out for him.  i think the cats must of had him. 

Thanks all for your help though. 

Kindest regards,


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## UrolithicTitan (Sep 12, 2010)

Princess Naja said:


> So day two and no sign of him. I looked everywhere for signs of droppings, which i guess would of been the first clue if he was anywhere. But nope. The food wasn't touched, i left a buffet out for him.  i think the cats must of had him.
> 
> Thanks all for your help though.
> 
> Kindest regards,


It is a real shame. But with small, 'shy' species like these, if they escape you have a very small chance of trying to catch them. But it's always still worth a try.


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## TheDoctorsTardis (Oct 1, 2012)

Yes i agree, i will still leave food out every night for a few weeks yet just to be sure- poor little fella, those God damnned cats.


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