So sorry to hear about the traumatic evening for your little gerbil! Her poor tail! I have found that it is best to be patient. As long as everything that I can possibly seal off is sealed off, then I narrow down the area. I have lured little ones away from a particularly dangerous spot by seeming as if I don't care that they're loose, and giving them a diversion. When they move far enough away from the area that I can block it without them getting back in time, I shove a towel or blanket very tightly against whatever it is (like a refrigerator with a tempting little space at the bottom). After doing this repeatedly, I eventually block off any emergency areas, and then do my best to hinder their escape by blocking off surrounding areas with whatever they can't get through. In the meatime, several tubes are set up so that they can try to hide and I can grab the tube. Things like open bags with food or oatmeal cans are ideal, because they will usually get interested enough to get inside, and then you can grab the open side so they can't escape. It's always best to capture them by throwing a towel over them, when you can't get them the other ways, because this usually traps them and you can pick them up still covered and not hurt them. Leaving the cage open on the floor and sitting very still for a long time - especially if you have a tube connecting where they are hiding to their cage - is usually fool-proof, because when they are tired or scared they'd rather be in the cage anyway, and are often too frightened to try to get back in. I have also found that a bright flashlight either scares or interests them, which you might be able to use to steer them the right way.
After a horrible scare in which Daisy had jumped out during a feeding and hid in the room, and I thought she had been killed when I couldn't find or hear her ANYWHERE for several hours, I changed my system. I now keep the cage inside a large enclosed area that I made out of cardboard. I am fortunate enough that I was able to use up a lot of space in my apartment, so I can also sit in there and be sure that play time or any other event that involves a possible escape will never cause worry again. They come out and run around for as long as they like, and usually go back into the cage all by themselves when they're tired. There is no chance of escape since most of the apartment is riddled with tiny places to hide and potential hazards. You might be able to modify this so that the cage sits within a large box or something with relatively high walls, so they can still get light and look around, but if they get out accidentally, they will not be able to leave the box and the immediate area of their cage. If you're paranoid, this might give you some peace. I hope some of these ideas are helpful to someone if another gerbil gets loose. Good luck, Dana :) __________________________________________________ Move your email to a better address. Over 1,000 domains to choose from! FREE! PRIVATE! http://www.MailSpace.com
