Operation: Abe Report, Day Four and HamWatch 2010: Day Seven

Operation: Abe, Day Four

This is the fourth morning Abe is still missing. On Tuesday, he went missing. On Wednesday, he left a dropping and some bedding so we knew he was around. Yesterday and today...nothing. In the last few days, I've pulled out bookcases and filing cabinets, searched through closets, behind and under everything I can think of. But...no Abe.

The last two nights, I put out flour, hoping to catch Abe's trail. Several of the web sites I found suggested it, and I thought maybe it would work...but no dice. Here's all I got:

Flour Trap, Night Two

Flour Trap, Morning, Day Three

Now...is that really enough to go on? First of all, Abe has a "hair skirt" that I kept thinking would majorly disturb the flour. This could be a trail, but when I saw it, I thought it was a bit more like a bug could've done it. It's hardly anything. And it didn't go anywhere. This trail points directly to my bedroom, and that door is always closed tightly and has no space at the bottom, so there's no way that Abe could be in there.

Two nights ago, we also implemented our bucket trap. At a restaurant supply store, we bought this canister for rice. We haven't used it yet, and obviously we'll be sterilizing it before using it for rice, but I put bedding and enticing snacks in the canister. Leo and I created a staircase out of motivational books. I even used The Power of Seduction, which I received as a gag gift once, hoping it would seduce Abe into coming home. I baited the canister with peanut butter, even, thinking that would be enough. But...no Abe.

Last night, I didn't even bother with the flour. I was a little concerned that Abe was a little frightened off by it, so I just didn't put it down. I was testing my snacks on Willa to see what appealed the most to her. Peanut butter was a miss- Will totally ignored it. But she really seems to like apples, so I put a slice of apple into the canister.

I also put a slice of apple and three Cheerios in a room I hadn't previously tested- the laundry room. Our washer and dryer Bosch, which are often intended to go under counters. Since we weren't following European tradition and putting our laundry machines in the kitchen, we had to have a platform built to raise them up a few inches. The platform is a) hollow, save some acoustic foam, and b) open at the back for ventilation. Since the flour trail pointed vaguely in the direction of the part of the house where the laundry room is, I gave it a shot and put the snacks in there. But this morning, nothing. None of the snacks in any room has been disturbed. I just have no idea where Abe could be or if he's even still alive.

It's almost as if, during that first night, Abe packed his cheeks with food from his cage in preparation for a long vacation, because he hasn't touched any of the snacks I've put out for him.

Today I plan to empty the two closets in the office. I've already looked in the bottoms of the closets and taken stuff out of there, but there are clothes and coats that Abe could be hiding in, so I aim to do a pretty thorough search this afternoon. It kills me not to do something.

HamWatch 2010: Day Seven

On a happier note, the hamster babies are celebrating their one week birthday today, and they are absolutely thriving. Willa continues to mother beautifully- which the pet store confirms is kind of a rare thing for a first litter. The babies have grown a bit of fur and four are definitely black, eight are blonde. They make the most delightful squeaking sounds, which my clients confirm that they can indeed hear when I have a phone meeting, LOL (I'm lucky that my business isn't overly formal and my clients enjoy a bit of fun, or I think I'd have to move the hamsters out of the office). 

I have been able to touch them a bit without upsetting Willa. Sometimes when she leaves the nest, a couple of die-hard nursers hang on and get dragged a few inches outside the nest. Without their eyes open yet, they can't really find their way back unless they're really close, so I've petted Willa and gotten her scent on my hands and then gently coaxed the wee babies back into the nest. I seriously can't wait until I can hold them, though. They are so tiny and so precious. And newsflash: the other day, Leo said casually, "What do you think about keeping one or two of the babies?" LOL Here we go again.

Operation Abe Update:
I just searched both closets in the office, but there was no sign of Abe. Where could he be? I also talked with a vet who said that if Abe packed his cheeks for a long vacation, he could be just fine, holed up somewhere, hanging out and relaxing. He may not come back until he's exhausted his supply of snacks. My hope is (somewhat) restored.