A California woman was shocked to discover that her hamster has been sneaking out of his cage and getting up to no good.
In a video posted to TikTok under the handle @atchy07, the pet owner revealed how she found out her hamster had been “sneaking in and out of his cage daily” after stumbling upon the “secret hideout” he had been building behind the oven.
The clip shows the moment the woman pulls the oven out from its usual position to reveal a carefully curated mound of seeds, food and other assorted items that the hamster had evidently been hoarding away.
There is no denying the culprit either, with the video showing the hamster next to his mound of illicit goods having been caught red-pawed.
How Many Americans Own Hamsters?
The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 1.1 million U.S. households own small mammals such as hamsters and gerbils. That equates to around 0.8 percent of U.S. households.
Owning a hamster is a world away from having a pet like a cat or dog. It is a lot cheaper, and hamsters require much less maintenance.
But it is not without its own unique challenges. Regular escape attempts are prime examples of this.
Why Do Hamsters Escape Their Cages?
Writing for online pet food and supplies company Chewy, Lindsay Boyers said that hamsters often try to break out because they are “naturally active and inquisitive creatures” eager to explore beyond the confines of their cage.
Boyers said that many of these escape attempts are at least partly down to the fact a hamster cage can feel quite limiting.
“Hamsters are highly active animals and have a natural urge to run a lot—in fact, they can run up to 5 miles per night,” Boyers said. “If their cage is too small, they don’t have the room they need to move around and may try to escape to seek out a bigger territory.”
She recommended that pet owners try to integrate running wheels, tunnels and dig boxes into their hamster’s environment to try to stave off any potential boredom.
Social Media Reactions
That is certainly something the pet owner behind the @atchy07 post will be considering in the future. For now, she is likely still reeling from the fact her video went viral.
At the time of writing, the clip of her hamster’s great escape and hideout has been watched over 308,000 times. One viewer, clearly in awe of her hamster’s hoarding efforts, commented on the video: “Is he preparing for an apocalypse I’m not aware of…”
Another wrote, “Why do they always go behind the damn stoves and fridges?? My hamster got out his ball and went behind the fridge lol [laugh out loud]” with a third adding: “One time mine escaped and hid behind the washing machine/dryer and made a bed out of lint.”
Newsweek has contacted @atchy07 for comment.