A Bug's Life

Matilda the Big Hamster still isn't tame, for all her happy hand-related caperings at the pet shop. She doesn't freeze when she sees me, which is an improvement, but she won't be held, at least not by me. I let her out of the ball onto my lap this evening, but she leapt to the coffee table where we had a brief game of Grab The Hamster, which she won by jumping onto the floor. She had a minute of exploring beneath the coffee table, stretching her nose up to the bottom shelf like a Mighty Beast, while I willed her not to hide under a sofa or the tv unit or somewhere inaccessible. Her unerring instinct though led her to the most perfect hamster-sized nook, there's a half-depth CD shelf next to a bookcase and a hamster can just nip round the back and hide underneath. And a human can block it off with a tray - haha! I am more clever than a hamster. Then drag the coffee table and sofa around and position The Ball and a backup cardboard box so as to cut off escape routes. A little bit of patience and a quick hand with the ball lid and the hamster is safely resecured.