Now fully refreshed and ready for some exercise he crawled to his exercise wheel. This is a wheel on a stand that turns as the hamster runs on it. Teddy started off walking slowly, then he began to pick up speed, faster, faster. He was running, running in place. Suddenly he stopped and sat down to catch his breath, breathing deeply, thinking how silly he was. He didn't seem to move despite all his running. Teddy was bored. He had nothing new to do and was always locked up in this cage with a silly wheel that didn't move. Teddy decided to check the wires on the cage. He put his mouth around the wire and tried to bite through. Actually, he knew it was impossible but it was a good way to sharpen his teeth.

This evening he happened to try the wires by the cage door. Teddy pushed the bottom with his nose, then with his teeth. He grabbed it with his paws and there was enough room for him to squeeze out. What luck! Teddy was excited. He began to scurry and hop around the cage. He passed the food dish and stopped for a snack. Again sitting, he picked up some sunflower seeds and munched, cracking the seeds with the front teeth. When he was finished eating, he picked up more seeds and stuffed them into his mouth and pushed them into two big pouches on each side of his mouth for storing food. Teddy continued stuffing until his pouches looked packed and he felt clumsy with the extra load. He fell down. Teddy was going to escape. He flattened himself so he could squeeze through the crack in the wire. He climbed through slowly - the food pouches were getting in the way. Then Teddy was out at last!

He looked around. Sitting on his bottom, he turned his head in all directions and stretched tall to see better. Teddy sniffed for new and dangerous smells, his nose and whiskers wiggling. To be safe, the hamster walked along the edge of the floor and wall, keeping low so no one could see him. The house was becoming light, as the sun rose. Teddy had to find shelter soon before his people discovered that he was gone. The hamster went into a doorway, into an extra dark corner. He was becoming tired, so he curled himself into a ball and slept. The next evening, Teddy woke up and ate the seeds from his pouch. He pushed the food into his mouth with his paw. Walking around, he found he was in a very small room with the door closed. He was trapped and thirsty so he returned to his sleeping corner, ate the last of the food and slept in a ball.

Suddenly Teddy woke up. Raising his head, he heard noises that scared him. Something touched him. Teddy was frightened and like all hamsters when they are scared, he stood up on his rear legs and spread out his front paws, showing those sharp teeth. He made a squealing noise to show how tough and ready for trouble he was. Then he wiggled his nose and whiskers to catch that scent. It was his master! Carefully he was picked up and placed back in his nest in the cage. Teddy looked everywhere. He scurried to the food dish, munching and lapping water for he was thirsty after the escape. Sitting there, he washed his face by licking a paw and rubbing it over his face. Next he licked a dirty spot on his tummy. He had an itch. Bringing up his rear leg to his ear, he scratched. That was enough cleaning and excitement. Slowly Teddy crawled back to his warm nest. He was really glad to be home where he had everything he needed. Teddy yawned and curled up in a ball, and went to sleep.