I have a hummer that has lost its' way. It has been stuck in my garage all afternoon. I was hoping it could find its' way out but it hasn't. Any help would be appreciated.
I just trap them with my hand up against the window and then carry them to the door in a cupped hand. My last house, I use to end up with two or three every summer. That's when you realize how small they really are!
X2. They sometimes get trapped under our clear porch roof. Move slowly and they will be compliant. Do it soon. They need to feed almost constantly.
Their instincts are to fly up. I had one trapped in my garage once and even with the big door open it still tried to fly up into the rafters. I ended catching it in a salmon net and let it go outside.
This happens to me periodically. As ESFted said, their instincts are to fly up, so they tend to avoid going out the open garage door, especially since the door itself blocks the opening to someone who is flying around near the rafters.
Most often they fly out by themselves eventually, but once in a while one will fly around until he's exhausted. At that point they are easy to catch, even by hand. True catch-and-release.
Tim
Trap him by a window or use a big net as others have posted. I've used both with success.
Had a wren fly in the house here at The Beach several years ago. I chased him around for more than an hour (didn't have the net) before he flew out an open door. Had another one get stuck inside the heat pump under the cover, too. Took out about 50 screws before I got a section off to free him. ::)
give it some sugar water when you have it in hand.
Had one in the garage earlier this summer. Got lucky after 5 minutes swishing the broom, it found the door. This morning I watched one as the sun came up working on a plot of Petunias. I wondered if he was the same guy.
Now the Little Brown Bat I had in the house a few weeks ago weren't so easy! :D
He didn't make it. Found him dead on the floor this morning.
They get stuck in my shop quite a bit, we just set a bright red gas can on the ground just outside the door, usually only takes a few minutes and they will fly down to check it out and off they go.
I've had them seemingly stuck up in the rafters in my garage.
Even with the door up, I think that since they can't see green grass and trees, they just can't figure out where they are or how to get out, so they fly up!
I too have found them dead on the floor, sad thing!
Then I did some research and now when one gets stuck in the rafters, I go for the water hose!
Spray them with a fine spray and pay attention and after a while, their feathers will get wet enough and they will slowly lose altitude and sometimes they will glide out the door and other times, they will be on the floor, pick them up and gently brush them off and then take them outside and let them fly away!
It does work! ;) :)
Next time soak him with the hose till he can't fly, then set him out where he can dry himself and leave. easier than chasing with a net, if you can handle a little water in the garage.
Quote from: pabst79 on August 26, 2015, 08:27:53 PM
They get stuck in my shop quite a bit, we just set a bright red gas can on the ground just outside the door, usually only takes a few minutes and they will fly down to check it out and off they go.
GREAT idea! I'm going to try that next time.
Tim