Need Hamster Behaviour Experiment Ideas

Smokey21 · 01-20-2006, 07:03 PM

I'm trying to find ideas for behaviour experiments for my behaviour class. I was going to do something on beetles, but I keep thinking about doing something with my hamsters.

I know there are some pro's on this board who may have some ideas. I have campbell's and Robo's, and it would be great to get some insight on their behaviour since there is little knowledge about them out there. If I can get some good ideas cooking I might consider using them.

Or if anyone knows of papers that could give me some ideas. I've found a few, but not much really - especially about behaviour.

THANKS!

flogging_molly · 01-20-2006, 07:17 PM

hmmm, only thing i can think of is doing a sort of behavioural project looking at how either robos or campbells interact with each other. Obiously you coudn't mix the species but rather pick a species you think you want to find out more about

SnuggleHam · 01-20-2006, 08:42 PM

Dont know if this helps.. but once in science class I made a maze and what I did was put a mouse through it, and then put a gerbil through it to see what species learned the maze pattern fast enough to get to the treat at the end. Maybe you could do something similar?

Emma · 01-21-2006, 05:39 AM

Personally I dislike 'science' classes making pupils use live animals to do experiments just so they can learn experimental technique! It's not something that really happens over here in the UK. At least you're using animals you already own rather than acquiring them specifically for the purpose which so often seems to happen!

Basic choice experiments seem appropriate - such as give the hamster choice of two options and see which he prefers - e.g. rig up some tubes & cages so they have the option of a dark cage or a light cage, and see which they go into each time (need to randomly swap which is dark or light so they're not just choosing to go left each time). Or give choice of two cage substrates on either side of the cage and see which they spend more time in.

I'm sure you've learnt things in your behaviour class that give you examples of this type of experiment and you can adapt it to use with the animals that you have.

**babyboos** · 01-21-2006, 05:48 AM

how long in the project to last? this will help you develop an idea better as some will take a good few days/weeks of observations others maybe just one afternoon

Smokey21 · 01-21-2006, 08:12 AM

I have a good 2 months to do the experiment - but it doesn't have to take that long.

I appreciate the ideas. I'm looking more for ideas that haven't really been studied (the maze is a good idea, but I want something a bit more unique).

If I can't think of anything then I'll prob. use beetles. I just figure It'd be interesting to do something I can apply to hamsters.

matinee_92 · 01-21-2006, 10:38 AM

There's a test your pet website that the BBC did a while ago, but its more their intelligence than behaviour. Still, might be something useful in there...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/pet ... wner.shtml

Emma · 01-21-2006, 01:40 PM

To be honest, you're not really going to find something that hasn't been studied, and you're not going to be able to find anything that noone's found before using just your own hamsters.

Smokey21 · 01-22-2006, 11:27 AM

I think I know what you mean Emma, but really there is so much to learn that u can't really say that.

Thanks guys.

souffle · 01-22-2006, 11:30 AM

Could you try exposing some to more daylight ie daylight bulbs to see if it affects their activity patterns...harmless and interesting