Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I am in 8th grade
I am doing my science fair project on the way a diet effects a hamster, is it best to use 2 different brands, or to try to replicate their natural diet? And what would be their natural diet?
I am not sure if this is at my grade level, because this is the 1st science fair I've been in, so does this sound like a reasonable project for an 8th grader?
Thanks a TON

also, if this is not a reasonable project could you suggest a new one?
I want to do something with animals, post soon please, my proposal sheet is due Friday

Hi,

The effects of diet sounds like a good thing to investigate. What is the question your would like to answer? how will you measure the effects of the different diets? Are you sure you are allowed to use animals in your research project? I would think using two different brands would not show much of a difference.

You may want to check through Science buddies' Topic Selection Wizard or browse the projects - https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... l?From=Tab before deciding that working with hamsters is a good project for you.

let me know what you decide, and if you are allowed to work with hamsters or not. I'll be back to help you through.

" What is the question your would like to answer?"
whether the approved brands make much a difference from what a hamster would eat in nature
"how will you measure the effects of the different diets? "
by recording weight in the two hamsters over the period of time in the experiment, and regularly inspecting them for signs of health disorders
"Are you sure you are allowed to use animals in your research project?"
Pretty sure, I'll ask my teacher tomorrow though and give you a sure answer
"I would think using two different brands would not show much of a difference."
that's what i was thinking, but the last thing i want to do is deprive either animal of nutrients, which is why i considered comparing brands instead...
thanks for the answer, I'll do some research on what a hamster's natural diet would be

OK. Right, I was thinkning the same thing - we don't want either hamster to be harmed with poor nutrition.

I found the following to help with your research -
http://www.hamsterific.com/nutrition.cfm
http://www.hammysworld.com/index.php?p=food

Thanks for the links
I asked my teacher and explained my project,she said animals were fine, but to try and challenge myself a little more, so along with recording weight in the two hamsters over the period of time in the experiment, and regularly inspecting them for signs of health disorders, I will also record activity, and buy or create a maze and record their time, seeing if one improves, but the other's stays about the same or starts getting worse
does that sound like too much?
also, can you buy mazes for rodents? or do you have to make one?

Here's a thought.

Question - do hamsters prefer fresh food or packaged food?
Hypothesis - hamsters prefer fresh food over packaged food.
Background research - what type of fresh food do wild hamsters eat; see links above.
Test - provide a controlled amount of both fresh and packaged food to the hamsters (how many do you have?) each day. Measure how much of each is consumed by the hamster.

You may have to control for water loss in the fresh food, depending on what it is and when you weigh it.

Hi Cheesepants,

You have some great ideas, and the other expert has given you some solid advice.

Keep in mind that while your teacher may not have a problem with you working with animals, science fairs often have rules about using animals for experiments, especially mammals. I would suggest that you avoid a method that would reduce the hamsters' nutrition.

"Signs of health disorders" will be hard for you to define, but the amount of food eaten and the amount of activity (time spent on a running wheel, for example) are great things to measure.

Let us know what you decide, and if you have any more questions!

Heather

My son is looking for a very simple, very easy science experiment with an indepedant and dependant variable with a hypothesis and brief description of how his project will be conducted. We have exhausted all options, libraries, book stores and online and have come up with many wonderful ideas, just too detailed for what his teacher is looking for apparently. The teacher suggested that he do adding salt to boiling water to see what the temperature becomes. He just is not interested as he puts it....boring.

sltwo, I am not sure if cheesepants is your son or if your question is a new topic. Either way, have a look through the Science Fair Project Ideas - https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... deas.shtml And see if there is anything interesting to your son there. We have lots of different ideas and he can find something that will be right for his age level. Let us know if you have any questions about what you find.

The science fair project guide will help, too - https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ndex.shtml

Tonya

lol,
i am definitely not his son because i am a girl

HeatherL,
i have looked up some "homemade" diets for hamsters, they were relatively easy to find as some people like to feed their pets things they make, so that they know what's in them

this is what i was thinking:
Feed one a brand, and the other one of the safe, "homemade" recipes
record weight gain/loss
look for common health disorder signs (hair loss, wet tail, lack of activity, sudden unfriendliness, ect.) regularly
record activity (running on a wheel, was what i was thinking)
and record their time in a maze (if one improves, but the other stays the same or starts getting worse)

Hi Cheesepants,

Your plan sounds great!

One thing I might suggest (depending on the amount of time you have) is to keep both hamsters on the same diet for at least one week, and record all of your variables (amount eaten, weight, health signs, wheel running, maze time) during that time. Then, switch one over to the homemade diet and see what happens. The reason I say this is because you are only using two hamsters, and you want to make sure that the differences you see are not due to pre-existing differences in the hamsters. For example, one hamster may just like running on the wheel more than the other, or be better at mazes. You won't know if it's due to diet unless you start them on the same thing and then see a change in the one with the diet switched.

The ideal thing would be to ask the pet store what they feed the hamsters, and start with that same brand for the first week.

Keep me posted on your progress. I'm really interested to hear how it goes!

Heather

I am not sure what their diet would be, but it would be best to use two different food types.

One more thing, would it matter if either hamster is albino?
kinda a funny question, but i dont wanna risk it

Hi Cheesepants,

It shouldn't matter if one hamster is albino, but that is another uncontrolled variable that might affect your results in ways you couldn't predict. If that's all you have available, then I strongly urge you to feed the hamsters the same diet at first, so you can detect any pre-existing differences before you change the diet. If you can make it so that both hamsters are colored (or both albino), that might be better.

Also, keep in mind that switching the diet may affect the hamster simply because the diet has changed. Just something to remember for your Discussion...

Heather

Thanks Heather,
We went to another shop and found two Black-bear Hamsters. they are both colored and look to be in a lot better shape than the pair i saw at the last (one albino, one colored) i am keeping them on the same diet for a week, though, just in case.
Thanks for all the help

Glad to know it worked out! Please let me know how your experiment turns out!

Heather