syrian activity vs. campbells

[pinkpink33]

hiya

just wanted to hear from people who own/have owned both types. i've noticed that my campbells are both so much more active than ferret, who usually just wonders around yawning! she's not awake as much as the dwarfs either. she was very active in the first week, and i dont think she's pregnant (was probably just settling in), but has seriously calmed down now. she has a pretty big set-up, but her wheel is too small atm, a new 11" wodent wheel should be arriving tommorow for her (her 3rd wheel lol). could she be sulking becasue of not being able to get up to top speed in her current wheel? when she was smaller she would really go for it in her silent spinner, but now she has to arch her back and go slower.
she got a new toy and a big sand bath today :) she hasnt discovered the sand bath yet as she only goes to her top room at night, but she wont leave the toy alone! it's a big circly-things with holes in 4 sides that are interlinked together!
was interested in any differences that have been observed by anyone else :)

[Moosley]

Hmmm i just found they were both as active as each other! The syrians seem to get bored more quickly if i dont play with them whereas the campbells were happy to amuse themselves.

Also, Syrians are Nocturnal so are more active during the night whereas Campbells are more crepuscular, they are more active during the day but mostly in the morning and evening (so not completely Diurnal)

[pinkpink33]

hmm, ok. i just worry, i really want to do everything i can for my hams to be happy! i heard her running in the tiny wheel last night, do you think i should remove it so it doesnt harm her back? or do you think she will be ok in it until monday when her massive wheel will get here? dont want her to be bored!
how exactly do you play with your syrians? when ferret's not in her ball she's desperate for escape lol! we went to play in the bath last night, to get her more used to me, but she didnt seem impressed that she couldn't get out!
she's so smart! last night she has a little itch behind her ear, and i read that some syrians like being scratched a little, so i tried - she turned round and softly put my finger inbetween her teeth, and then let go! my dwarfs would just escape or nip if they dont like something, but ferret is so smart! i cant believe how gentle-natured she is compared to my dwarfs!

[Moosley]

Well, playing with my Syrians usually involved me chasing (not litterally) them round my room cursing them ;)

My room isnt hamster proof because of my computer but they hate going near that area of my room anyway, i'm pretty sure its the high pitched whine my speakers make when left on (no music playing LOL)

I let my hams climb all over me and bury in my clothes and blankets and i play games involving hiding bits of food about for them to get.

[Sandy Da Cutie]

Hmm.. well I dont have a dwarf, but Chino was very active when i first got him, but hes calmed down now too..

[pinkpink33]

hmm, ferret just doesnt seem to want to climb on me, she wants to run around on the floor, and will do anything to get there! she came out earlier and had a huge run in her ball around the entire downstairs - i think she likes the different surfaces! just doesnt seem to matter how many treats she takes from my hand, she doesnt want to play with me! she's always pretty interested in the smell of my dwarfs though, she likes to run up to their cages and have a good sniff!

[pixibubbles]

syrian females are quite independant and throwing themselves on the floor is normal behaviour lol. male syrians are quite happy to snuggle and cuddle... females tend to want to play more... you just need to come up with some games you two can play.

[pinkpink33]

she seems to like it when we go downstairs and play (her in her ball), and she follows me around sometimes. she loves running around me in the kitchen, i guess coz the floor is lino it's easier for her to get up speed! she also likes to shred my hair :( if anyone else tried that they'd get an ass kicking, lol, but she just gets moved to my arms instead! im thinking of getting some little plastic cat balls to roll around for her, and maybe something on a piece of string - she seems to like chasing anything tha moves! in the store before i got her, a moth flew into her cage when we had the door open, and she pounced on it and tried to eat it! very cute :)
she also seems to like the game "chase me whilst i launch myself down the side of your bed where you cant get me and there are wires to nibble". i am not so keen on this game!
do you have any games to suggest that i could try?
thanks

[pixibubbles]

Tug of war! lump of string with knot on the end... gently too but rocky loved it. she'd pounce on it too and then run off and hide it from me lol football too... with ping pong balls... hey like chasing them and i have a little rabbit treat ball... you put food in and they roll it about and bits fall out. and Meg, another of my syrian girls loved chasing spiders. she would run across the room and pounce on them and sit and eat them lol very gross but it saved me pickign them up... there were a few times i would go get her out jsut so she could be spider disposal lol... arent i awful?

[pinkpink33]

lol i was wondering whether she'd like woodlice! they seem to get into the bathroom somehow, and pepper was playing in the bath with me and found one and was playing with it, picking it up and throwing it away and chasing after it! she didnt eat it, it was alive, if a little afraid, when she left it.
tug of war would probably go down well, i'll have to wait for her to get up later :)