One of the reasons I stopped keeping Hamsters is that it always broke my heart that all they wanted to do was escape. My first two hamsters I got when I was 13 ( I'm 31 now) and they used to escape those Habitrail cages all the time. They'd always climb on my bed though,and wake me up, instead of running away. Those were the nicest hamsters! I've had about 5 or 6 others since then, till my last one died after a tragic wheel accident.

I keep rats now, and they are wonderful! But my daughter wants a hamster , too. I think she'll be disappointed after having the rats.