lol .... that sounds cute and nice. But sis, hamsters have a very short life span .. maximum 3 years of some breeds, others could be even less. That's around just the time when one gets very attached to pets. Hamsters are so cute & cuddly tiny little pets that loosing them could cause a lot of heartache to all members of a pet-loving household.
We had 2 brown 'n' white hamsters in our home when we were school-going kids. Despite taking excellent care of them, neither of them survived beyond 25 months. The vet said that that's their normal span of life. All of us were pretty devastated for weeks, me for months.
Anyhow, I'll give you some detailed information so you and your husband can make up your mind and decide what's best.
To begin with, it's important to remember that getting any pet in the house is like bringing in a new family member. Pets should never be looked upon as inanimate toys for amusement of the housefolks. They are living beings and all pets need lots of care and attention.
Hamsters are no exception. They too need plenty of care. Like rabits they are very delicate pets, in fact even more fragile than rabits. It's said that even while selecting your hamster in the pet shop, make sure you don't take one with visible signs of illness. In very rare cases, certain illnesses of hamsters like diarrhea can be contagious. If only adults are around it's ok as they can maintain regular hygiene by washing their hands regularly after caring for sick hamsters. But kids are often careless. After touching or petting an ill hamster which might be having a contagious illness (I repeat it's very, very rare but not impossible), children may not think of washing their hands and simply open a packet of chips and nibble with unwashed hands. So, parents will need to be more vigilant.
For hamster illnesses visit the following link. You'll find it educative. It gives details on those very few hamster diseases that could be infectious.
http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/uploads/file/M4%20Hamsters%20-%20PHP.pdfAnd yes, hamsters have various breeds. There can be Syrian hamsters (aka teddy bear hamster, fancy hamster etc.), Dwarf hamsters and Chinese hamsters (aka Chinese striped hamsters). To put it briefly, they are all breathtakingly cute! Here are some pics.
Syrian hamsterDwarf hamsterChinese hamstersHamsters that haven't been handled may not initially be happy about being brought to your home from the pet shop and may try to bite you. It's important to remember hamsters that bite are not mean. They are just nervous of the new surroundings and their bites are harmless. Sometimes it might be a little deep which can be treated with washing with soap & water and appliying an antibiotic ointment or cream. All pets go thru this period of adjustment, nothing unusual. But one musn't forget this first stage. Usually some patience and feeding the hamster with some goodie treats will help to win their hearts and confidence.
A list of eats that could be included in a pet hamster's diet are:
Almonds, citrus fruits (lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit), tomatoes, apple seeds, small slice of cucumber, and occasionally a small lettuce leaf.
Do not feed them with sticky foods like honey or peanut butter. It sticks and gets trapped in the inner lining of the hamster's pouch (mouth) causing discomfort and it often needs to be taken to a vet for treatment. Allow all cooked foods to cool at room temperature before feeding your hamster with it. Any food from the refrigerator or freezer should likewise have time to come to room temperature.
It's very, very important to remember that whatever of the above items you feed your hamster with, it must be in small quantities. Over feeding can cause many health problems for them, especially diarrhea. Green veggies should not be given to them more than once every 2 to 3 days. Also make sure any cooked veggies do not contain spices, oils or any other seasoning. Once your hamster has eaten the fresh foods, make sure to clean up any uneaten portion of that food. If left in the cage for more than an hour or so, that food will start to decompose and may pose a health risk to your wonderful little friend.
And here's an important piece of info if you have a Dwarf hamster. They are prone to developing diabetes like humans. Therefore, avoid giving them fruits and veggies which contain high levels of glucose. Best diet for Dwarfs are as follows: Apples (not the seeds), broccoli,cauliflower, celery, cashews (unsalted), cherries, chesnuts, corn, cottage cheese, cucumber, green beans, hay, peach, peas, pistachios (unsalted), rasberry & rasberry leaves, spinach, sunflower seeds, turnip, walnuts and cantaloupe.
Hope this info helps