Need advice re: small animals/hamsters

[Tenor CS]

Hi guys,

I have a hankering for a fluffy pet. Right now, all I have is a Siamese fighting fish in a bowl. My wife and I have nixed dogs or cats. She's allergic to cats, and we don't have the time or schedule to give a dog a proper home, especially when it comes to the poor thing being walked enough.

I have gotten her kind of sweet on the idea of getting a hamster. We've both owned them before, so we know we both like them. We are always home at dusk/night, so we can play with and exercise the hamster when it would normally be awake. And they are not as expensive as dogs and cats to take care of.

Any small animal experts on here? I'm looking especially for advice re: cages and accessories. Also, there seem to be a lot more varieties of hamsters more widely available in the pet trade than there were when I was a pre-teen and had my hamsters. Any recommendations of specific breeds to look for/avoid? I know that there is one breed that is very small and quick, and is not really recommended as a pet.

I am heavily leaning towards buying all the pieces of the setup separately, as the "all in one" kits seem to be too small and of poor quality.

Disclaimer: I love animals. I almost pursued a career in veterinary medicine, but went with music instead. This is not a whim. This is something that I have been thinking about for months. I think people who see an animal in a movie and rush out and buy one are irresponsible. I would never do that to an animal. So if I seem worked up and passionate, that is why.