Hi Melissa,
Oh... I have to be quick because I have to run errands, but I'll share a bit.
#1- you don't like rats and mice. I'd suggest a hamster then since the creepy part to me is the long skinny tail on gerbils. Hamsters have a very short tail.
#2- DON'T get her a ROBO hamster because they have too much energy and will easily get lost. Let her enjoy a hamster that is docile and will stay in your hands.... alternating the hands so it feels like it is walking up steps:-)
Get the hamster an exercise ball and a wheel for it's cage. We also let ours run freely around the bathroom floor. We make sure the floor is safe with nothing on it that she'll eat and we supervise her at all times.
#3 If you do get 2 hamsters. They have to be of the same sex so they don't multiply!! They also have to be from the same litter and have lived in the SAME cage while in the pet store. Otherwise the hamsters will fight and badly.
#4- We owned 2 Russian dwarf hamsters. One only live 3 or 4 months. Her sibling is still living. (She's such a cutie and the kids love her! She is just over a year now.)
#5- Be aware of the fact that they dwarf hamsters have a shorter life span than regular size hamsters.
I used to own a teddy bear hamster when I was a school teacher. My students loved him! He was so furry and good with the kids.
The bedding absorbs much better if it is soft as opposed to bark shavings. The shavings are messy and get out of the cage easier if you use a wire cage.
I have to run now. Do a search and you'll find so much info. on line! Pet Smart had a knowledgeable employee answer all my questions and my kids questions when we bought our dwarf hamsters last year.
Have fun! I warned my kids that they do not have a long life span and they still wanted them. It's part of life and they dealt with one dying. It was rough especially for my daughter who cries even when a fish dies.
Oh... glass cages keep bedding in better BUT we switched to a "fun" cage with colorful metal bars. There are so many to chose from and so many fun accessories to pick from. Make sure you let the hamster sleeps when it wants to. My son has a friend who wakes his hamsters up whenever he feels like playing with them. My son comes homes and tells me about it and it bothers us since they are nocturnal creatures. Ours does wake up during the day sometimes and my kids take her out then and play with her.