Little Hawk--As a veteran of four hamsters and five rats, I feel I am in a position to compare them. I will admit that hamsters are cuter to look at, and have lovely golden brown fur. But every hamster I ever had bit me at least once, and none of the five rats have ever bitten anyone.

As for being quitters--you should have seen Olivia this morning, trying to open a jar of peanut butter with her teeth. Given long enough, she would have done it. Rats once caused a leak in the C.A. Thayer's fresh water system by chewing through lead pipes.