Hello,
Firts let me say anytime you buy from one of the large Pet Chains, the hamsters are not always healthy. You would be better to get your Hamster from a breeder or Hobbyist. Next I would start with only one Hamster, since they not always get along and can really injure one another (especially Syrian or Teddy bears). A nice Hamster would be the Teddy Bear hamsters. They can easily be tamed and are not quite the escape artists the small breed hamsters are. Hamster life span is 2-3 years maximum, so you want to be sure to get a young Hamster so your little one can enjoy watching the hamster. I must warn you that handling should be done by an adult, since they can be nippy and you do not want any harm to your child or the Hamster. i would like to give you a site to review that is jammed packed with information, care, diets and health needs. If you have any further quetsions I would be happy to help. Joan
http://www.myhammie.com/
http://www.hamsterific.com/faq.cfm
Veterinary Technician
I am Vet Tech. for 30+yrs. who works with all animals. I do alot of rescue work with small animals.