>That's the problem: "... We've had them for years now ..." I was banking on the fact that the critters only live for c. 2 years, long before which the kids will be tired of them and the drudgery of keeping them alive and not smelling falls on us, while the kids just wait for them to die. I've seen it happen with friends.

Won't happen anytime soon... they squeak when they're hungry, and they look so cute you can't just pass them by when they do. That's why ours is abot 1.3kg now :).

And they really don't need much - you can feed them pretty much anything green - extra cabbage leaves, spinach stalks, parts of carrot that you don't like and want to throw away, dry bread, corn... but they adore grass, dandelions and shamrock. Strawberries, sometimes, bits of apple...and they're just plain funny.

I was just as reserved when kids were begging for one... and then I got to like them. The most unobtrusive pet possible. And they're funny.