a new pet for x-mas?

leah has been begging for her own pet.
she really wants a hamster for christmas.
growing up i had hamsters, as did scott.
they were so much fun for me ,
i had all the tubes and balls and exercise wheels,
all the gear.
im just afraid the little girls will be too rough
and get bitten,
or accidentally let it out of the cage
to be prey for jager.

scott and i have been thinking maybe a ferret.
i really dont know much about them
besides being stinky,
and hiding treasures around the house.
i have learned that they can be litter box trained,
and roam the house freely and are very playful.

we have a cage in the garage that the guinea pigs (long story) once lived in.
we have also found some pretty enticing deals on craigslist.
so we wouldnt really need to spend a lot on stuff.

please let me know what you think.
do you have a ferret?
know someone who does?
how are they with kids and a dog?
does the sex of the ferret determine its temperament?
should we buy a baby as apposed to an adult?
any advise would be much appreciated.
thank you.