Honestly of all the rodents I’ve owned over the years (mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, miniature hamsters), peoples perceptions of how “dirty” and “scary” each of them are are literally the exact opposite of how it actually is.
Rats are by far the cleanest, smartest, and most gentle, followed by mice. Gerbils are kinda freaky and not quite as clean as mice but are incredibly smart. Miniature hamsters are cleaner than gerbils but not quite as intelligent.
But hamsters.
Hamsters are BY FAR are the most disturbing. They will eat their own body parts, eat their cagemates, they eat their children. Sometimes for no discernible reason. Hamsters are fucking terrifying. They literally eat their problems.
Those beady little eyes. So much sin lies behind them.
