Particularly popular with kids are hamsters and ferrets. H amsters first gained broad public attention in Japan 10 years ago, when a comic book featuring one as the main character became a hit. Since then, more hamster comic books have come out.
T here are many different kinds of hamsters.
F errets, meanwhile, are domesticated animals that look a lot like weasels. As a result, it's becoming increasingly common to exchange information over the Internet among fellow small-pet owners. They're virtually soundless. In Japan, most apartments and condominiums don't allow residents to keep dogs and cats, but there usually are no specific restrictions regarding other animals. Quiet animals that don't cause a nuisance to neighbors have therefore become ideal choices as pets.