Nice birds......i really like birds, rodents don't do much for me but birds are cool.  every budgie we ever had was smart as can be......if it wasn't for the cats there'd be a budge or two flying around the house (though they used to nibble the corners off my books!)

my rodents are smart!  not many people are "into" rodents though, unless theyve been around them.  too many prejudices out there....

i can see what you mean about prejudices, i've met some people--mostly-but-not-all women--who seemed to react to a hamster or gerbil as if it was a rat, or something scary...........me, i don't mind the little guys, they have never intrigued me as pet material.........we had a hermit crab once, called Martha, and i swear it had moer personality than the hamsters the kids had!