I have a chinchilla called Charlie - he's almost 6 years old now and we've had him since he was a baby. He's a brilliant, playful pet, they need quite a lot of attention though.
I buy all of his food and bedding from a local pet shop. The hay is from local sources, not sure abou the food though, it's quite specialist.
I think pets are brilliant for children to learn about taking responsibility. Hopefully owning a pet really encourages caring for things around you, including the environment.