Any experienced hamster owners that can give a newbie some pointers?

[Lindsay]

I've been thinking of getting a hamster, or possibly two. I'm trying to do a little research beforehand, like normal people do (or should do, at least). I've never owned one before, and I have two cats. I've heard a lot of rumors and myths, some of which including that Golden Hamsters are friendlier, Dwarf Hamsters have shortened life spans, and also that wire cages aren't a smart choice for small hamsters because they can escape. I'm also interested in diet requirements. What types of food do they need, anything besides the prepackaged hamster/gerbil diets? And I've been trying to see about the differences between wood shavings and paper beddings. What are the pros and cons of each? How often do you have to clean the enclosure? I've heard you can coax this nocturnal animal to be primarily active during the day, as well.

Any information you have would be extremely beneficial!