I'm not a fan of birds. They're dirty, and they bite. BUt I suppose all animals are like that to some extent.
I vote for a rat. They are clean, very affectionate. If you get them young, you can insure that they are sweet by constantly handling them (which you'll need when you go to clip their nails). You just have to explain to your daughter that there's nothing wrong with rats. Seriously, folks, we gotta get these girls toughened up a little. My mother screams every time a mouse runs in front of her. It's silly. Total social programming at work.