Twiglet just got tired of me procrastinating and was kind enough to finish the wheel off while Tictac wheels were still on sale. The Hamster loving community get frustrated to see tiny wheels being advertised as suitable for both Dwarf and Syrian Hamsters (This is probably because it would only fit a tiny cheap cage).

It has been reported that the wheel is quiet and we are also pleased to see there is no inner cog which could trap a gerbils tail or long fur. Going by the description the manufacturer is clueless (small - hamster large - rat) but it is a sturdy and smoothly spinning wheel that also attaches to a barred cage.A super comfy and versatile wheel from Interpet, this large wheel comes on a free-standing base meaning you can easily move it around their cage to the best position.

Hammy originally had the open front smaller Savic from a baby til I swapped it for the Trixie so think he just got used to an open wheel where he can jump in and out. Without one, you might notice disturbing behaviours such as gnawing at the bars on their cage and chewing their own skin and hair.

The cork may also absorb urine so I painted it with a few coats of clear Plastikote Project Enamel to protect it. He loves his new wheel, I can see it is sufficiently large for him and his back isn’t arched, so I find that reassuring. The new 28cm wheel could be the start of phasing out this unsuitable mis-labeled wheel that is still for sale. Despite this fact, hamsters will continue to use the small wheels and over time it can cause damage to the spine. I've never used the 28 Trixie wheel without the front cover but it should be safe because the spindle is too high up to touch the hamster's back.

To make it worse, hamsters are nocturnal creatures too, which means you can often say goodbye to sleep and hello to midnight marathons. A cage that is too small to fit a 28cm (11″) wheel should not be advertised as being a suitable cage for a Syrian Hamster. Smaller dwarf and roborovski breed hamsters don’t require a huge wheel, and something between 16 cm and 18 cm should suffice! They also make 12 inch metal wheels in various colors, and I wouldn't go smaller than that with Syrians just to be completely safe - something bucket wheels are severely lacking in terms of wheels like the Carolina ones which are somewhere around 10 inches or just over in diameter which isn't going to work for many Syrians as it would be too small for them to properly run with a flat back. A hamster would use this wheel for an average 8km a night and in the wild their back would remain straight, sadly for a hamster who uses this wheel it has to experience running with a curved back.

It’s a scientific fact that hamsters love to run, and so an exercise wheel is a pretty crucial piece of equipment when it comes to kitting out your little pet’s cage.