How do you know how to cut guinea pig nails, who have fully brown nails?

[JourneyGabrielle'sPiggies]

One of my two guinea pigs, oreo, has brown nails while my other piggy has pink nails with white tips. However my guinea pig with brown nails does not have the white tip on the nail. How do I know where to cut?

 

[rp1993]

Pringle has one brown foot, you can shine a light through them and see the quick that way, I normally just do a little and often approach with his nails as it is a little more difficult! Luckily he is a good boy and sits still!

 

[Freya1234]

Little and often is what works for me!

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Try comparing the length and shape of the dark nails with those of your other piggy with the pink nails

 

[guineapiggies123]

Shine a flashlight over the nails. This means you should be able to see a lighter and darker part of their nail to know where to cut it

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

All but one nail out of all of Eddie and Elvis's nails are black so I just cut the very ends off and then come back another day if necessary.

 

[Sweet Potato]

Little and often and keep some cornflour on hand to dip the nail in if it bleeds a little. Don't beat yourself up if you're not perfect every time I nearly always catch at least one of Gundham nails to short although I'm definitely getting better at it and he still screams like I chopped his leg off even when I only take a tiny bit off.

 

[Free Ranger]

George has black nails and the only way is to shine a light from beneath the nails. I use a headtorch and rest his foot on it so you can just about see where the blood supply stops. Last time he was at the vet's a nurse came out and asked permission to do his nails and I think it was just because they wanted to practice!

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

Little and often and keep some cornflour on hand to dip the nail in if it bleeds a little. Don't beat yourself up if you're not perfect every time I nearly always catch at least one of Gundham nails to short although I'm definitely getting better at it and he still screams like I chopped his leg off even when I only take a tiny bit off.

Good point about the cornflour I always have some on hand. I pretty much always catch a nail or two as well. Eddie is especially dramatic about it but with a food bribe he quickly forgets about the 'trauma'

 

[JourneyGabrielle'sPiggies]

Thank you all for your help, i looked closely at his nail and its almost a honey colored at the tips.