Nail Clippin'

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Hammy.Hamms

Hammy.Hamms

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Hi! I have a lot of trouble clipping mu piggie's nails. They are getting pretty long and sharp, and it's time for a trim. She is a rambunctious little one, and won't stay still. Although I DO have a styptic pencil, I'm terrified of cutting the quick. I have tried all of the techniques online, and none of them seem to work. My mom says that I should try a motorized sander, but I don't have the money right now, so we are using the cat-like nail trimmers.
Thank You!
 
Patience, two people (one wearing heavy duty gardening gloves!) cabbage and practice * ! My three girls have been with us for just over a year now and in the last 2 trims we're finally getting into a Ruthin and technique that works for us!
* and tears - mine.

I wouldn't risk using a motorised sander, even if made for small animals, the noise would freak my girls right out and I'd be afraid of sanding their little feets if the wriggle (which they would)
 
I used a motorized sander for years on all of my dogs (7 in total), and I have to say there is no way I would attempt to use it on a guinea pig.
Their nails are much finer and their toes are very fragile, and I feel the potential for it to cause major damage in seconds is very high.

Nail clipping is a bit of an art and it does take time.
I have 4 guinea pigs and I will be totally honest and sat it still takes 3 people to do Ruby's nails, wile Lucy will happily lay on someones lap and munch a carrot without so much as a murmur.

To start with you just need to cut the smallest piece of of the end, and I have occasionally cut a quick (sorry Ruby), and it does bleed, and you do feel like the most awful person in the world, but they do recover.
If you are really not confident about it then maybe take them to the vet and ask for the nurse to do it and show you the best way, so you know for next time.
 
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I agree with everything above. Its all about practice, practice and more practice.
 
I just did it and I had her sit on a blanket while my brother held her in place with one hand and had her against his body. She squirmed for a few minutes, but when we put her in that position, she didn't move at all. (Except for one time where I almost cut the quick but she flinched away in time. There Is a little cut there, but the quick was not cut.)
Thank You All So Much For Your Help!!
:yahoo::tu::lol::clap::)
 
It's soo good when you get through the whole trauma isn't it! I hate it and have only done about 3 times.. no 4 was today. To be honest does anyone find the front not too bad length wise at all.. it's the back that grow very long? Both my piggies have white nails at the back and dark front. But just done another clipping... my hand was shaking so much I missed clipping anything twice! The quick seemed quite far back from the end but I didn't dare cut a lot off just a mm if that. How often does everyone clip... is once a week taking a tiny bit off too much ? Both mine seem to have very long back nails and the fronts not too bad.. which is good because they won't move their heads to let me get to the front ones at all... even if I try and distract with food
 
I've just done mine today too! BB's weren't too long and she has lovely short quicks in white nails but she's a right pain in the arse coz she won't stop moving! Chewie has a mixture of white and black nails but she's normally happy to munch away while
I manipulate her into better clipping positions. I caught the very end on on back foot quick today, the broccoli muffled the squeal and she carried on eating! Rey has all black nails but she's normally quite still.
I prefer long back nails as I find them easier to clip and all mine have quite curled front nails which makes them
harder to get to without getting piggie pissed off! They seem to be able to retract their front feet into their bodies, and then I get too close to their teeth!

Rey's nails definitley grow quicker then the other two's; I often have to give her a mini trim between group clips.

I think mini trims every week is fine, regular clipping keeps the quicks short and they get used to it. I do mine every three weeks or so, some times one won't really need it then and another will have quite long nails a deff need a trim!
 
My OH cuts our piggies nails, when it comes to the hands though they clich up their paws & it takes ages to straighten them.
 
I find the easiest way to clip there nails is put them on a lap pad or old towel on your knee. Have them on their back between your legs with bottom facing away from you. Start with the back nails & use towel to cover their face if necessary. Once back nails are done go to the front ones & with these you may need the towel again as this is when they often try to give you a nibble especially if you're right handed & cutting their right hand front nails. I weigh mine every week & at same time give them a quick health check with the nails getting done about once a fortnight. A little often is far better that a lot seldom :) x
 
you have achieved alot.its scary cutting piggies nails until you are more confident.I have used clicker training to cut my piggies nails.i place them on a lap pad,use a click to ask the piggie to present his paw,then i give parsley as a treat.Then clip all the front nails.It is a steady process,but I'm able to cut all 19 piggies nails without any drama !:)
 
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Wow! 19 sets of nails to clip! That's 38 front paws! Rey was a sweety today with her fronts, she placed one on each of my fingers that I was using to try and get hold of them. Didn't make clipping them much easier but it was v cute
 
eileen said:
you have achieved alot.its scary cutting piggies nails until you are more confident.I have used clicker training to cut my piggies nails.i place them on a lap pad,use a click to ask the piggie to present his paw,then i give parsley as a treat.Then clip all the front nails.It is a steady process,but I'm able to cut all 19 piggies nails without any drama !:)
Click to expand...

That sounds brilliant. How did you build up to getting them to do that. I would be interested in a step by step guide as my two are getting more confident and are now clearly letting me know that they do not want to be held.
 
i used a very simple approach! put pet on lap pad,click the clicker,and give a small peice of parsley.
1) train pet to sit still first.
2)use the word paw,show pet the action you want,when pet is able to do motion,click and treat.
3)use short sessions as soon as piggie is fidgety or distressed stop.
4)show the clippers you wish to use and let cavy smell touch nail clippers.
5)repeat all above and when used to nail clipper,gently take a digit and clip.click,and treat .just one nail a day until cavy is comfortable with nail clipping.it needs positive reinforcement and lots of patience,but it seems to work for me.
I use this for teaching piggies to get used to taking water from a syringe and when piggie needs medicine when unwell,is used to taking medication,and is not so stressed out to strange proceedure.
I only do this in very small steps,only when piggie is comfortable.
 
I wish this stuff would work on cockatiels. Archies wriggling is nothing compared to bikbok, and added that birds can bleed out really fast so I am terrified of cutting his quick. The curls his toes so you cant even get at the talons.
 
Thanks eileen that is really interesting. Going to retrain them for lap time for starters.
 
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