Nail clipping - from cute to pure evil

Allie0078

Allie0078

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I’ve complained about my inadequacies of nail clipping before. Neither of my pigs like it. But Sookie is quite a quiet pig and so I usually get her feet done with minimum fuss.
Then meet Tallulah.
Don’t be fooled by the cute exterior, as soon as the nail clippers come out she has got strength in her back legs that would rival a kangaroo. She squirms, she thrashes she shreaks. I end up more traumatised than her!

I’ve tried to take a picture of her nails - what length should they be? Are these horrendous? There is plenty of space after the quick - but I don’t like going anywhere near that in case she bleeds (or I do!)

How short do you all cut piggies nails - and how do you survive it? I’ve considered a glass of wine in preparation, but am concerned it might effect my accuracy :))
 

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If Tallulah is that bad, it's worth getting the vet nurse to do it. If you are determined that your cute/evil piggy is NOT going to get the better of you try wrapping her up in a towel (like a piggy sausage roll) with the paw poking out that you wish to cut the nails of, get somebody to hold cute/evil piggy and snip away. Your piggy holder may be able to bribe cute/evil piggy with something tasty but I suggest not hand feeding just in case!
 
We get the vet nurse to do ours and I always think she leaves them too long! But after I bought nail clippers, wine, and had a go myself, I managed 1 foot of one squealing squirming biting fighting Piggle and lost my nerve. Piggle seems to be able to rotate her her head 360 degrees like something out of the exorcist and she's savage. I was worried I was hurting her but really she was just stripping the skin off piggy daddy's hands.
Well done for having a go, those nails look great!
 
We have to doa gentle humming sound to get Bernie to calm down when nail clipping, but Dot just lets you do it, i even cut into the quik and she didnt yelp, thats a first🤔
 
Betsy said:
If Tallulah is that bad, it's worth getting the vet nurse to do it. If you are determined that your cute/evil piggy is NOT going to get the better of you try wrapping her up in a towel (like a piggy sausage roll) with the paw poking out that you wish to cut the nails of, get somebody to hold cute/evil piggy and snip away. Your piggy holder may be able to bribe cute/evil piggy with something tasty but I suggest not hand feeding just in case!
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Perhaps that’s where I go wrong - I’ve never had an assistant. Oh my sister will be so happy the next time she visits! :))
In Tallulah’s defence she isn’t a biter at all. I suspect that there are far more challenging piglets out there (although I don’t want to meet them!) But those tallons are like torture devices. She gets a wild look in her eye and can do 0-60 in about 2.5 seconds XD
 
PigglePuggle said:
We get the vet nurse to do ours and I always think she leaves them too long! But after I bought nail clippers, wine, and had a go myself, I managed 1 foot of one squealing squirming biting fighting Piggle and lost my nerve. Piggle seems to be able to rotate her her head 360 degrees like something out of the exorcist and she's savage. I was worried I was hurting her but really she was just stripping the skin off piggy daddy's hands.
Well done for having a go, those nails look great!
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Okay wow! I’m reading these comments and now think Tallulah is an angel and that I need to get over it. I’ll be seeing rotating guinea pig heads in my sleep haha
 
Someone on a thread a few months back mentioned using a nail grinder instead of clippers, just a thought
 
Yes, I remember reading that, wonder if it’s any good. My two have black front feet which is a to start with, I break out into a fear sweat every time I try to cut either of their feet 😧
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
Someone on a thread a few months back mentioned using a nail grinder instead of clippers, just a thought
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Yes they did. I did consider it - but then I can’t imagine getting something that makes a noise anywhere near her. It’s still something I think about though!
 
Bill & Ted said:
Yes, I remember
reading that, wonder if it’s any good. My two have black front feet which is a to start with, I break out into a fear sweat every time I try to cut either of their feet 😧
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Yes, my quieter more subdued piggy has a black foot and I cut the quick once. I was devastated at the time (she wasn’t too happy about it either!)
 
Bill & Ted said:
Yes, I remember reading that, wonder if it’s any good. My two have black front feet which is a to start with, I break out into a fear sweat every time I try to cut either of their feet 😧
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Bernie has all black nails, and dot also does apart from 2. Is that a bit weird?
 
Not saying a guinea pig is easy to clip, but boy, a gerbils nails are near impossible. When they get old gerbils tend to dig less and the nails dont wear down
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
Not saying a guinea pig is easy to clip, but boy, a gerbils nails are near impossible. When they get old gerbils tend to dig less and the nails dont wear down
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Speaking as someone who as a child had a gerbil hanging off her finger - I can confirm that I would not like to attempt manicuring a gerbil! Respect.
 
Allie0078 said:
Speaking as someone who as a child had a gerbil hanging off her finger - I can confirm that I would not like to attempt manicuring a gerbil! Respect.
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Lol, ouch. Well it took me ages and had to wear a gardening glove. Was horrible. But i doubted even a vet has done many before
 
Betsy said:
Meg has 3 black feet with black toes and nails and 1 black foot with white toes and nails.

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Oh she’s beautiful! And looks so angelic. Gorgeous colour.
This is Sookie - my quieter piglet who’s rear left foot is black. I did make her black toe bleed once and she squealed! She is a peaceful soul though and so just hid with her head under my chin as if to say “why would you do that to me mum, why?!” I’m still getting over it.
 

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