Nail Length.

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A&T

A&T

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So I trimm my girls nails frequently, or when I think they need a little trim. But over the last year or so I've noticed with Amber my older pig (5) her nails are really starting to curl... Now originally I thought "oh I must have left them to long" but it isn't, I've just cut her nails again and they literally start to curl pretty much no sooner they come out. I've cut them as short as I can without cutting the vein.

I'm wondering if this is normal for older pigs for their nails to start curling more? Mostly I'm wondering if it's painful? I try and keep them down as much as I can, but even at this short length her nail makes her toes go sideways if that makes sense?

Any advice would be great :) I tried to get a photo but she's a wriggle butt.
 
I think it's perfectly normal. All my older piggies have curling nails and even with regular trimming and keeping them short they still curl. I think it's just an ageing thing.
 
A&T said:
So I trimm my girls nails frequently, or when I think they need a little trim. But over the last year or so I've noticed with Amber my older pig (5) her nails are really starting to curl... Now originally I thought "oh I must have left them to long" but it isn't, I've just cut her nails again and they literally start to curl pretty much no sooner they come out. I've cut them as short as I can without cutting the vein.

I'm wondering if this is normal for older pigs for their nails to start curling more? Mostly I'm wondering if it's painful? I try and keep them down as much as I can, but even at this short length her nail makes her toes go sideways if that makes sense?

Any advice would be great :) I tried to get a photo but she's a wriggle butt.
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Nails in older guinea pigs tend to twist or thicken. That is normal.
 
VickiA said:
I think it's perfectly normal. All my older piggies have curling nails and even with regular trimming and keeping them short they still curl. I think it's just an ageing thing.
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Yeah I thought so, she never had curly nails before so I did think it was just probably age!
Thank you for reassuring me though!

Wiebke said:
Nails in older guinea pigs tend to twist or thicken. That is normal.
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Ah great thank you! I figured it probably was that :D just needed reassuring!
 
helen105281 said:
My older girls have curly nails too.
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Weird isnt it, I wonder why! I'm going to put them out on the patio (slabs) in the summer see if I can wear them down a bit, no idea if ital work. Do you think its painful? Like their does turn fully side ways don't they almost?
 
A&T said:
Weird isnt it, I wonder why! I'm going to put them out on the patio (slabs) in the summer see if I can wear them down a bit, no idea if ital work. Do you think its painful? Like their does turn fully side ways don't they almost?
Click to expand...

As far as I can see, it is not painful and it generally doesn't keep them from running around if they feel like it!
 
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My late-eldest-sow had curly sideways-ish nails on one of her back feet all her life . I think she may have been stepped on or caught in a door as the whole foot was slightly twisted. I never bothered her and she ran around quite happily. Just kept on top of it to stop the nails from curling too far and contacting her foot or other toes, which obviously would become uncomfortable. Fortunately she was the best piggie at nail cutting!
 
Older pigs can definitely have nails that try to corkscrew as they grow... my almost 6-year-old pig has nails that grow in all directions and are hard to keep short, and a previous pig with dark nails made it really hard for us to cut the twisty claws she ended up with in her old age! Right now at least all my pigs have white nails so at least I can see where the quick ends, which makes life easier. Luckily my older pig (who hates nail trims) has mellowed with age and has lost some of her vision which means her attempts to bite me are not as successful as they used to be, and my younger pig is remarkably mellow about people touching her feet.
 
I posted about the same thing in my 4 year old female and was told its just to do with old age. not sure why but that's whats causing it x
 
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