How Do I Trim My Guinea Pig's Nails

Guinea pig's nails grow continuously, simply like humans. Their toenails file down naturally in the wild, merely they don't become the aforementioned opportunity when domesticated. For this reason, guinea pigs crave regular nail cutting to save them from the pain and discomfort overgrown and curled nails cause.

But as you know, these pets often get a bit squirmy whenever they accept their nails cut, and information technology would be all-time to learn how to care for their nails to make the experience as painless and smooth as possible.

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How Often Should You Cutting Your Guinea Pig'south Nails?

I sure matter is that these pets require regular trimming, only that the frequency varies amid the animals. It would be best to cut the nails once a month at a minimum or every two weeks. Clipping your piggy's nails more often volition help develop a routine and stop the "quick" or claret supply at the nail's center from growing closer to the tip.

If the tip grows, the nails tend to curl into their footpads, making them extremely challenging. Overgrown and twisted boom tips tin can crusade open wounds on the feet and impairment your pet's skin. The infected footpad can develop pododermatitis (bumblefoot) or inflammation that progresses to osteoarthritis or osteomyelitis (conditions with a poor prognosis).

What'due south the "Quick" of the Boom in Guinea Pigs?

If y'all are a piggy parent, you empathise how the idea of a "quick" during nail-clipping can brand you lot nervous. The quick is a delicate ruby blood vessel that runs through the nail and can make your pet drain out if you accidentally prune information technology.

You tin can avoid such accidents past regularly trimming considering the more than yous trim, the faster the "quick" shrinks back, making subsequent cutting sessions easier and less stressful. And if your hog has a black blast, it'd exist challenging to locate the "quick" when cut the nails.

Withal, if y'all shine a USB light or a torch through the nail, and you lot'll see the blood vessel more clearly. Recall, it would exist all-time only to clip the nail's tip if you are in uncertainty.

Teddy guinea pig — Image Credit: Chorch, Shutterstock

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All-time Clippers for Cutting Guinea Pig Nails

In that location are two types of nail clippers you can employ:

1. Small Animal Nail Clipper

You lot can utilize clippers especially made for clipping your piggy'southward nails. These clippers usually have a rounded groove in the blades that can hold the nail and requite it a refined, clean finish afterward cut.

Examples of small animal smash clippers you lot can use include Kaytee Small Animal Pro-Smash Trimmer, Babyliss Pro Pet Nail Clipper, and Hertzko Angled Blade.

2. Human Nail Clipper

If the pet-designated clipper does not take enough gap to accommodate your pet's nails, you tin can opt for a homo clipper with an actress gap. Still, these clippers may flatten the nails, so exist sure to trim away the backlog nail when using them.

You may find that immature piggies take much softer and delicate nails than older guinea pigs because the nails harden and thicken with historic period. Similarly, nails on the hind limbs tend to be thicker than the front end ones. Yous can use human toenail clippers for thicker nails.

Examples of human being smash clippers you lot can apply include HAWATOUR Nail Clippers, FIXBODY Nail Clippers, and QOOQI Nail Clippers.

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Safest & Easiest Ways to Cut Guinea Sus scrofa Nails

There are several methods for cutting your piggy'southward nails. Here'south ane of the ways to do it.

What You lot'll Need

Beast or human nail clippers
Styptic pulverization or Cornflour (in case of bleeding when you lot accidentally cut the quick)
Hand towel
Magnifying spectacles with LED lights or torch
Lettuce, grass, or your pet's favorite food

half dozen Steps of How to Cut the Nails

1. Wrap Your Republic of guinea Pig in a Hand Towel

Carefully place your piggy on a hand towel and wrap the towel effectually him. Ensure the towel isn't too tight; you may suffocate or cause him to overheat.

two. Relax Your Pet

Remember, most guinea pigs are the happiest when munching on their favorite food. Therefore, ensure your piggy's favorite good for you snack is available, as it will help distract your pet while you get on trimming.

3. Position the Pet in Your Lap

The hardest part about nail cutting is getting your republic of guinea pig to hold even so. The all-time way to do it is by sitting on the ground and place the piggy on your lap, facing away from you while the ramp is against your tum. It'll help preclude it from backing upwards.

4. Choose a Leg

Concord your pet upright and choose a leg to trim, and gently pull it out. If the piggy wiggles during this procedure, release the leg and allow information technology to calm down earlier you gently go on.

5. Secure one of the Nails

Use the hand belongings the piggy'southward legs to steady the smash between the thumb and the index finger. However, practise not squeeze besides tight to go along the nail in identify, or information technology may make your pet squirm.

Select the nail starting from one end of the foot as you work your manner from the inside to the other cease. It'll help you keep count of the nails you've clipped.

Then, pick up the clippers with your other hand and position them in front of the nail yous desire to trim. Identify the nail'southward quick-information technology'll be easier to locate on a clear nail than on a black nail. But, a magnifying glass and an LED light can help with that.

6. Trim the Nail

If your republic of guinea pig has clear nails, yous'll meet the quick every bit the pink part inside the nail. If yous tin locate the quick, the trick is to cut the extended tip off the boom without getting into the quick. Ensure you are at the correct bending; trim the nail just above the quick, towards the smash's end.

Avert trimming likewise close to the quick as it'll be painful for your piggy. Worse yet, if yous cut the quick, you risk your pig bleeding out.

Keep with trimming the other nails and requite your pet time to cool off if it is restless during the session. A treat subsequently each nail clipping can provide positive reinforcement and offer some lark.

How to Cut Black Guinea Squealer Nails

If your piggy's nails are black, it tin be virtually impossible to locate the quick, making it a picayune disturbing.

Therefore, it would be best to ensure you have extra lighting or additional LED lighting to help. You can also enquire someone to assist shine the lite from beneath the boom for you lot to see clearly.

Regular cut sessions tin can aid y'all guess where it's safe to clip based on the nail's shape, although you lot must be sure and confident. The nail'southward tip is usually narrow and appears nearly hollow when y'all view it from the bottom.

The gilded dominion of thumb is to prune off about one/4 inch of the nail tip. Ideally, you can inquire a groomer, a vet team member, or an experienced guinea pig parent for assistance earlier you attempt it yourself.

How to Cut Curled or Overgrown Nails

As your piggy's blast continues elongating, the blood supply levels likewise increase because they follow the nails down. Then, if you go ahead and cut the nail to the standard length at one time, information technology'll drain.

It'll be helpful to clip the nails bit by flake every few days to make the blood vessels move back. Clipping a little more often will assistance you cut to the standard length with the blood vessels shrunk dorsum.

You can now start clipping every ii-four weeks onwards.

Dealing with Accidents

Fifty-fifty the near careful and experienced guinea pig parents have accidentally cut into the quick and acquired it to bleed at 1 point. If you do, do not panic because, although it may bleed and hurt your pet at that moment, it is not disastrous.

You tin stop the bleeding using these techniques:

Stem the claret using styptic powder. Apply the styptic powder or cornstarch at the bleeding nail tip. These powders may hurt momentarily only are highly constructive at stemming the bleeding.
You lot can as well press the pain blast into a bar of soap, beeswax or simply employ pressure to the blast tip if it is small-scale bleeding.
All in all, you should ensure the haemorrhage has stopped before placing your pet back in its cave. If it becomes sore and won't stop bleeding, consult your family vet for alternative communication.

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Take Away

Boom cut tin can be a tricky matter even to the most experienced republic of guinea hog owner. However, a piffling patience and regular trimming will help build confidence and make it easier for y'all and your pet.

But, do not at any point panic and get out the blast to grow every bit information technology'll make your pet endure, become infected, and develop sore anxiety. So, if you accidentally cutting the quick or find the process too apropos, observe a professional to assistance yous every month.

Featured Image: Dmytro Vietrov, Shutterstock