How to trim a guinea pig’s nails at home: step by step instructions

Guinea pigs are wonderful pets that are interesting to watch for both adults and children. They have a good-natured and sociable character, pleasing the owners. But, like any pet, these rodents require proper care. Caring for them consists not only in cleaning the cage and proper feeding, but also in caring for the pet’s claws.

Do I need to trim my guinea pig’s nails?

In nature, guinea pig claws wear down quickly without assistance. But at home, the owner will have to help the animal cope with overgrown claws.

Growing, long nails in pigs begin to coarsen and twist.

This situation leads to:

• curvature of the fingers;
• pododermatitis;
• problems with the spine;
• injury to the pads on the paws due to the rotation of the claws;
• inconvenience during movement and, as a result, possible obesity of the pet due to a reduction in physical activity.

Keep in mind that with long claws, a pet can damage furniture and other surfaces in the house. In connection with the above reasons, the question of whether it is possible and necessary to cut the nails of guinea pigs disappears by itself.

Nail clipping should be done from the age of 1-3 months. The need for the next procedure is determined by a visual assessment of the length of the transparent tip of the claw: nail cutting is necessary if its length is more than 2 mm. Depending on how fast the nails grow, the frequency of cutting is set. Basically, the frequency of haircuts is once every 2-4 weeks.

Important! The claws of the animal and the blood vessels located in them grow together. Be careful with the next haircut in determining the location of the incision of the nail.

You need to know how to cut the nails of a guinea pig at home as painlessly and quickly as possible, without causing physical or moral harm to the rodent.

Preparing for the procedure

Before you start trimming your guinea pig’s nails, you need to properly prepare. First, prepare the necessary tools.

Nail clipper for rodents

It is preferable to buy it in a specialized pet store, as such a tool will be the safest and most comfortable for the pet. In the absence of wire cutters for rodents, you can use children’s or cat’s.

Electric sharpener or scratching post

This device is the safest when grinding claws without the risk of catching a blood vessel or nerve.

Hemostatic powder

You can find it in a store that sells shaving accessories. It helps to stop bleeding when touched while cutting a blood vessel. In the absence of such a powder, corn starch or Chlorhexidine can be used for the same purpose.

Towel

It is necessary for the comfort of the animal and the convenience of holding it during the procedure.

Important! Determine in advance a well-lit place where you will cut your pet’s nails, and lay out all the tools in a convenient order for you.

Prepare the animal for an unpleasant procedure for him, using the following recommendations:

1. Gently, without sudden movements, remove the pet from the cage, holding the rodent’s jaw with your thumb, and at the same time carefully hold the pet from behind with the other hand.
2. Wrap the rodent in the prepared towel.
3. Place it on your knees with your back to you to avoid being bitten.

Try to calm your pet down by giving him his favorite treat and stroking him.

How to trim your guinea pig’s nails

In total, guinea pigs have 14 fingers: 4 on the front paws, 3 toes on the back.

When cutting guinea pigs, it is customary to leave the nails on the front paws slightly shorter than on the hind legs.

There is a sequence of actions that will help to carry out the procedure correctly and safely:

1. Picking up a pet wrapped in a towel, turn it around with its back to you. Carefully inspect the condition of the claws and evaluate their length, determining the approximate location of the incision. It is advisable to illuminate the claws of a rodent with a lamp in order to understand the exact location of the blood vessel. Trim only the transparent tip, without touching the vessel in order to avoid bleeding. If your pet has dark-colored claws, you can carefully use a file to grind the tip.
2. Gently stretch the paws of the animal one at a time. If your pet pulls its paw, let it calm down before continuing the procedure.
3. Hold the claw between your thumb and forefinger, but don’t squeeze it too hard. It is necessary to cut slightly above the blood vessel at an angle so that the pet’s paw can stand flat on the surface. If a vessel is touched and blood flows, apply powder (Chlorhexidine, starch). After using it at the end of the haircut, wipe off the product to avoid getting it into the stomach of the animal.

After completing the procedure, replace the bedding in the cage with a fresh one to avoid getting dirt under the trimmed nails of the animal and possible inflammation.

Important! It is more convenient to carry out such a procedure together, when the pig sits on the hands of one person, and the second at this time cuts its claws.

How to make the procedure as painless as possible

You can save your nerves and help your pet with this procedure by adhering to certain rules:

• start cutting your nails from the edge, sequentially moving from finger to finger. If the animal is very worried, pause and try to calm the animal with a treat;
• start cutting nails from the first month to allow the baby to get used to the regular procedure;
• if the pig is very nervous and does not give, you can cut the claws in the bathroom or in the kitchen, turning on the water at the same time: often the pigs freeze when they hear the sound of water;
• distract the rodent with food during the process.

If the rodent bites, you can put on a muzzle designed for miniature dogs.

Nail care

You can bring the living conditions of the guinea pig closer to the natural habitat. To do this, you should buy scratching posts at a pet store or adapt a rough stone or a piece of brick for the same purpose. Stones will contribute to the natural grinding of claws between haircuts.

In addition, cool stones will be a good place for the pig to lie down and cool off. And a piece of brick placed under the drinker will absorb all the excess water falling on the cage bedding from the drinker.

If the size of the cage allows, try making a stable cairn out of rocks or pieces of bricks. Food can be placed on top to encourage the pet to climb the pyramid.

Important! Make sure the stone or brick structure is secure to avoid rocks falling on the rodent.

Guinea pigs are animals whose nail care should be included in the mandatory conditions of detention. It is necessary to cut the claws of a guinea pig, adhering to a number of rules and a sequence of actions. It is important to prepare a lighted place and all the tools in advance, to calm and please the animal with a treat. Great care must be taken when determining the exact location of the claw incision to avoid nerve or blood vessel injury. In addition to regular nail trimming, you can provide your pet with natural claw grinding by using stones or brick pieces in the cage.

Hygiene procedures in addition to cutting the nails include bathing the guinea pig and grooming the coat.

Video: how to cut the claws of a guinea pig