by Guinea pigs are cute and fluffy creatures. Their nails are long and require effort to keep them short. Is it difficult or dangerous to cut them?
Luckily, it is easy to cut guinea pig nails with the right tools, and we are here to show you how. This guide on cutting guinea pig nails will show you the best method for trimming your guinea pig nails.
Why Cutting Guinea Pig’s Nail is Important
Nails are an important part of the guinea pig. They constantly grow and help hold their feet together. They grow faster when they are dirty or wet.
Nail trimming is an important part of any pet care routine. The nails can thicken, curl, and bleed when they do not receive proper care. This can be very painful for the rodent.
How to Know Where to Cut?
It can be daunting if you have never trimmed a pet’s nails. Start by making sure the guinea pig is calm. Cut off the excess nail below the quick, moist, pink tissue inside the nail.
Wrap the cut end of a cotton ball or bandage to reduce any pain. Once the guinea pig has calmed down, trim each nail straight. After trimming, you should file the sharp edges of the nail. Finally, apply the styptic powder.
Step by Step Guide to Properly Clipping a Guinea Pig’s Nail
Clipping a guinea pig’s nails can be daunting. However, it is tricky at first, and you may feel like you are putting them in pain. It is important for them. Well-groomed nails on your rodent friends can make them look good, become hygienic, and save them from pain.
Follow these steps to cut guinea pig nails.
Gather the Proper Materials for cutting guinea pig nails
Before cutting a guinea pig’s nails, you should prepare yourself with all the necessary materials. Lift the nail from the guinea pig’s paw if you want to cut it. The nail, just like humans, should not be cut too short because it may cause pain to the guinea pig. You can cut the nails with clippers, but do not use human nail clippers.
Sit Down and Hold Your Guinea Pig before cutting their nails
Guinea pig nails should be trimmed regularly, but you should first hold them on your lap and trim their nails. After cutting, they should be watched closely to ensure they do not harm themselves. Calm them down and coax them. If you know sounds or actions that relax them, feel free to do these, so they are not anxious. The more skittish they are, the more chances of them getting hurt.
Secure the Body
Since guinea pigs are curious, they need lots of stimuli. Therefore, it is important to expose them to different objects, sights, sounds, and smells. You can give them toys and calm them down. Make them feel warm and try to lessen their heartbeat. Try to hide their tools, so they do not get scared looking at new or even sharp objects.
Identify where the quick ends on each nail
The quick ends are the points where the blood comes out if you cut a nail. Nerve endings and blood vessels are found in the quick ends. Although the nail has no feeling, cutting the quick can be painful and cause bleeding. If your guinea pig’s nails are light in color or translucent, the quick is the visible pink part. If they are dark in color, look for the quick by observing the nail’s shape.
Clip the Sharp Tip of the Nail
Start by gently holding one of your guinea pig’s legs. Trim the nails on each toe before moving on to the other foot. If you are unsure where the quick is, only clip the end of the nail. If your guinea pig’s nails are too long, trim small amounts weekly until they are at an appropriate length.
Restraining Your Guinea Pig
If your guinea pig is comfortable, you can pick it up by its midsection so that its back is against your stomach to retrain it. Put your hand lightly across your guinea pig’s chest to secure it. If your guinea pig is not comfortable in your lap, you can wrap it in a hand towel, so it feels warm.
In case of a mishap
You should keep your guinea pigs’ nails trimmed. This helps keep their feet healthy and prevents them from developing painful foot infections. It also makes it easier to clean their nails of the nasty stuff that guinea pigs like to walk in and track through the house.
The quick pink part of the nail lies just beneath the surface. You can see it if you look closely – it is the whitish part of the nail. No matter how careful you are, you may sometimes cut the quick. In that case, you will cause your guinea pig to bleed.
If your guinea pig starts to bleed, do not sweat. There are ways to stop the bleeding.
Do not squeeze the cut to stop the bleeding if you cut the nail tip. This will compromise the nail bed, making it weaker. Instead, apply a styptic powder to the cut immediately and gently push the amount together with a piece of tissue. The bleeding should stop in a few minutes. Then, leave the cut alone to heal.
Another way to stop the bleeding is more natural cornstarch or flour like the styptic. These options are readily available, and they are less likely to cause pain to your furry friend.
Similarly, a natural method is pressing the nail with soap or beeswax. This will make healing platelets faster and will stop the bleeding.
You can apply pressure to the area for minor bleedings, just like for humans. Do this on the tip of the nail of the guinea pig, and the bleeding may stop in about five or ten minutes.
FAQs
How Do I Keep My Guinea Pig Calm While Trimming Its Nails?
Guinea pigs are calm and quiet while having their nails trimmed. However, do not give too much attention before the nail trimming.
What Should I Do if I Cut Too Close to the Quick of the Nail?
You should keep your pig’s nails trimmed so they do not cause him pain. If he is scratched, he can have some infection. To prevent disease, you can go to the vet or try natural remedies such as flour, cornstarch, and even beeswax.
How Can I Keep My Guinea Pig’s Nails Short?
Guinea pigs can get very long and dirty, so it is best to keep them short. To keep your pig’s nails short, gently use a nail filer to file their nails. You can also trim them using a pet nail trimmer.
How Often Should You Cut Your Guinea Pig’s Nails?
They grow continuously, so it is good to trim them. Guinea pigs need nails for digging and climbing, so you should trim their fingernails regularly. Nails grow continually, so it is good to cut them regularly. It depends on the rodent, but ideally, every two weeks is good.
What is the “Quick” of the Nail in Guinea Pigs?
A Guinea Pig’s quick is an artery in the palm that extends to the wrist and inner side of the forearm. Containing two arteries and veins, the quick carries blood to and from the extremities. The opening (embouchure) of the quick is at the base of the thumb.
Conclusion
In summary, guinea pigs are one of the cutest animals in the world, and they love to be held, cuddled, and enjoyed. However, guinea pigs can have very sharp nails, causing injury and irritation. Cutting guinea pig nails can be a tricky process. First, be gentle when trimming, so cut them straight. Next, use nail clippers rather than scissors and check if they are cut properly.
