GAH! Piggy nails!

**Kriket** · #1 02-09-06, 08:43 pm

I just cut all 11 of the girls' nails. You would have thought I was comming after them with a rusty hacksaaw. This is the first time I've done all of them at once... usually I do half and then half the next day, but I had them all out roaming around. Cin was by far the worst, even worse than the babies!! She carried on so loudly I'm wondering how the kids didn't get woke up, ha! just thought I'd share.

**WEAVER** · #2 02-09-06, 08:53 pm

Too funny. Two of mine just sit and pout the whole time, not even a peep. Boris on the other hand literally screams at the top of his lungs, loud and piercing. Crazy Pigs!!!

**nonamian_girl** · #3 02-09-06, 09:12 pm

My last pig would always be really distressed and even try to bite me (and he wasn't normally a biter). So now every time it's time to clip nails I get scared more than the actual pigs.

By the way, while we're on the topic, what do you guys use to clip piggie nails? I have this weird clipper and it works alright but I get the feeling it's a bit dull, and it sucks because I actually have to put the nail INTO it to clip it. Can you just use a regular nail clipper?

**WEAVER** · #4 02-09-06, 09:15 pm

A regular nail clipper is not going to open wide enough to get the back leg nails into it.

I have those piggie nail clippers but I do not like them very much at all and they do not seem sharp either. I actually use small dog nail clippers and I like them the best and the are the easiest for me to see the nail and where I am clipping.

**nonamian_girl** · #5 02-09-06, 09:19 pm

Could you possibly show me a pic of the one you use? Maybe I'll invest in some. It'd be nice to be able to see it better because then I won't worry about clipping it too close either.

Oh, and would it be okay if I used a regular clipper on the front in that case? The front it usually the more problematic area.

**WEAVER** · #6 02-09-06, 09:26 pm

If you can get the nail into the clipper without it being a tight fit I think it would be fine to just take the tips off with it. Animal clippers and ours though are a different cut if that makes any sense. If you look at our clippers and than pet ones theirs has a downward slope in the clipper itself instead of a straight across cut. Am I making any sense? I will try to post a picture of the clippers I use, they are the same ones as the vets with orange handles. I think they are made by millers forge, I will have to check. I am also going to have to have my husband help me post a picture (believe it or not I do not know how to do all that stuff

I am going out fo town in the morning, but I will try to have him help me in the beginning of the week.

**Kriket** · #7 02-09-06, 09:33 pm

I actually use human fingernail clippers. All my piggies nails fit just fine, and they're much easier to grip than the nail clippers I've found for piggies.

**nonamian_girl** · #8 02-09-06, 09:34 pm

Yup, makes sense, because you're supposed to restore the natural slope of a piggie nail...I think. Though I'm not sure how to exactly do that either. I saw a vet actually bend back the piggie paws and cut the nails when the piggie paw was palm-up (if that makes sense). But that would be very tricky to do and I'm not so sure how safe that is because he was definitely not a cavy savvy vet (which is perhaps why my pig bit him :P).

**daftscotslass** · #9 02-10-06, 02:51 am

Urgh, nail clipping. Bramble and Lucy don't care but with Bonnie you'd think I was cutting off toes.

**pink_cottonball** · #10 02-10-06, 06:34 am

Moe is our crazy one! He only likes being held close otherwise he squirms! He has to be clinging to your shirt! Since when we clip his nails we can't do this he attmepts to get away the whole time!
Charlie couldn't care less he just snuggles his butt down in your hand and kicks if you bug him too much! We got lucky with him!
Their nails grow so fast though!

**amber-waves** · #11 02-10-06, 07:24 am

I have seen baby nail clippers that have a little magnifying glass on them. I am going to get a set and see how it works. Sounds good in theory because you should be able to see the nail better.

**munchkin** · #12 02-10-06, 07:51 am

I actually use a fishing line clipper. It is larger than the regular nail clippers or even toe nail clippers but looks exactly the same as the toe nail clippers. It just has a slightly larger opening. They work really well. I found them at our Academy sporting goods store. You just never know where you will find piggie friendly stuff.
Checker is the only one who throws a fit about having his nails clipped, but I think that may be a childhood trauma issue. When I got him he was in a wire bottom cage and had one nail that had been partially ripped off. Ouch.

CuTe*LIL*CaVy · #13 02-10-06, 03:28 pm

I just thought I would join the conversation... My piggy, Shaggy, throws a fit whenever I cut his nails! I always have my dad hold him, while I do the cutting. He screams his head off, unless I am feeding him a carrot at the same time. I feel kind of bad for him, but I know it is just because he is scared, not hurt. I agree, Urgh!

**jdomans** · #14 02-10-06, 03:54 pm

Munchkin, fishing line clippers eh? Interesting. for about 98% of the 7 sets of toenails we cut, regular human nail clippers work well. But my grandpig has dog size nails. Really thick and curled. I have also noticed that some of the other girls have a few of those funky nails. For the most part, their nails are like a cat's. Most of the time nail clipping isn't too bad.

**smoot** · #15 02-10-06, 05:14 pm

My youngest refuses to get her nails clipped and I don't know what to do. She doesn't scream, she squirms. Constantly. One unsuccessful nail cutting session lasted almost 20 minutes. She squirmed the whole time. It's impossible to keep a hold of her. As soon as she's touched she starts to wiggle and runs to get away. I've tried having my boyfriend help me to no avail. If I touch one of her paws she jerks it back. I swear the only way to get her to sit still will be to drug her. Any advice?

**JennG** · #16 02-10-06, 09:17 pm

Well with eight girls, I did the half one night and half the other which makes ME less stressed. I have about half that squirm and try to nibble on me or wiggle to get away and four that will sit and pout too. I think I got puppy/kitten nail clippers. I also have a pair of baby nail clippers because Angel gets that tough piece of skin on the bottom of her front feet and I usually have to trim that every 1 1/2 to 2 months. It doesn't seem to grow as bad.

**nonamian_girl** · #17 02-20-06, 06:52 pm

I used a regular, human nail clipper for the first time today. It worked superbly! I cut all of Georgia's nails in about two minutes, and she was SO good I was amazed. I really dread clipping their nails because my last pig really hated it, but my current two aren't bad at all.

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