What should the foot look like?

[TipiDancer]

I was wonderring what the foot of a guinea pig looks like. Rocket is too squirmy for me to get a picture. But, I notices little milimetre long flaps under his foot. But nothing as bad as the spurs described on Guinea Lynx.

[fourbwabbys]

That sounds like a spur. He can have small spurs, the ones on GL are the more sever cases. 4 out of my 5 pigs get spurs and I just keep them clipped.

[TipiDancer]

It will be hard to clip though. He is so squirmy if i even touch his bum or his foot.

[fourbwabbys]

Yeah I have a few that are that way. I don't know how I do it with Jane, but somehow it gets done.

[PiggieMom]

You'll have to get someone else to hold him. My boys are the same way. They only way we can cut their nails is if I hold them and my hubby clips. They're really squirmy, I have to hold them as firm as I can.

[TipiDancer]

I feel so guilty when I have to hold him down.

[PiggieMom]

So do I. But it's for their own good. I think I hate nail clipping more than they do. You give them a treat and they forgive you rather quickly though.

[fourbwabbys]

I felt so bad at the vet today with Trixie. I had to hold him still on his back so the vet could see his foot and he kept squealing away. Like the squeal when they get a shot or you ruffle their fur the wrong way. I felt so bad, but it was for his own good.

[TipiDancer]

The high pitch squeal if unsatisfaction is what makes me hurt.

[cavy-cool-crazy]

If it needs doing then it needs doing. You've just gotta grin and bear it for the pigs sake. Nothing would get done if you aren't brave; you have to be the big person here and say "Right, this is getting done. It might not be fun but it needs doing!". A squeal is nothing compared to more intense treatment which could result if you just leave it.

[munchkin]

I have one boy who gets spurs but only on one foot. Don't really know why. I just wrap him up in a towel and leave that one foot exposed. It seems to make it easier for me. It kind of keeps him calm.