# nail trimming



## ratzgirl (Aug 15, 2007)

Does anyone have any tips for trimming nails? THey are so tiny!


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## Hippy (Jul 23, 2007)

I know it makes me cringe to think about it. ><"


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Is nail trimming even necessary?Ive never even heard of that o__O


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## Mana (Apr 22, 2007)

Most people will put stuff in their rats' cage to help keep their nails down, usually bricks. I have a brick and a pedicure bird perch in their cage. I put the water bottle up high and the perch under it, so they have to use the perch to reach the water, and the brick next to their litter box, which they use as a step to get in there. They both work really well, and I haven't had to cut their nails myself.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

I basically put my boys in a rattie headlock and then trim it gets easier as you do it more.


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## JESSU (Aug 8, 2007)

Get skateboard grip tape and stick it on a platform or somewhere where they frequently walk.


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## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

I trim my girls...i dont need too but i prefer too. If you do, i suggest gettin the tiny sciscor style nail clippers. dont use regular sciscors. 

My girls are pretty good, but like i said, they dont need it. i trim the tips every so often.


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## ratzgirl (Aug 15, 2007)

yeah, I have one of them.


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

you can also use a nail file, but let me tell you, its rather difficult, my O.P. had nails so severely over grown when I got them that they were curling under and poking into the pads on his feet/toes. To tell you the honest truth they're still not trimmed down 100% but they're much MUCH better, hes not too keen on me playing with his feet because he doesn't understand, but hes getting used to it, everytime i take him out i play with his toes now, the more i do so, the more willing he is to let me do it. That way next time i get out the scissors/nail file, he wont mind as much.


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## Sparker (Jun 17, 2007)

I generally stick with the brick and bird perch thing and use a nail file if I have to ...


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## JESSU (Aug 8, 2007)

Is my rat the only rat that trims his own nails? He even trims mine.


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## Sparker (Jun 17, 2007)

My dog does that... weird.


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## Lunachick (Aug 15, 2007)

Funny...my cat does that. I always thought she was a bit of a freak. But she literally bites her own nails, and ruins them. Luckily she allows me to cut them for her.
I'll try the brick thing with my rats. Their nails aren't bad right now but they will be soon.


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## RainyDays (Aug 19, 2007)

I hate trimming nails.
I always have scratches from my rats though.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Hippy said:


> I know it makes me cringe to think about it. ><"


Ahh, me too! haha


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## Hippy (Jul 23, 2007)

Its just they have little feeties and smaller nails, I'm sure it would be nice once in a while to have a shoulder ride where your neck isn't scratched up and red, or you have to change into a thicker shirt.

I actually a hard enough time doing my dogs nails and watching a vet do it, just makes me want to grab my dog and say, NO TOUCHIE! 

Cheers to the people here who can trim their ratties feeties!


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

LOL, we had to trim our dogs nail today...>.<


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## Hippy (Jul 23, 2007)

Were getting ours done tomorrow for my moms oldest dog, because she knows I'm taking my Maggie [rat] to the vet and she wants me to sneak her in for some trimming.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Haha, thats the way to do it! xD


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## Lunachick (Aug 15, 2007)

Do either of you guys dogs have a problem with you cutting their nails? My dog is fine with it. I only cut off the tips anyway because I'm too afraid of cutting the quicks, but my sister's dog flips if you try to cut his nails. It's not even that we're being too rough or anything. He had been abused before we adopted him so he just has his issues. The only way we can cut his nails is if he's muzzled and we really just don't like doing this. Is there a better way?


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## Hippy (Jul 23, 2007)

Lunachick said:


> Do either of you guys dogs have a problem with you cutting their nails? My dog is fine with it. I only cut off the tips anyway because I'm too afraid of cutting the quicks, but my sister's dog flips if you try to cut his nails. It's not even that we're being too rough or anything. He had been abused before we adopted him so he just has his issues. The only way we can cut his nails is if he's muzzled and we really just don't like doing this. Is there a better way?


I have a few dogs like that, rescues, its because when they were younger, their feet weren't played with enough so you touching their most sensitive body parts, its gonna scare them a bit and make them uncomfortable. When your not cutting his or her nails and your just hanging out with them, touch his or her feet, play with them, make it a game and give them treats for god behavior.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Both ours were fine when we cut their nails, one nail we cut too close and it beld a tiny bit, but she didnt notice anything (shes a big doofy lab who's always moving and still acts like a pup, so its always hard to cut her nails, lol)


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