Trimming a hedgehog's nails?

Question

Seriously, they're getting long and I need to cut them, but not sure how, any tips?

Answer 1

Hedgehog nails are similar to human nails. They are flimsy enough that you can cut them with nail clippers - either the lever/guillotine style or the scissor type.

If your hedgie is friendly, you can usually just hold on to their paw and carefully clip the white part of the nail. Be careful, because there is a 'quick' inside the nail where it attaches to the toe that will bleed and hurt if cut. Just avoid the pink part. If you do nick the quick, have some styptic powder or flour to stop the bleeding.

Some hedgehogs will let you hold them on their backs to do this. With some of mine I can just flop them on my knee and use two hands to hold one foot and the other to trim. Some hedgehogs do not like this, so instead you can get a friend to hold the animal in two cupped hands. Allow the animals feet to fall through the spaces between his or her fingers, then grab one and trim the nails.

If your hedgehog is huffy and is not keen on the idea of having a pedicure, try putting him in the bathtub. Fill it with enough water to just cover his feet and let him run around for a little bit. This will have him relax and also soften the nails to make them easier to trim. If this doesn't work, you can sometimes 'scruff' a hedgehog by using gloved hands to pinch their back skin from shoulder to shoulder to prevent them from balling up.

I had one rescue come to me with infected nails. He was so grumpy, I couldn't even scruff him to get to his nails. He had to be anaesthetized by a veterinarian in order to fix up his poor feet.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Luna absolutely hates nail clipping time! But to make things easier, I give her a bath beforehand to make her nails softer. I use human nail scissors, which I find easier to use than nail clippers. Anyways, hold hedgie up with feel hanging down. Hedgie will wiggle around, so you can probably only do one a day.. Be sure not to cut the pinky bit of the nail, as this is hedgies blood supply to feet.

Good luck!

Answer 3

nail clippers im not sure justa  guess ive never had a hedgehog i guess you could askka vet