There is more to attending to a guinea pig than only providing it with food and a snug environment. There is a very important aspect of the care of a pet often ignored or which makes pet owners nervous – the trimming of nails. Still, nail trimming is important for every guinea pig and should be incorporated into the routine care of the pet.
In this guide, I am going to talk about the importance of nail care: how to do preventive nail clipping on your guinea pig and what steps to take if problems arise. Once you complete this article, you will be surprised how easily you will be able to provide guinea pig nail care.
Why is it important to cut the nails of a guinea pig?
Most small pets have a problem that their claws never stop growing and guinea pigs are no exception. These nails also get worn down in the wild because of the constant movement and digging around. Only that at home, since guinea pigs live in a cage or in a house made of from soft materials, they really do not dig anymore.
When guinea pig nails are not trimmed short, they tend to keep growing longer than expected and bend under the feet making walking rather uncomfortable and painful. History has shown that overgrown nails tend to attract many complications which include many health concerns.
Foot injuries: long nails can prove to be hazardous since they tend to get caught up in cage bars, bedding or fabric leading to very painful injuries.
Infection risks: if a nail should happen to break or become ingrown, it could become a source of infection.
Foot and leg deformities: chronic overgrowth can interfere with how your guinea pig walks leading to the deformation of their feet and legs over a period of time.
Such issues can be avoided through trimming and there is the added advantage that your guinea pig will always be in good health.
How often should you cut your guinea pig’s nails?
Nail cutting is the most common questions raised by guinea pig owners and ‘how often should i cut my guinea pig’s nails?’, is among. The reply can surely be different for different people pig and their lifestyle.
For the majority of guinea pigs, the golden rule is trimming every 3-4 weeks. But it is important to care for your pet’s nails, and check them regularly. There could be more nail trimming on younger guinea pigs owing to a faster growing rate of their nails. Older guinea pigs or the elderly with health problems might have considerable slow growth in their nails on the contrary.
Tools you’ll need for nail trimming
Before commencing, ensure you have all supplies as needed in order for the trimming process to be carried out effectively. Here is the list of what you would require:
Nail clippers: small animal nail clippers are perfect for guinea pigs. It is better not to use big clippers to cut dogs’ nails, as these tend to be more cumbersome. Either scissor or guillotine style clippers would also be good.
Styptic powder or cornstarch: they may even cut the toenail too much towards the flesh, damaging it. If this happens, styptic powder or cornstarch can be used to aid in the bleeding.
A towel or blanket: giving a pig a bath is not only easy but it also makes the pig feel secure that it is being held and for that matter, the guinea pig will be relaxed and won’t move about during clipping.
A small nail file (optional): some people prefer to smooth the edges of the nails after trimming them with the nail clipper.
Getting your guinea pig ready for nail clipping
Pet guinea pigs are very timid creatures. In particular, the nail trimming process can be quite overwhelming to them. It is, therefore important to be very gentle when introducing this process. Here are a few strategies to prepare your guinea pig for nail trimming:
Stay calm: animals are sensitive to your emotions just as humans. If you are nervous or tensed, most probably your guinea pig will absorb it. Take a couple of deep breaths and get on the task calmly and positively.
Gradually acclimatize them to being handled: if your guinea pig does not enjoy being held then one must take the step of first getting the pig used to being handled before shearing their nails. Make it a practice to hold your guinea pig, pet it or touch it from time to time to let it begin to trust you.
Make the atmosphere comfortable: you need to find a quiet, safe place in your house where you would trim the nails of your guinea pig. Be sure that there are no screeching sounds or any commotion.
Use treats for positive reinforcement: it is important to reward your guinea pig with treats after grinding their nails to make them see grinding as a good thing.
A simple procedure on how to cut guinea pig nails.
With the appropriate tools on hand and the guinea pig already tamed, you can commence trimming the nails. Here’s a detail that guides you step by step.
Step 1: inspect the nails that is to say, before anyone starts cutting, it is important to take a close look at the guinea pig. There is a blood vessel inside the nail called the “quick”. Quick is quite prominent in light nails as a region of pink color. But one does not see it in dark or black polished nails. In such instances, take your time and do not cut too much at once because you might end up cutting way too quick.
Step 2: position your guinea pig grab the guinea pig in your hands either on your lap or some flat surface. If you are solo, a wrapping technique with a towel would be wise for fidgety guinea pigs. If someone is assisting you, they may hold the guinea pig calmly while you make the cut.
Step 3: clip the nails you are using the nail collapsed to trim the tip of the nail while taking care not to run into the blood vessel quick. Quite a few guinea pigs have black nails which do not help this sense of an effect, so one should take care and aim to wane the risk of cutting into them too thick. Take time, the business should not be done in haste.
Step 4: control wiggling all the same the same, this may be in the very few instances that the guinea pigs remain wriggly and tend to be in the cut for prolonged weeks with the first few nails barely achieving two cuts. If your guinea pig begins to squirm, cease and allow him or her some time to calm down. It is also possible to allow for some time in between and after completing each one nail to lighten the overpowering feeling on their side.
Step 5: smoothen the nails (optional) alternatively if the relatively rough surfaces of the nails have been trimmed, these could then be stoned to erase the pointed ends. Although not everyone finds this step very helpful, some may find it helpful in alleviating cuts from nails.
What to do if you accidentally cut the quick by the nail
Accidents happen, and if you cut the quick, there is no need for panic. It would cause some bleeding, but it is not often the matter of life and death. Here’s what you should do:
Apply styptic powder or cornstarch: for cuts or bloating, a little styptic powder or cornstarch can be placed onto the bleeding nail and it will assist in stopping the bleeding. Does it till the bleeding subsides?
Keep your guinea pig calm: it is normal for your guinea pig to be in distress which is when you talk softly or pat him/her to provide reassurance. The other nails can still be cut after the bleeding but exercise caution.
Monitor for signs of infection: after the bleeding has stopped, clean the nail gently, paying attention to any signs of infection such as redness, inflamed tissues, or pus. The animal should see the veterinarian straight away if there were any alarming signs.
Nail clipping
It may appear to be intimidating to have to cut your guinea pig’s nails, but there is really no need for it to be such. Here are some suggestions to help the procedure go more smoothly and safely:
Trim a little at a time: if you do not know where to begin and how much more needs to be after and before the nail is cut down you may first trim a small piece that goes past the tip of each of the nails. It is better to cut little and always add more later than to cut deep.
Employ positive reinforcement: after every session of nail trimming session, biscuit- or extra play is encouraged. This is positive reinforcement which acts as a form of conditioning whereby guinea pigs learn to perform a certain behavior because the result which is associated with the behavior is positive.
Take your time: there is no reason to hurry. If you feel it is necessary, take some time out, and let your guinea pig take a break between each nail.
Have a helper: if possible, it’s best to have another person assist you while trimming the nails. They can also be the ones to help keep your guinea pig in position while helping you do the work of trimming.
Severe overgrowth: in case the nails of your guinea pig are too long, you will need to get in touch with a professional nail clipping service. They will be able to have the knowledge and equipment to perform complicated nail trimming.
Injuries or infections: if your guinea pig has any such injuries or infections to the toenails, visiting the vet would be necessary. This is regarding the different treatment as well as care your vet may recommend.
Dark nails: if your guinea pig has dark nails and you are looking for the quick but cannot see it, a professional can once again trim them for you.
Conclusion
Nail cutting should be a practice performed routinely instead of as a once in a while activity. This is because the health status of the animal is positively affected. Appropriate nail care is essential in eliminating the problems of overgrowth matting, cuts and further infections.
Given adequate time, some few necessary things and a calm way of doing the task, there’s no reason as to why this does not become easy for both you as well as your guinea pig. You should watch your pet from time to time for any changes and contact a vet in case you have any doubts. Proper grooming of small pets such as guinea pigs ensures that the animal stays healthy, happy and capable of growing well.
