[Gpdd] Health: Trimming toenails
Algernon07 at aol.com
Algernon07 at aol.com
Tue Jan 25 18:49:14 EST 2005
Hi Every Person and Pig,
Almost everyone knows that I don't have the greatest track record with
nail clipping, as Coody-three-toes will attest. (Honest, I didn't cut his toe
off tho he did lose it because of me.)
My two younger rescue Guinea Pigs, taken as babies tolerate having
their nails clipped very well.
I have held them with the head cradled in my hand, and more or less on
my leg or lap as well in that I generally sit Indian style, as they lie on
their backs since they were little babies. I rub the little tummies and talk to
them. (I hope their acceptance of this is not a sort of paralysis induced by
fear. I also pet their little heads and side whiskers and in short make over
them.)
Now -- here is the important art -- I've done this since they were
tiny piggies. Part of our little ritual includes me playing with their cute
little paws and feet, praising their adorableness.
I try to trim their nails (with pet clippers -- the kind with the
little round hole in the center -- their claws got too big to easily trim with
human clippers tho those work well with the babies.) about every 6 weeks tho
sometimes it's longer that that. Charlie and Chester (the rescue babies) are quite
willing to have their nails trimmed --in fact they act like they don't know
that anything special is happening. Just more "play with the cutezy little foot
ses."
As for Mr. Cooders and Wilson -- don't even think about turning their
them on their backs! I acquired Wilson when he was a mere 20 days old so I
probably could have trained him too -- tho Cooders was a young adult when he came
into my possession. Sometimes when they're on the sofa having a snack I
sneakingly whack off a bit of exposed nail here and there. Over the course of a
week I've generally managed to get their nails trimmed. (This is just Cooders and
Wilson!)
For those who have really young piggies tho, try to get them used to
having their feet and paws made over, handled, etc.
Good luck -- to all of us!
Alge
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