[Gpdd] Health: Trimming toenails

[Algernon07 at aol.com]

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