# Can you look at her nails please? advise



## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

I was able to trim the nails on one front foot during our first foot bath but since Hazel mostly stays balled up or balls up when I move to do anything lol (getting better but tonight was a rare time she has snoozed on me where I could see her back feet so took some pics)

Can someone tell me how bad these nails are and if I should push the issue already or can it wait a while longer while we bond more? She had made great strides, tomorrow is one week only tho and I don't want to HAVE TO scruff her or anything like that so soon. I am hoping I can get one leg each foot-bath time kind of idea. I never really had much to take off the front right that I was able to get at but the rear nails are much longer. I don't really know what is serious issue bad or can wait a little bit but get to it soon ???





































and just cause she is so adorable


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## elise5211 (Jun 2, 2011)

Looks fine to me. Maybe in a week or two, it'll need a trim.


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

Looks like some of her nails could use a trim, but none are to the point of curling around or (super bad thing) digging into the pads of her feet. 

I'd try to gently touch her little footsies each night a little if she'll unball for you. And, if you're really lucky, she might consent to a little trimming without much fuss - even if it's just one nail a night (aim for the longest).

Though if she's bothered with you trying to trim, yes, it looks like you can abort the trimming mission for a short time longer while you spend a little more time bonding


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Thank you that's so helpful! I'm glad they are not seriously an issue yet. She is becoming more used to me although if I reach for her bare handed she still tries to jab me or balls up lol...in her snuggle bags tho she will sit for long periods after settling and allow me to rub her belly / feet / ears/ under her chin through the bag. She doesn't sleep on or near me deep enough to even get close to her nails...I got the one front right foot while she was distracted in foot bath  I'll try the left front during our next foot bath....the rear ones are my big concern cause it might be a while (or never lol) before she lets me at those.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Hissy, you are describing Snarf perfectly. I would read posts making it sound so easy to trim nails and either want to laugh or cry...Snarf would never have let me touch his feet.

BUT...after three months, he DID...slowly and I suspect he was asleep for most of it...I would cuddle him (not in his bag) on his back all curled up. Sometimes we would sit like this for 2 hours...then when he relaxed a bit...I would gently and slowly grab a foot and very quickly and decisively snip!! :lol: After doing this a few times, he seemed to 'get it' and relaxed more quickly.

I also managed to snip a few, over time, as he was sleeping in his bag.

My advice...always have clippers nearby...I had to keep them in my hand while I was cuddling or Snarf would wake up as I reached for them :roll: Try for one nail as your goal for the week...if any others get done? A great bonus!! I also managed to get a couple done during a bath but Snarf could and DID roll into a ball in the water...so these were few and far between. :roll:


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## moothecow (Jun 4, 2011)

MissC said:


> Hissy, you are describing Snarf perfectly. I would read posts making it sound so easy to trim nails and either want to laugh or cry...Snarf would never have let me touch his feet.


I watched one YouTube video of "how to trim a hedgehog's nails," and couldn't help but laugh (jealously). That girl's hedgehog might as well have been as stuffed toy. He just calmly stood there while she picked up a foot at a time and trimmed all his nails. NO REACTION. See I'd like a 'how to' video that features a struggling, huffing, popping hedgehog and THEN I'd feel like it's maybe useful to me :lol:

I HAD to trim Misha's nails yesterday, because he's staying with my parents for a while and I needed to have him and clean and trimmed, and no way would they be able to trim his nails. But we devised a pretty good system: I put him on his back, in a ball, in my hand. When he relaxed, I gently put my thumb across his tummy. You know, like a safety bar in an amusement park. Holding him like you'd hold a cup (but, horizontally), not like a bowl, if that makes sense. So, his front feet were above my thumb and his bottom feet below my thumb. Somehow that kept him fairly calm and all his feet out and not rolled up, so I did all the nails in a fairly good, almost-struggle-free time.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

lmao! I watch the videos too and think *ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME *ha! They are not really "newbie" videos and seriously if someone is searching for nail info it's likely because they have a Hedgie who is not being cooperative and they need ideas :mrgreen: Right now if I cough, sniff, move or think about moving...I have a ball of Po'd hedgie. I'm really trying to use lots of touch on her underside while she is calm and she is gets a bit pissy but is tolerant of it. I also give bits of chicken or scrambled egg for- not hissy behaviour.

She may get much better...right now she is all curled up on me and for the first time she ventured over and sniffed my bare arm and leg (I was kinda wigging thinking she might bite me lol but she didn't she just ticked me with her whiskers) plus she kinda did this fun little digging/bouncing in my lap showing her tail even with her quills down. PROGRESS  Yaaaa!


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

moothecow said:


> I put him on his back, in a ball, in my hand. When he relaxed, I gently put my thumb across his tummy. You know, like a safety bar in an amusement park.


I tried that once... after I removed 3 or 4 quills from my thumb, I decided this wasn't the best way to clip Milly's nails :lol:

I have been pretty vigilant about playing with Milly's feet whenever the thought crosses my mind. At least 4 or 5 times a week I hold a paw between my pointer finger and thumb, and stroke it, and touch her nails. I think this is helping, as last night was the quickest we've ever gotten all of her nails clipped! 

Hissyfit, that back foot doesn't look too bad. This is about how long Milly's are when I think "I should get her nails clipped soon"


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Yaaaay!...and you know when I responded earlier I had Hazel on my lap (no nail clippers in sight of course) but shortly after she let me touch her belly, her little wee ears and feet. PLUS I was able to pick her up with my bare hands for the first time and let her snuggle on my shirt!!!!!! Lotta progress last couple days  I can hardly wait for her to wake up hahaha!


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

I'm feeling like a really crappy momma right now because I nicked one of Hazels quicks today  It BARELY bled, didn't even have to do anything about it but STILL! She is still quite bad about letting me do her nails and although I have been able to get some on her right side in foot bath I am seriously unable to coordinate the left side since I am right handed. She nearly always goes counter clock wise in the bath. They are so tiny that I stress thinking I'm gonna chop an entire toe off.

SO...knowing they REALLY had to be done I put her in a foot bath today and armed myself with those gardening type gloves that are flexible rubber stuff...ya I know gloves are bad but I knew I may have to either scruff her or suck up some major pokes to my thumb in a tight ball. I also knew I would have to push the issue more then she would be willing to cooperate and I don't want her nails to start to bother her.

I put the glove on my left hand only (they are quite form fitting) and got her used to it in the bath...she seemed ok with it and even stood on my hand a few times. So we played around like that in the water a while and when I figured her feet/nails were cleaned and softened up a bit I lifted her out with the gloved hand...she balled up a bit then when she released I put the thumb on her belly being careful not to squash her in any way but firm enough that she could not ball up (or so I thought lol)...she was being a total bugger pulling her feet in tight where I could not get at them. I got one front foot a-ok and on the 2nd front foot she moved which was when I got the quick slightly 

_*AND SHE BIT ME!!!! Latched on! *_Lord help me if she ever does that with no gloves because she never let go for like 30 seconds and put a hole in the glove rubber...thankfully she only had the glove not my thumb. It must have hurt because she has never tried to bite me before...sigh.

Her back feet...I may be able to get the right one in another foot bath time...but the left one needs to be done and she is NOT letting me at that. She sucks it right down in her balling up bum skin. In the bath she pulls it away and I feel like if I hold on I might hurt her plus clipping with your opposite hand is not safe for me. She won't walk clock wise to make it easier for me to hold with left hand clip with right. I bath her in a deep rubbermaid bin so she can't climb out and I can use both hands without worry.

I need some useful tricks please, I feel like a total dork because she has hated me all day since this happened. Oh and I scoff at nail clipping videos...hahahahaha RIGHT! lmao I wanna see some huffy puffy balling up bratty hedgehog nail cutting videos seriously let's get real hahahaha!


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## Judi (Jul 9, 2009)

The best way to trim the nails on a really stubborn hog is to put them on top of a wire cage or on top of a cooling grid set up so you can reach under it. After a minute or two, their legs will drop through the wire. Reach underneath, catch the leg, and trim the nails. The wire grid has the added benefit of preventing bites.

Most of the time I cut nails by holding the hedgie in my left hand with the paws caught firmly between my fingers.

I know their nails are scary to do but they're not as bad as bird nails, where you're sure to get bitten, or baby person nails, where they're so tiny and you're so scared that you're going to hurt them.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Thanks Judi...sounds like that may work, I'll give that a shot! One of the gals I know from small animal rescue suggested I try a rolled up towel (under belly then bring together to hold at the back and pick up which apparently all legs will be free) that also sounds like an option.

I pushed the issue because she seemed to be doing more sliding around on her wheel which I assume is her nails getting longer (they still are not bad but I don't want them to get bad either) . I feel like I trashed all our hard worked on trust from the past mth. She has never even tried to bite me before so must have really hurt her poor wee toe  

I'm wondering when one grabs hold of them do you hold just above the foot or above the bend or? What is safe or is there a safe spot?


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## Slash (Apr 21, 2011)

I COMPLETELY understand your frustration!! Before I got Slash, I did months of research to make sure I could properly care for a hedgehog. On your first post, it sounded like you watched the qualityquills video on how to trim a hedgie's nails. She has a lot of really good videos that were very helpful to me but this was not one of them but she couldn't help that her hedgie was sooo chill! Slash seems to be the exact opposite of your little hedgepig though. Slash almost never balls up and the problem with trying to trim his nails is that he is soooo active! The most effective way I can cut his nails is to have my bf help me hold him so I can have one hand free to hold a foot and the other to clip but it takes forever! When I hold his foot, I usually grab it so his foot sort of bends naturally onto my pointing finger and gently put my thumb on top of his foot. I never hold it so that he can't wiggle out of he wants to. Good luck!


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Having a helper would be great...except I live a 70 km town trip so not many visitors (aside from most ppl are too scared ha) and I have sworn off men :twisted: lol 

Trips to town usually involve all my shopping at the same time so taking any critters with me is not an option at least at this time of year. Most of my issue is trying to hold her, hold a foot and clip which leaves me short a hand or two  Hazel is either swirmy wormy or being a huffy turd. I'll keep working at it with the helpful hints and see what happens...patience patience patience. She will lay belly up snoozing in my lap which leaves both hands free but ANY time I reach for the clippers or move she sucks those little feet back in! If she'd just let me get them done she wouldn't have to be bothered with me pestering for a while ha


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