# Frustration with trimming nails...........arg!



## KathyTNY (Jan 21, 2011)

I have had my TIggy for over 8 months and she is a sweety. I was given one of her hoglets from her first litter in May and I am sooooo frustrated with him!!!  Pippin fights me every step of the way when it comes to toe trimming!!! I am sooooo spoiled with his Momma..... she lets me do ANYTHING as long as there is food in front of her nose!!!!  Not so with him....... :twisted: :twisted: 

I have read all the toe trimming threads - encouraged every time by all the wonderful helpful tips.....I would go home and feel confident that this time I WOULD WIN................nope, that little Pippin always won!!!! A fight, an ordeal, a struggle and a grumpy pog.... with a BIG attitude! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: 

He had a really bad nail that was starting to curve into his pad so it was going to be till the death (me, of course) that I was going to get at least that one nail clipped. I ended up scruffing him gently and was able to get that nail done. Not without much struggle, and just a surprise factor on my end. It will prolly never work again!!!!! :lol: :lol: 

Is gentle scruffing for a minimumal amount of time okay? He is not a trusting soul, he was not held much before I adopted him. He is not a snuggler tho he will sleep in his sack on my lap he sleeps pretty much curled up so I can't even sneak a toe here and there.......

Thanks for letting me sound off my frustration..................he is TOTALLY different than his momma! I still love the stuffins out of him and don't regret taking him for one second. He is just a hard nut to crack!!!! 

Kathy


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## SquiggyTheHedgie (Jul 26, 2011)

:lol: Yeah, most of us dont have the golden fortune to have such a willing hedgie. I actually have to scruff Squiggy while hes taking his baths to get to his nails. Tricky thing when its only me and I dont have an extra set of hands. Speaking of, thats something I need to do again today :? Hes got one nail on his left paw that I swear grows 10x faster than the others.


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## Guest (Oct 7, 2011)

Here's Mine:

*Feral*

I get Feral's nails one of two ways:


When she is on her back trying to get to her feet in my hand she will after a few seconds of scrambling freeze for about 10 seconds, I've gotten quick with the snips on these ones.
[/*:m:mobqym1i]
I place her in a foot bath and try to snatch a foot and snip them sometimes I'm very successful other times she outsmarts me[/*:m:mobqym1i]

*Celeste*


During dry off time Celeste like all my hedgies does not want to stay still she wants to scramble, I can usually get her in the towel and snag a leg to snip those nails
[/*:m:mobqym1i]
I place her in a foot bath and try to snatch a foot and snip them sometimes I'm very successful other times she outsmarts me[/*:m:mobqym1i]

*Setzer*


My angel doesn't mind, I just grab a leg and snip no bribes or anything [/*:m:mobqym1i]


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## 3dgsuperfan (Sep 12, 2011)

mine is a grumpy little fire cracker too and I find it easiest to trim after a bath..... I wrap a towel around him and pin him against my chest so he cant move and twist when I have ahold of his foot... I have every one of them cut in no time


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2011)

3dgsuperfan said:


> mine is a grumpy little fire cracker too and I find it easiest to trim after a bath..... I wrap a towel around him and pin him against my chest so he cant move and twist when I have ahold of his foot... I have every one of them cut in no time


PSssh after a bath my girls and boy want to zoom anywhere they will nto stay still lol


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## KathyTNY (Jan 21, 2011)

All your suggestions are helpful but I think the main problem I have with Pippin is his incredible ablility to ball up! He has these fantastic stomach muscles and no matter what I do --- when he is ready to ball up ---- he will. No matter if my hand is girthed around his stomach or a towel is in my hand that is then wrapped around his stomach...... he will still ball up and the pressure on my hand from his stomach muscles is awesome!!!!

I tried the cookie cooling rack, I tried girthing and hanging him in the air with legs dangling..... all of it to no avail. He will ball up, pull his legs in and become a total solid quill ball. He has stayed that way for over an hour - I tried waiting him out!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: 

Kathy


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## 3dgsuperfan (Sep 12, 2011)

Have you tried cutting them while hes actually in water? I dont think they will ball up when getting a bath.


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## SquiggyTheHedgie (Jul 26, 2011)

Lol just because they won't ball up doesn't mean they'll stay still long enough for a trimming :roll: I've tried numerous times. Trimming Squiggys nails is a two person job for us. One person to scruff him in the water, another to actually grab a paw and do a quick snip. We only manage 2 or 3 nails though, and we stop when he starts to stress. The rest get done another day.


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