# Toenail trimming - how often and with what?



## readthebook (Dec 15, 2011)

How often do hedgies need their nails trimmed? What do you use to do it?


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## raerysdyk (Oct 21, 2011)

It's kind of an as needed thing. Every time I give Brillo a foot bath or full bath I make sure to check his toes. Usually I'll try and get a couple of them done since he is super fussy about me doing a mani-pedi on him. :lol: Once I start to see a little bit of a curl to them (the nail will be about 1cm) I try and trim them. 

I use baby nail trimmers. They don't make the clipping noise that adult nail trimmers make and they are much smaller and easier to maneuver around hedgie toes.


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## Quinn (Apr 24, 2011)

For me it's just a constant mission lol. I'll try to do a couple every few days. They're both pretty use to it but they will only tolerate for so long lol. I find the back nails I have to clip more often then the front. However, it's the front nails that tend to curl but I've noticed they don't grow as fast.


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## jodietz (Dec 30, 2011)

As a new hedgie owner the subject of nail trimming is a challenging one for me. My main problem is that my hedgehog will only completely uncurl enough for me to "access" his feet when he is having his bath. Then my hands are wet and I can barely hold the nail clippers! I trimmed a few of his nails for the first time tonight, but I used an adult nail clipper. I will try the baby-sized one next time, but if it's wet it's still going to be tricky! I have to say however that Weedle was very, very good and even let me hold his feet between my fingers, which I never thought he'd do!  I guess it's just a case of time and "practice makes perfect"!


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I use human nail clippers as well. The back toenails grow faster, so I trim those once every one or two weeks, and I trim the front ones maybe once every month or two. I just keep an eye on them and just trim when they seem to be getting long.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

My breeder recommended using cuticle clippers. The /\ shape of the blade lets you see on both sides of it, which is helpful for making sure you cut the right place and not too close to the quick or too long.


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## readthebook2 (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks for your replies.... for those of you who give your hedgies treats/mealies after they get their toes trimmed - how do you feed them? Sorry for the dumb question but I thought i read not to feed them from your hand? ...


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

Bugs gross me out so I just use tweezers to pick mealies up and then lay them down in front of my hog. She can smell them easily, and she knows that tweezers = meal worms so she goes crazy when she sees the tweezers. :lol: I know some people feed treats with their hands, but I personally don't do this as I don't want to risk my hog biting me on accident.


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## EtherealRose (Mar 15, 2012)

Does anyone use/recommend ferret toenail clippers? They are similar in appearance to cuticle clippers...


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## raerysdyk (Oct 21, 2011)

readthebook2 said:


> Thanks for your replies.... for those of you who give your hedgies treats/mealies after they get their toes trimmed - how do you feed them? Sorry for the dumb question but I thought i read not to feed them from your hand? ...


I will actually have my boyfriend help with nail clipping, sometimes (when Brillo is extra stubborn). :lol: I've found that if mealies are in front of him, he doesn't mind his little feet being bothered. I just use some plastic tweezers to feed mealies- he LOVES when the tweezers come out.  It's not recommended to feed by hand, since they can associate fingers with food- which can mean nibbles. Ouch!


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