# Sandy Trimmer Strips



## Hedgehog Swag (Feb 19, 2016)

I was searching for an alternative to the saucers found in the pet stores and typically on-line as they break so easily and found on, albeit expensive, looks like long term will save money.

At the same site I saw they had sandy trimmer strips which sounded like a pretty good idea of semi-naturally keeping the nails down with the trauma of trimming by hand.

Anyone used these before - http://www.exoticnutrition.com/satrst8perpa.html


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## Artemis-Ichiro (Jan 22, 2016)

Hedgehogs run on the bottom of their feet so it would basically sand down ther skin.


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## Hedgehog Swag (Feb 19, 2016)

From what I gathered the sand paper are strips thus not covering the entire wheel/saucer. I am going to call them tomorrow and get their take but just thinking out loud clearly hedgies in the wild are running around some fairly rugged like terrain and not getting their nail clipped. Just thought if this was a potential way to avoid the trauma of nail clipping it may be worth a try. Just curious if anyone had actually used them before.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Hedgehogs run on their heels, not their toes, so by the time the nails are long enough to touch the sandpaper they are way way over grown. In the wild hedgehogs keep their nails trimmed by digging not by running. All those are going to do is abrade the soft skin on the bottom of their pads and let their nails keep growing. In the wild hedgehogs have tougher pads than they do in captivity. Just like a dog that walk on pavement has tougher pads than a dog that is on grass all its life.

It does matter if it covers all of the wheel or just strips its going to be rubbing on the pads not the nails.


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Well, just to give it some perspective: imagine running on a treadmill barefoot and doing anywhere from 5 to 10 miles on it every single night. Pretty great way to get bloody feet, but not so good at keeping your nails neat.

Hedgehogs nails don't get worn down by their terrain just from walking and running on it. Hedgehogs burrow and dig. That's how their nails get worn. And frankly, likely they occasionally break or completely rip a nail out. Not exactly a perfect system.

I get where you're coming from. It can be tough trimming a hedgehogs nails in the beginning. But it has to get done. It's not something that remains a traumatic thing. If you keep working with them, you start getting good at it and they start realizing that it's no big deal. It gets easier. But sandpaper isn't the way to go about it. Besides, nail trimming is a good time to inspect feet for injuries or hairs wrapped around toes. That needs done frequently anyway, so you may as well trim nails while you're at it.


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