Clipping or trimming your guinea pig’s nails is easier than you might think, but it does require a bit of practice and – most importantly – lots of patience.
If you’re a complete beginner and worry about doing it wrong, it’s relatable. We’ve all been there, but after a little practice you’ll realize how easy it actually is.
The best nail trimming kit
First you need to assemble a few things, that’ll make the trimming of your guinea pig’s nails as easy as possible.
- Nail clipper (you can use a regular one for humans, or a clipper designed for small pets).
- Styptic powder (optional. Quickly stops the nail tip from bleeding).
- Paper towel (in case they’re bleeding, you want to be able to clean it up quickly).
- Treats (to keep your guinea pig distracted while trimming the nails).
- An old towel (if your guinea pig squirms a lot, the towel prevents hair from getting all over your clothes).
Understanding guinea pig’s nails
Before you start trimming their nails, it’s important to understand how they’re built and what they consist of.
Explanation:
1. The nail itself is light or translucent, but some are brown/black.
2. The quick is visible in light or translucent nails. It’s a blood vessel, and it will hurt if you cut into it.
3. Ideally, you want to clip your guinea pig’s nails close to the quick in an angled direction.
Nails are curved slightly downwards, and can either be black or semi-transparent.
A healthy nail is one that isn’t too long and doesn’t curve too much, as it will restrict the guinea pig’s ability to move.
It is very important to keep their nails properly trimmed, otherwise they won’t move around as much and they’ll be prone to getting overweight and suffer from other health related problems.
What if the nails are black?
If the nails are black, which they are on dark-haired guinea pigs, you won’t be able to spot the quick easily.
Try getting a flash light, and shine it underneath the nails. From the right angle you might be able to spot the quick when shining the light from underneath the nails, and it can give you an idea of how far up you can clip their nails.
How to trim their nails
It is easiest to trim their nails if you’re not stressed or in a hurry. Take your time, and remember that patience goes a long way. Guinea pigs have completely different reactions to having their nails trimmed, some will put on a fight while others remain completely calm during the entire process.
1. Make use of daylight
We’ve found it significantly easier to trim their nails, when sitting in front of a window during the day.
The natural daylight gives you the best circumstances possible, as it will light up the nails and give you a better overview.
Don’t sit directly in the sun though, as it could cause your guinea pig to develop a heatstroke.
2. Relax your guinea pig
Once you’ve picked up your guinea pig and have it on your lap (we recommend that you sit on the floor while trimming their nails), you want to make sure it’s relaxed and comfortable.
This is where treats come in handy.
By giving your guinea pigs a few treats while trimming their nails, they’ll consider it a better and more relaxing experience. It might take some time getting used to, but the treats act as a distraction while you get ready to trim their nails.
3. Gently pull out one leg at a time
Now that your guinea pig is seated in your lap, you can gently slide your hand under them and grab one front leg at a time.
Gently pull the leg out and place your thumb on top of the foot, in order to secure the toes.
The hind legs are usually easier to trim while simply lifting the guinea pig up a bit.
If your guinea pig starts squirming or wiggling: Some guinea pigs hate being held and they’ll start panicking when you’re about to trim their nails… Not an ideal scenario, when you need to precisely cut their nails in the right length.
Try wrapping them in a towel, as suggested by veterinarians on both WikiHow and The Spruce Pets, and keep one foot free at a time. This is probably not the most pleasurable experience for you and your guinea pig, but at least they’ll have healthy nails and they quickly forget what you’ve put them through.
4. Clip their nails one at a time
Once your guinea pig is properly secured, you can start the actual trimming of their nails.
It is crucial that you remain calm and cut one nail at a time.
If you cut too deep by accident, your guinea pig might squeak once and start twitching. It will hurt them if you cut into their quick, but it’s quickly over once you apply the styptic powder and stop the bleeding.
If you worry a lot about cutting their nails too deep, you can just take a little at a time and cut them more often. This is also recommended if their nails are overgrown.
Your local vet can help
Clipping your guinea pig’s nails is surprisingly easy, once you get the hold of it. However, if you don’t like doing it yourself, you might be able to get help.
If you’re frightened by the thought of clipping their nails on your own, most vets offer to do it for you at an affordable price.
You can also ask your local rescue shelter or a breeder if they can help you.
However, it’s important to know that your guinea pig will probably find it more stressful going to the vet and have its nails cut, rather than if you just cut them at home – even if you accidentally cut too deep and draw a little blood, your guinea pigs will quickly forget about it and feel safe immediately once they’re back in their cage.
And while vets have the experience, they can also accidentally cut their nails too deep. But if you’re feeling nervous about doing it yourself and your hands are a little shaky, the vet is there to help you.