RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Fri Sep 13, 2002 1:41 am

My two girls have suddenly developed a razor blade on each toe and are cutting me to ribbons. Confused

I've tried clipping their nails and also tried filing them down, but the wriggle butts keep escaping from my clutches. I don't want to hurt them so could someone please suggest something as I don't like being hurt myself either! Rolling Eyes

Fri Sep 13, 2002 1:43 am

I keep a stone in my girls' cage. They LOVE climbing all over it,playing "king of the mountain" and when they do, they file their own nails as well! Best of luck! Mr. Green

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~~Mallory~~
*~Paz~Mia~Nina~Medellia~Penelope~*
Angel rat

~Eleanor~ ~Sally~Maggie~

Fri Sep 13, 2002 3:33 am

I too have a large piece of rock in my girls cage. I placed it where their water bottle is so they have to walk on it everytime they want a drink.

Lisa & Ratties ~Rosie,Holly,Misty,Snowy,Honey,Suzie,Daisy & Cherub~

Fri Sep 13, 2002 6:33 am

That's a great idea, Etherstragic! I'll have to try that myself... wink

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Jennie and...
Butterbun
Smores
Naboo
Anakin
Jelly Bean

R.I.P., my little Poprocks. I will always love you.

Fri Sep 13, 2002 11:19 pm

Right, sent Daddy-Dearest out into the garden to find a rock. He came back with a small slab of slightly rough concrete, this will have to do! It's by the water bottle and the girls seem to think it's great fun to sit on!

All I need now is cover myself in pierceproof fabric everytime I get them out! :| They have been rather busy discoverign the delights of a honey stickle treat to want to come out at the moment though, typical!! Mr. Green

Sat Sep 14, 2002 1:53 am

If you can manage to get them to sit still you can take a finger nail file and gently file the sharpness off...it's definitly a chore to get done on squirming ratties, but it does help. And there is always one in the bunch who prefers to eat the file rather than let it be used for its purpose. wink

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Christy
RP Admin
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Frodo, Zorro, Erzulie, Maeve, Clara, Molly & Emily

Thu Dec 19, 2002 1:41 am

Yesterday I decided to clip Lily's nails because I now have little scratches all around my neck, on the back of my hands, and up and down my arms. It looks like I got cut all over

I tryed holding Lily in a towel, but she kept getting away and hiding. I didn't want to squeeze her too hard. Anyway the towel thing wasn't working. So I just picked her up and set her on my knee with my legs bent so she was about level with my head.Then I picked her up behind her front legs so her back paws rested on my knee. She stayed perfectly still while I clipped all her nails. No squirming or anything, just holding her gently with one hand. She was such a good girl! I almost cut her quick, but I was going slowly so she squeaked when I put pressure on it so I stopped right away. Her nails are nice and short now. She got a yogie for being such a good girl. I was so surprised at how calm she was while I was clipping her nails! She's such a good girl!

Thu Dec 19, 2002 2:30 am

Bravo Mandy! Just goes to show you, working with an animals feelings instead of using force and instilling fear can be magic. Cheers

Marnie and Co.

Thu Dec 19, 2002 7:51 am

Maybe you can send Lily here for a while and teach my lot to behave nicely for that?! I have resorted to filing them down with a nail file, but more often than not they are too busy trying to consume the file for it to do any good. Sheesh... Rolling Eyes

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Christy
RP Admin
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Frodo, Zorro, Erzulie, Maeve, Clara, Molly & Emily

Thu Dec 19, 2002 7:55 am

I have eight rats and each has their own favorite position for nailclippin ( except for one who just doesn t want anything to do with it) I think as long as they feel comfotable, they will let ya do anything!

Sat Dec 21, 2002 10:02 am

It's probably just a fluke since Lily can't participate in her favorite activity now without her super long claws. She used to slide down my arm all the time when she sat on my shoulder by going on her belly and dragging her back claws, but now she can't get a grip so she just falls straight down into my lap without sliding, she doesn't like that very much Sad

When the time comes around for another nail clipping I'm sure she'll be much more reluctant

Wed Jan 01, 2003 9:10 am

I keep my girls' nails down by placing a rock in their cage underneath their water bottle. That way, when they go to get a drink, they wear down their nails on the rock. You can also use a nail file or fingernail clippers, but this proves to be a bit more difficult and is more stressful for them. If you do use fingernail clippers, be careful to not cut too close to the toe or you can cause bleeding.
Your rattie may be mad at you for a while, but give a yogie and all will be forgotten and forgiven. :wink:
Best of luck to you!

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~~Mallory~~
*~Paz~Mia~Nina~Medellia~Penelope~*
Angel rat

~Eleanor~ ~Sally~Maggie~

Wed Jan 01, 2003 7:56 pm

Well, Gregory spent the first six months in an aquarium and his nails were very sharp. I wear a sweatshirt when I wear my rats since their nails are so sharp(not comparable to Josh though) because I'm scared to clip and it's hard to hold them still sometimes if you file. Ziggy's breeder impressed me by the way she held Gregory and clipped his nails so efficiently. I just take them in to the vet for a pedicure, it's very quick.

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Sandra, Murray, Issabella, Cheesabella, Rowena, and Josh the Watchcat, In loving memory of MJP(Love you, Mom!) and my Angelrats:
Angel rat

Simon, Braford, Duncan, Shamrock, Blackjack, Ziggy, and Gregory Angel rat

Thu Jan 02, 2003 1:45 am

I purchased a pair of nail clippers and I got my brother to hold Summer, I mannaged to do one nail, then gave up because it was really nerve racking for me- I was terrified of huting her!

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Dani and The Season Rats

(Summer and Spring)

If its as worst as it can get then it can only get better!

Fri Mar 07, 2003 8:35 pm

I put a pebble under the water bottle so they file their own nails!

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Helen
+ The Girls - Pebble, Grace, Cerys & Tegan

Fri Mar 07, 2003 8:44 pm

This is something I've wanted to do for a while, but haven't got the nerve up yet.

My younger ones especially have razor sharp little claws that make my skin itch like a rash. They're like little daggers!

I've been advised to try it straight after they wake up - or wake them up yourself. A sleepy ratty is a slightly less wriggly ratty!

Mr. Green

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Kirsty

(Angel, Harmony, Druscilla, Buffy & Willlow at the Bridge. Now it's me, Rich, Dooob & Bebe)

Sat Mar 08, 2003 1:31 am

	Kirsty wrote:
	I've been advised to try it straight after they wake up - or wake them up yourself. A sleepy ratty is a slightly less wriggly ratty!

That's right! I forgot to mention that part. I've gotten so used to doing all their grooming in the mornings, it didn't occur to me.

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haelim

Fri May 02, 2003 6:09 am

The brick thing works but what I do is I use human fingernail clippers but the problam wit that is you have to be sure not to cut too much....

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Jessie,
& Juno, Rubie, and Bracken...
At the bridge: Daisie, Monkie, Sandie and Oreo...

Fri May 02, 2003 6:20 am

I have the same problem with my rat...his *Really* hurt. I was thinking about clipping them but I wasn't sure if you could do that..But now I know you can..

Fri May 02, 2003 6:46 am

If you're going to clip your rats' nails for the first time, please be sure you have styptic (I'm not certain I spelled that correctly) powder. This will quickly stop the bleeding should you cut the nails too short or should the rat squirm at just the wrong time. Good luck!

rq

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Fri May 02, 2003 9:46 pm

That's good advice about having the styptic powder (and cotton swabs) nearby.

Also, your first attempts should only be to trim off the tiniest bit of the nail. It's much better to trim your rats' nails very conservatively and more frequently than to try and get their nails short so that you only have to trim them once in a while.

I noticed that with my two boys, I only really feel it necessary to trim the nails on their hind feet. I've practiced with them a lot, first by encouraging them to stay on my lap while eating yogies (Muggins won't eat on my lap if ForkLift's nearby, so I usually wait for ForkLift to be distracted).

If they are sufficiently addicted to the treats to sit on my lap while eating, I leave the open yogie container in front of their face and have at their hind feet nails while they're busy eating. I find that they are in kind of a sugar coma and I can sneak in to trim the one or two longest of the nails on their hands.

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haelim

Fri Jul 18, 2003 3:40 am

Ooooh yes the battle of the sharp nails.

I usually do one hand or foot at the time. My boyfriend refuses to help me because they squeak and he thinks it hurts them so I have to do it by myself (im gentle about it and only do a little at the time, my ratties are just drama kings). Basically I put the rat on my lap facing to my left, with my left arm I hold the rat tight against my tummy, grab a foot and flip it back so the bottom of the foot faces up and I just clip the very tips of the nails with a baby clipper. Dont hold the ankle very hard because a lot of times they will try to twist and get away, mine just endure it for a few minutes so it works for me.

Good luck!

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Debi
Ratties: Milo, Otis, Matilda, Fiona
HamHams: Boo, Tobie, Andretti, Hollister, Zippy, Miso and Miso, Runt, Bugeater, Spazmo, Tadpole, Pijamas, Cube, Mini, Mauz, Bridget and Fidget.
Goodbye to: Cotton Pike, Lilliput, Limpit, Sushi, Itigo Robo.

Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:15 pm

I cut all my rats' nails every week, using normal nail cutters. It takes about 1minute per rat! They're so used to it now, it's not a problem but at first most of them used to squeal as though they were being murdered. Just take off the tip, try not to cut the quick, but don't panic if you do - it'll bleed and hurt for a bit but won't cause any long term damage.

Fri Jul 18, 2003 5:34 pm

You know, my guys don't give me much of a problem with their front nails, but they HATE when I clip their back nails. But I've come up with a system untill they get used to it. I sit them on a towel with their heads facing my tummy, and then i put the towl over their upper body (not suffocating them, just so they can move around less of course!). It seems to calm them down a little bit, and before you know it, their nails are all clipped!

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~*~
Copper
and Little Bear, Pinkie, Igby, Dewey, Curly, and Mo

Sun Sep 28, 2003 6:04 am

Lol. My rats give me hives if I don't clip their claws. I use the plyers with the razor blade and the arch. Hard to explain. I wear the ratties out with an extra long play time, then put a leash on them, and hold their feet and trim. I've been playing with baby rattie feet from like day one, and when they grow up, it's MUCH easier to clip their claws.

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