Are your hamster's nails too long?

[babyboos]

As a responsible hamster owner, of any species, it is important we regularly check our little one’s nails are not getting too long… How long is too long I hear you ask? (Oh no we didn’t’ – Oh yes you did!) :?

Do they curve around like half moon crescent shapes, if so, they are probably too long. If not, how much dead nail is there showing (white nail) growing past the "quick", that pink medial line, an agglomeration of blood vessels and nerve endings highly sensitive to pain, that runs down the lower half of the nail? It should only really be a few millimeters, and not too sharp either.

Giving your hamster a sand bath can help keep his nails trim, (and frequency of complete enclosure cleanouts down :D ), but other things I use in the Hamstery include unshelled nuts, especially walnuts. I crack the nut slightly so the hamster can smell the yummy, fatty goodness inside and he digs, scratches, and bites away at the shell to get inside (also helping keep his teeth trim in the process). Alternatively a fist sized stone can be placed in the cage. :idea: Be sure to scrub it thoroughly and dry in the oven to sterilise it first.

You will sometimes get one or more persistent nails and these may need to be clipped :( A pair of nail-clippers or a very sharp pair of scissors can be used as per personal preference. There is a large variety of nail-clippers on the market, though most work on the "guillotine" method, and it may take some time to decide the best pair for your own circumstances. Kept alongside the nail clippers should be a styptic "pen" or styptic powder. No matter how carefully you trim your little one's nails, or how competent you think you are, it is inevitable that there will come the time when you inadvertently cut across the "quick" mentioned earlier. A styptic of some description should be within reach when trimming nails as it will stop the bleeding should things go wrong. The one I use is the same type that is sold to men who cut themselves whilst shaving and is purchased very cheaply from the local family chemist shop.

I recommend a visit to your local vet nurse for a demonstration if you are wary. They should be able to show you how best to hold your little one and how much to take off. Don’t worry if you only get to do one at a time without causing undue distress, not all hamsters will let you cut their nails all in one sitting, and sadly some hamsters actually need to be sedated :cry: I do hope yours is not one of them.

[Emma]

Some really good advice there babyboos, I hadn't thought of the sandbaths being good for nails before, I know they certainly do wonders for some greasy coats.



I give the robos unshelled nuts sometimes, partially cracked - it takes them days to get through them.

[babyboos]

If you watch hamsters in their sand baths they tend to dig away at the sand and the base of the container furiously, tossing the sand up under their oxters/armpits etc. and this action can help take the sharp edge off their nails :D

[peanut25]

Wow I thought it just made bears coat really soft and he seemed to like it an awful lot. Glad I was doing so good while letting him have a good time. I have a block in Bears home that is used for chinchila teeth that Bear scatches at.

[babyboos]

Glad to hear it - I have had some hamsters which just never went near their Chinchilla gnaw stones, so I stopped buying them and just went with home-cleaned large pebbles instead.

[babyboos]

Empty, clean clay pipes or flower pots can also be used or a kitchen tile placed shiny side down.

[furrynavel]

I am very squeemish with the nail clippers and I find it difficult to get either my rats or hammie done without stressing us all out. My ferret was even worse! I use an emery board just to take the sharp edges off and that seems to work well for us all. :D

[babyboos]

Yes I have been caught trying to file hammy nails through the bars before whilst they are distracted by a nice tasty treat jammed in the roof bars :oops:

[ami_j]

lol just imagining a hamster having its nails filed :lol:

[Mollz Mum]

I'm willing to try anything to wear the nails down, rather than attempting to cut them.
Having had a disastrous (and very very stressful) experience with a guinea pig, who we thought was going to bleed forever, I cannot imagine attempting it on a hamster.
Just one word of advice - never attempt these things at about 9 oclock on a Sunday night, when all vets are closed and unavailable!! :cry:

[ref84]

Sorry for posting on a really old topic but any advice for trimming a robo's nails?

We tried Ole last night and I think we managed 3 before he started getting stressed about it. Is it to just keep doing a few a night until they're done or better to get it all done in one go? It just seems to be his front nails that are too long... He has a sand bath and frequently gets given monkey nuts.

Robo paws are just so tiny and squirmy! :lol:

It ok to use baby scissors as I found the animal clippers so clumsy to use, scared I was going to cut his toe off by accident?! :shock:

[souffle]

Yes it is fine to just do one or two a night. Try and do them while they are still a bit dozy. Thats what we do and we use nail scissors and wear magnifying glasses. :D

[ref84]

Thanks! Looks like we'll be trying for another few for tonight! Have bought baby nail scissors and one of those styptic pens now just in case. Like the magnifying glass trick too - not sure I have one of them in the flat - poo!

Luckily, he appars to have forgiven us for last night already so hoping then grudge won't last too long tonight either! (He wouldn't come near me last night and turned away from me even though I had his fav strawberry yog drop on my hand! :( )

[Pompompoms]

I have to take one of my Robos to the vet for nail trimming, we're off this afternoon as it goes.

Jam my Agouti is very good, he stays perfectly still while I trim all his nails, the most he will ever do is slowly tuck the foot you're working on in for a second, then let it out again.

The Cloud my Platinum is the oppostite end of the spectrum. Try to pick him up by his scruff and he actually screams, then if he can bites. I tried a few times with him but we weren't getting anywhere at all, and he was clearly finding it far too stressful. Even the nurse at the vets can't do him, we have to wait for the vet who pins him down so he can't move. The Cloud glares at him with hatered while he's trimmed, then sulkes in the corner for about two hours afterwards and refuses to go back to bed incase he's plucked from there again for more trimming!
He is generally highly strung to be fair though, you'd never think they were brothers!

[Mr Pudding]

I am very squeemish with the nail clippers and I find it difficult to get either my rats or hammie done without stressing us all out. My ferret was even worse! I use an emery board just to take the sharp edges off and that seems to work well for us all. :D

That's a brilliant idea. My hammie's nails are getting a bit long and I am too scared to cut them in case I hurt her. I'm also going to making a sand bath for her at the weekend.

[Sammybingo]

Hallo! I was just looking in this topic for tips - I would like to sort Chewys nails out but I'm scared, and the vets is a few buses away, so I don't want to go through that unless he is quite ill and we have to. Sooooo. I was going to ask how it went with the emery board?

[souffle]

I doubt Chewie's nails are overgrown Sammybingo as Syrian nails seldom need clipping except in vey old inactive hamsters so I wouldn't worry about them. An active young hamsters nails will be fine.

[chavers]

Thanks for this thread its given me lots of ideas...Sir Alan does need a tiny bit off the end of his claws, I was thinking of using a nail file and just taking the sharp points off one at a time before he runs away!

[fluffymunchkins]

I normally feel the claws on my hand so if they are too long thats the first way i will notice.
i've never had to cut nails yet though! Their paws are just so tiny :)

[kirsty]

I'm so glad this thread was here :) I got a new hammy from the sspca not long ago and his little nails are far too long! Will try out some of those ideas :)

[BrainGirl]

Just saw this thread and I was considering buying a wheel a while back online that had patches of emery paper glued onto the running track. It was intended for sugar gliders but I wondered if that would be a good thing for a hamster. I was afraid it would be too rough on their feet!

[eye of the divine]

wow can't believe this thread was ontop of the forum I was looking for advice on this very topic I'm terified of using nail clippers etc because the dwarf hamsters are soooo small plus they never sit still enough to do it.

[eye of the divine]

sorry for the double post I was wondering do peanuts in the shell help trim nails?

[fluffymunchkins]

more for teeth i would think!
Sand trays are what i find most effective :)

[eye of the divine]

whats a sand tray?

[fluffymunchkins]

sand bath, which dwarfs dust bath in, but a syrian will just dig in it :)

[eye of the divine]

how deep does it need to be? and does it matter what kind of sand?

[fluffymunchkins]

well it depends what container you use, like you could use something like an ice cream tub for a big group like the snowteds. Or just a small cardboard/plastic tray for one ham.
Sand that isn't dusty should be used, like charlie chinchilla sand :)
It can be as full as you want i guess

[eye of the divine]

thanks for the advice hun will definatly give it a go

[Becca27]

Ive got these little sticky emery board things and i was wondering if i stuck them to the platform on harleys cage, when he walked over them would they wear down his nails? Cause they're really long but i dont really want to take him to get them clipped unless i really have to (he's quite squirmy and wouldnt stay still). Or would these be dangerous?

[HamstersAreHardcore]

Love the walnut idea

[Francescamice]

Hi
Holly my syrian girlhas quite long nails and i have tried to distract her with food to keep her still so i can clip her nails, but to no avail, i have read about sand baths , can anyone advise how i set one up and do Pets at Home sell the sand that i need for her, and does a sand bath keep the nails trim?? is sand okay for syrian respitory system? sorry to ask so many questions , just wanna be sure , iam doing the right thing. Can a sand paper sheet be placed under her cage bedding ??please advise
thanks
fran :-)

[KatiePillow]

You can use normal sand pit sand for a sand bath, it keeps them trim by sanding them down while they dig..
You'd need to thoroughly dry the sand in the oven first, even if it somes 'dry' it's probably wet.
p@h only sell chinchilla DUST, as far as I am aware, chinchilla sand is recommended because it can pass between the hairs of the hamster, but syrians don't tend to use it that way (it's more a dwarf thing)

The sand won't hurt their respiratory system, but chinchilla dust would.. as far as I know sand for a sand pit is fine :)

[tiny soty]

I am glad to know I'm not the only one who is nervous clipping claws! I am taking Frosty to the vets to get his done, its both our first time at a vets so I am nervous especially as Frosty is prone to biteing! :-.

[KatiePillow]

I am glad to know I'm not the only one who is nervous clipping claws! I am taking Frosty to the vets to get his done, its both our first time at a vets so I am nervous especially as Frosty is prone to biteing! :-.

I took my alfie to the vet, and the vet scruffed him, which meant that he couldn't bite her.. it didn't cause him any pain, and it made him stay still :)
I'm sure it'll be fine.
I took alfies whole cage, to keep him calmer, I don't know what cage you have though. :)
Good luck ^.^

[Becca27]

i took Harley to the vets but they said that even though his nails were long-ish they werent long enough for them to clip incase they hurt him :(

ive tried the walnut idea but he gets bored of it really quickly... What about a big rock for him to sit on? Would climbing on it wear his nails down?

[debs]

is that the same with dwarfs?

[cande8008]

My little Bo's nails have gotten very long... so I did have to cut them myself. I found that using the special ones from the pet store help because they are curved in a way to help not cut too much off. After a while he got used to me doing it...even if he would only let me do a couple day as part of a routine!

[Goliath]

Okay.... you have to know my sweet Goliath to know why i can't cut his nails. He would never ever let me near his paws. Would it cost money to get a vet to do it??? His nails are really long and he has no patience for things to scratch at. Are there any other ways to get their nails trip once they're this long. I'm not at all worried about his teeth because he chews everything.

[souffle]

If they are very long they will curl over and dig into his pads and hurt him. They can also damage eyes and ears when they wash.
What we do is get a bit of wire mesh and sit the hammy on it. Put a glass over the hamster so it cannot run about. The nails normally drop through the mesh and if someone hold the hamster up the other pesron can clip the nails protruding through :)
I would expect a vet to charge yes. Some will give a very short gas anesthetic to get it done if the nails are very bad and disabling the animal.

[debs]

If they are very long they will curl over and dig into his pads and hurt him. They can also damage eyes and ears when they wash.
What we do is get a bit of wire mesh and sit the hammy on it. Put a glass over the hamster so it cannot run about. The nails normally drop through the mesh and if someone hold the hamster up the other pesron can clip the nails protruding through :)
I would expect a vet to charge yes. Some will give a very short gas anesthetic to get it done if the nails are very bad and disabling the animal.

is that for syrians or dwarfs?, my dwarfs nails look long but they arent curl up yet. looks like he has wee furry paws.

[Goliath]

:/ i'm very sad.... I'm really afraid that he's gonna get hurt but i dunno... they clip them at petland but after a bad experience with buying a pet from there and it not making it, i don't feel like i can trust them to do it...

[Goliath]

Mine is a dwarf too, i don't know how well it would work, if i did the mesh thing.

[Becca27]

Okay.... you have to know my sweet Goliath to know why i can't cut his nails. He would never ever let me near his paws. Would it cost money to get a vet to do it??? His nails are really long and he has no patience for things to scratch at. Are there any other ways to get their nails trip once they're this long. I'm not at all worried about his teeth because he chews everything.

I tried to get Harley's done at the vets and they quoted me £7 for it if thats any help if ur trying to get an idea of the price.

[Hope]

I used baby scissors to trim Boris' nails, getting him to stay still was the hardest part! I think that the mesh idea would work really well if you had another person, one to hold the wire and the glass bowl, the other to do the trimming.

[souffle]

Yes that is for a dwarf. We have no problems with syrians but it is easier with two people. You need one person to hold a syrian and one to clip. You need to hold the foot quite firmly and press down on it so the toes splay out. We use small sharp nail scissors or baby nail scissors. If the foot is steady you can run along the whole foot in one go if you are lucky.
We never try and do all the feet in one day. Even two nails a day and they are soon done is fine.
It is best to get them out while they are still dozy and do this as they are stiller.
I will try and get some pics but we only have a chinese at the moment!

[Pickalilly]

Little Picks gets very long nails because she is a Campbell's Russian Dwarf and I take her to the vet to get them clipped. To be honest, she does nip, and would never let me cut her nails without risking herself injury. She is a delight to hold when she is eating, though, as she purrs and loves it! Anyway, the vets are great with her - one holds her and puts her paw out while the other clips. If you are too nervous to cut your hamster's, then take her to a vet that have experience in hamsters!

[Jaybee]

Nail cutting is a lot easier with two people, one to hold the hamster and one to cut. Sometimes you can get multiple nails in one sitting. I've only had to cut my robos nails, and I would take her to the CHA and she would help me cut her nails.

[SnickersTheFirst]

I adopted Cooper a couple of weeks ago and I've noticed some of his claws are missing and the ones he does have are really long and bent to one side. I don't want to stress him out at the vets but I'm worried I might cut them wrong myself. What should I do?

Are rabbit nail clippers okay? Also, is Cornflour okay to use instead of a styptic pen?

[jojow]

Just wondering - is it ok to scruff dwarves? Topaz's claws are starting to curl under and i want to trim them before they cause real issues, but given that i am right handed and the way I can hold her, i've only managed her left side! I used to scruff my syrian charlie to trim her teeth (now that's scary!) but someone told me you shouldn't scruff a dwarf. I wondered if anyone knew whether it was ok? I thought of trying to get someone else to hold her while I did the other claws but haven't got anyone good at handling hamsters!

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

Ive heared from breeders that scruffing is fine with dwarfs and used to do so with my roborovskis but Ive found now that if i cover their eyes they stay perfectly still with no problems, you just have to be sure you dont cover their nose too.

[jojow]

Thanks for the help erin, do you mean covering their eyes as you scruff them or just covering their eyes? Topaz is not a biter, but shes incredibly squiggly!

[Hope]

I scruff my dwarfs to give them a once over health wise, eyes teeth, scent gland claws etc its perfectly safe as long as you get the right bit of skin thats loose around the back of the neck. its doesnt hurt them at all.

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

Thanks for the help erin, do you mean covering their eyes as you scruff them or just covering their eyes? Topaz is not a biter, but shes incredibly squiggly!

Lol my robos are the exact same :D You can do either, personaly I just cover their eyes by holding them firmly (but not hurting of course) in my hand belly up with my fingers wrapped around them gently and their nose sticking out of a hole between my thumb and index finger (I use my thumb to cover their eyes). They let me do anything when I hold them like this such as cut claws, checking ears and teeth ect but I always do this a quick as possible to avoid causing them too much stress :)

[jojow]

Thanks again! Clipping of nails has been managed, Topaz and I seem to have come to an understanding about what has to be done! We're doing a few nails/ a foot at a time!

[Hamtastic]

I successfully trimmed Leela's nails. Blinding her didn't really work, nor scruffing. I just eventually got her to lay still on her back while I held her in my left hand. She was a very good girl :)

Dora though was very squirmy and I couldn't get her to stay still =/ She kept spitting food out at me :) I'll have to try again tonight.

Both girls got a pumpkin seed and fresh noms for their heroic efforts of dealing with my nail cutting!

[Hamtastic]

I've cut both of my robos' nails twice now, and I need to do it again soon. Seems like I have to do it every three weeks, because they grow like crazy! I have lots of rocks in their cages, and sand baths, but they don't seem to have any effect.

So I'm wondering about the whole pink nail part / white nail part, or how short can I cut. I didn't see any pink when I was cutting--it was all white. I *think* I've been cutting a reasonable length off. At least they haven't actually made any sounds of pain (any sounds at all), and I think they'd probably have complained if I hurt them. They'd say something, right? Since their nails are so teeny tiny, is there a good way to determine a safe length? I was thinking approximately a millimeter past the paw end looks good.

I'm also considering trying very fine sandpaper in a cardboard box for a few minutes to see if it will do anything.

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

I have to cut my robos claws every week they grow so fast! And yeah dont worry Hamtastic if you hurt them they'd let you know, Ive cut a little too close whilst doing Thistle claws before and she let out a loud squeek and wriggled loads. When I cut them I usually just cut as much as I can see, if you press gently on their paws their whole claw will come out and you will see just how much is still there, they are a lot longer than they look :)

[SnickersTheFirst]

I could never see the quick on Cooper's nails either and his ones were white. The vet cut them really low, like just past his toes (as they grow so quickly) and there was no bleeding. Although, I wouldn't recommend going to close to the toe just in case! :D

[Hamtastic]

Thank you! Good idea about pressing on the paws.

Erin, I saw Cookie's nails on the HotM photo, and yeah, that's how my girls' nails are too. Even longer. It's like I trim them, blink a few times, and the nails are back to 10 inches long :(

[Francescamice]

I have tried to cut Tobys nails, as a few of them are a little long and when he walks on the carpet he gets "stuck" with the nail on the carpet - last night i placed a sheet of sand paper in the middle of his cage, and lined his wheel with sandpaper - so fingers crossed they will start to wear down over next few days as he goes on his wheel quite alot. I have tried to clip them but to no avail, and would rather try the sandpaper method first before taking to vets. Ive checked his pads and the sand paper seems to be ok on his feet, its not too sharp, and its not really bothering him whilst he was on his wheel.
anybody else tried this?
Fran

[Shaedde]

What about for the back legs nails? I know the walnut trick and sand paper can help his front nails, but how should we trim the back?

[Francescamice]

Just line your hammys wheel with sandpaper for a few days and you will see all his nails worn down , Tobys nails are starting to wear down nicely, even his back ones, as he is always on his wheel. I will take the sandpaper off the wheel when his nails are back to normal length.
Fran:p

[Nutkin]

I had a weird thing in the past that may just be coincidence, but I'd be interested to learn if anyone else has noticed the same. I use to buy extra sunflower seeds for my Syrians, as they adored them. I don't now as I realised it's not healthy to let them eat loads. Anyway the hamsters that I did supplement their feed with the seeds, had long, thick nails that had to be clipped when they got older, once under sedation at the vets for one who was rescued and not tame (I couldn't leave them). Since ensuring my hammies have a balanced diet, I've never had this problem again as the hamsters have become old. So my question is, could the fact I allowed them to eat too much sunflower seen have caused the thick, strong and long nails that didn't wear down as well due to a nutritional imbalance?

Thank you :)

[Hamtastic]

I'm not sure, but I think there are more factors than that. My hams eat pretty well, and two of my robos get overgrown nails, and the rest of the hams have not been so far, including my youngest robo. They get mostly the same food with some individual variations.

Re: Sandpaper, I'd avoid doing that personally, especially for smaller hamster varieties. It can scratch their feet while sanding down their nails. Especially hams who use their wheel a lot. Unless you use super fine smooth grit sandpaper, but there's still a chance of it being harsh.

[starbug]

Taylor is an extremely active young Syrian! He rarely stays still and is a real wriggle-bum! Yesterday, I noticed that the inside nail on his right back foot seems overgrown. All the others are OK, but he must carry his foot in such a way that this nail never wears down, even though he pounds on his wheel for hours.

Given that he is so active and busy all the time, I'm dreading trying to cut this nail. It was hard enough doing Toffee's nails and he was an elderly, very sedate. hammie! I will try to file the nail first. Should I even try to cut it or should I ask the vet to do it? I'm terrified of cutting off his toe!

Still, at least now I know why he's been cutting my hands to shreds!

[Hammymad]

Hi everyone.I'm new here (just joined tonight)
My winter white Rambo has pretty long nails and I took him to the vets to have them trimmed (I'd be scared of hurting him so thought it best to let them do it) he is the sweetest little boy,but he tried to nip the vet and was not a happy hammy at all :-?
He has a little sand bath and I have a huge plastic tub and have covered the bottom with sandpaper and have put some toys in and have made it into a playground for him,so he goes in there and runs round (daily for 10-15mins) so hopefully that'll help wear them down :0)

Xxx

[RachaelM]

I've used the non-scissors kind of baby nail clippers on our dwarf hamster (who is a Winter White, Campbell's, or hybrid), but you may be able to use the scissors kind as well. An alternative could be to bring the hamster to the vet. Several months ago, I did bring him into a vet, who wore some kind of magnifying glasses or something on her head to help her see.

I guess in a nutshell:

*baby nail clippers can be used
*broccoli or other food can be a distractor
*just aim for the tips
*feel free to just get a few nails at a time, little by little...

Now, sometime I need to aim for at least some of his front claws...hmm...

[jelarsen]

Found good way to trim hamsters toe nails if u have a girl wait till they go in heat or whatever happens every 4 days to them pet their back they will freeze and take baby nail clippers and push their fur way from their feet (still pet them) and clip ur toe tails that are too long. The trick is to continue to pet them (so they freeze) as you clip them. I have a very squirm hamster and i found this is the best way to go about it. I put her on the table pet her and clip, it seems like she zones out so she isnt stressed at all. I hope this helps

[blackbamboo]

My ham has a sand bath but I'm not sure if it's trimming down his nails. He digs the corner with passion but I think his nails are still sharp especially when he clings on cloths and refuses to let go. I have to gently pull him off slowly and remove his paws from getting stuck

[HamSamich]

For hammies who like to dig in their sand baths, what if you put sand paper or maybe slate stone down in the bottom of the bath, under the sand? Would that help file their nails down? I find my hams don't stop digging until they get down to the bottom!

If that doesn't work, I'd try some nail clippers for small dogs. I'm a bather at dog wash, and we have those tiny cat or chihuahua nail clippers that I think would be perfect. None of my hams need nails cut yet, but I am going to try out suggestions here as well as some other ideas of mine when I need to. My idea is to use a dremel. We use these at work to file dog nails down... I imagine just a second of contact with the dremel tool would file the nails down perfect so they wouldn't be sharp. I think this would be a good idea with the wire mesh and glass bowl.

[Victoriah107]

Gr-e-a-t idea, emery boards! The sweeties do need a ped or manicure now and then. I love this forum <3

[antm]

I lined hammys clean out day box with the bird cage sand paper, all sides, once he stopped trying to eat it and start climbing took the edge off his nails.

[hikaru]

I lined hammys clean out day box with the bird cage sand paper, all sides, once he stopped trying to eat it and start climbing took the edge off his nails.

GREAT idea! I will soooo try this :D

[Queen Of The High Teas]

Never ever try and do their nails with a dremel! I'm a dog groomer, and have seen those dremel style nail cutters at work, and their a horrendous idea:(. They spin so quickly it actually burns the dog's nails and this is why they never seem to bleed when their used. They go so quick it's almost impossible to stop them going to far, but when they hit the quick, the heat actually cauterises the blood so it looks like it's fine, but it's actually gone way too far and extremely painful for the dog. I dread to think what such action would do to tiny hammy nails, it's almost certain you would cut the feet (very possibly off) and cause a lot of pain. Please please do not ever use one of these, or a dremel (their basically the same thing) on a hamster, you will end up with a very unhappy, badly injured pet. If you don't believe me, try and hold one against your own fingertips - you won't even be able to make contact.

[Gazmo]

i cut a few nails at a time, when thy have just wowken up, means they dont squirm

[chunksmom80]

I just gave Chunk a mani- pedi with an emery board, and it went better than I thought! a few swipes and I could deff tell a difference. I followed it up with his fave treat as a reward for being such a good little boy. I think a couple more times and his nails will be perfect!

[hammy2]

I wouldn't use sandpaper either to be honest, if they pouch it goodness knows what it would do to the inside of their pouches :-/ a rough stone in the sand bath and a tile under the water bottle would be better.

[njwilde]

I doubt Chewie's nails are overgrown Sammybingo as Syrian nails seldom need clipping except in vey old inactive hamsters so I wouldn't worry about them. An active young hamsters nails will be fine.


Hm, I noticed my Syrian Ellie has started to have her nails too long recently. strange thing is, though, she is still teh most active Syrian I ever had! She is in the Alaska cage with lots of toys, has a flying saucer and a plastic wheel, climbs a lot, has a sand bath and is out at least 1 hours every day ( 30 minutes in a ball and at least 30 minutes running around the room/bed etc. I had a read through the thread and I will try the walnut trick (she already has monkey nuts...) but as for filing it does not work as she is far too active!

It really puzzles me why her nails are too long. I will try again this week otherwise a trip to the vet is needed, as I don't feel I have the confidence in clipping Ellies' myself. I manage the guinea pigs but they are far more placid than Miss Eleanor Rigby!

Any idea why they could have grown so much all of a sudden when her circumstances haven't changed? I rescued her 14 months ago and was told she was around 5 months bac then so she is at least 19 months. But still as active and nuts as ever!

[daydreambeliever]

I'm a bit worried with nibbles because I'm taming him when I.went to look at his nails he bit me. I've put a sandbath using.my sisters degu sand should I keep doing.that until we bond?

[hammy2]

Your hamster probably bit you because he didn't like being restrained. Are his nails too long because if not they don't need doing. If hamsters have lots of space to run about in in their cage they don't generally get too long. But having a sand bath (not the dust) will probably help

[daydreambeliever]

I wanted.to check because I heard a tapping.on.his wheel. It turned out he likes.to.empty his.pouches before rubbing on it

[hammy2]

Yep that's quite common XD they get a bit exited when they have food

[Hekomi]

Oof, I have to clip my boys nails (one for the first time). Mocha HATES it, and even though I've tried to work in getting a treat after getting scruffed, it's awful. It's stressful for him, my SO and myself. I've gotten way better at scruffing him but I'm always worried he'll squirm out and we'll take off a toe. :(

We have sandpaper on the outside of a mesh wheel to help, which they only run on under supervision, but they still need a trim. I got a nice gritty rock and some better sand so I'm hoping that'll help too.

[Hekomi]

Whoo! I got all of Caramel's front paws done. After the first couple (he squirmed a bit) he just kinda let me cut them. If only his brother was that easy...

[BrainGirl]

Nuts. Roxanne has long nails on her front paws and I was hoping having a sand bath would help but it hasn't. If anything they seem longer! I'm going to have to try to cut them. I'm comfortable with cutting nails, but not so sure about doing a hamster whose single paw is smaller than the nail on my baby finger:(

[Hekomi]

Java's nails were scratchy. They don't look super long, but she's getting a run on the spa wheel. Scruffiness her is harder than the dwarfs, lol.

[blumare003]

Sry im late to the convo, but has anyone used a lava ledge that the chinchillas use? Im thinking the hamsters might crawl over them n file their nails on them. I'm going to give it a try.

[blumare003]

Ok so nothing i tried helped. I took my 4 robos to a vet and for $15 each they trimmed the nails fast and gentle so now they are happily running on their wheels without the click clack of overgrown nails. I heard putting a hamster in a small box with the sides lined with sand paper helps because they will scratch the sides with their nails to get out. We'll see if that helps prevent overgrown nails.

[Hekomi]

Either today or tomorrow is te dreaded nail clip day. Java, Mocha & Caramel need clips. I think biscotti is fine

[GlennUU]

One of my hamsters is too lazy to sharpen her nails, like her sister/sisters did. So I have had to take her to the vet to get them cut. Its not overly expensive one time it was $35 Canadian with checkup another time it was $14

[WinnieTheHam]

A sand stone what has been thoroughly cleaned is great for nails, They also like to use them for look out perches.

[RachaelM]

Does anyone have an opinion about if gravel paper for birds might be okay to use for hamsters' nails? Could it harm their feet or could it cause problems if they ingest it?

Also, might real sand/dirt work (rather than sand from a pet store)? I guess there could be risk of uncleanliness if you take it from outside.

Thank you~

[blumare003]

As my hams got older I noticed that they will sharpen there claws on the side of their cage kinda like cats do. When I tried to put in a stone, brick, or gravel paper they didn't use it. They will file down their nails on the inside of their house. I would try a small stone flower pot as a hide away. U shud hear little scratching noises in the early morning when they r most active and it will look like they are trying to dig through the side of their hide away. Now my hams nails r normal length n I don't cut them anymore as they need them for grip.

[Almiraswolf]

Sometimes clipping the nails is the only option. When I first picked up (adopted) my WW dwarf hybrid she had her Winter coat, though when she started getting her Summer coat months later I noticed how incredibly long her nails were D: they were actually curving sideways. She is such an active hamster that I never thought this would be a problem - turns out the Winter coat was protecting the nails as well as hiding them from view.

I tried everything; sandpaper, wooden/stone climbs etc. Didnt seem to work so I had to take her to the vets. I went to my local Vets4Pets and they were fantastic, it only cost £8 to get the nails cut and they were really gentle with her :)

I was told it was likely the nails were long when I first adopted my hamster which is why I didnt notice (plus the longer coat hid them). When they start curving like that they wont just get worn down by normal means, and having them clipped manually is the only way. She should be fine now for a few months but Im going to be keeping an eye on them!

[Lloydhammy]

i have a new hamster Pixie and i noticed today her nails are so long. i will try all these suggestion!
I still have my sweet Lloyd, he is 3 and really slowing down though.

[Cujo]

My Cujo's nails have gotten very long, so long that he looks like a mini wolverine. I dont know if his nails are growing unnaturally fast, as ive only had him for 9 days, but he looks like a mini wolverine. I got him a lava block, dont really have enough room in his cage for a bendy log bridge(even though id love to get him one) have thought about getting him a snack shack, i have been told that might help him. Id like to try walnuts, but if they get too much longer, im worried i may have to clip them myslef. I dont have any clippers, and cant really handle him. (read Cujos Thread) He has been more aggressive today, and i want to chalk it up to him just having an off day. But he has attacked me today, reared up on his back legs, lunged forward and bit my right ring finger through to the nail!!!so ive put him back and am ignoring him. Ive started short hand-feeding sessions try and build trust, but do not want him to associate my hands with food. help?

[DrKMcK]

Hello again Cujo. I personally let my vet clips hammy nails. The little furries are just too wiggly and I am afraid I could hurt them. This is usually an issue for older hams or hams that have been neglected. My vet only charges a small fee for this, so call a vet near you and see what they charge. It shouldn't be much and it's definitely safer for the hammy. Once it's done they should stay in shape since you've gotten the lava rock. :-)

[Lloydhammy]

My Pixie s nails are like this and it's impossible to clip them. I haven't been able to find a vet...

[Scargirl]

My Cujo's nails have gotten very long, so long that he looks like a mini wolverine. I dont know if his nails are growing unnaturally fast, as ive only had him for 9 days, but he looks like a mini wolverine. I got him a lava block, dont really have enough room in his cage for a bendy log bridge(even though id love to get him one) have thought about getting him a snack shack, i have been told that might help him. Id like to try walnuts, but if they get too much longer, im worried i may have to clip them myslef. I dont have any clippers, and cant really handle him. (read Cujos Thread) He has been more aggressive today, and i want to chalk it up to him just having an off day. But he has attacked me today, reared up on his back legs, lunged forward and bit my right ring finger through to the nail!!!so ive put him back and am ignoring him. Ive started short hand-feeding sessions try and build trust, but do not want him to associate my hands with food. help?

Scarlet has a lava rock too. She mostly chew it though:smile:

[Scargirl]

Also, I have a question. Taking her to a vet would totally freak her out. She has never been to the vet's before. I am too nervous to actually clip her nails and she will never hold still to file them. So i was wondering if Sandpaper under her water bottle is okay. Just wondering because I know it is okay for nails but don't want to hurt those itty, bitty feet.

[hammy2]

Do you have a picture of her feet? I've never had to do anything with my syrians nails. I've had to clip a hybrid hamsters nails though but she had problems getting around. If your hamster is active the chances are the nails won't need clipping. I wouldn't use a nail file either, you'll do more halm than good and probably get bitten too

[HenriandHobieHammies]

Hi guys! I was just wondering: is it okay to put a piece of cardboard in front of my hamsters wheel so when he gets on and off it files down his nails? He seems to like it okay but I wanted to make sure they're not allergic or anything. It's just plain cardboard (no print).;)

[xbuttons94]

My two Robos have a sand bath and their nails are a good length. My syrian had one nail that was very long and the others were starting to get there too. I took her to the vets and it only took them minutes to clip her nails. Very cheap as well, £6 I think it was. I couldn't have done it myself because she is always on the move!

[xbuttons94]

Hi guys! I was just wondering: is it okay to put a piece of cardboard in front of my hamsters wheel so when he gets on and off it files down his nails? He seems to like it okay but I wanted to make sure they're not allergic or anything. It's just plain cardboard (no print).;)

That's fine. The vet told me to put some down where my hamster seems to go often (wheel, food bowl, etc) to keep her nails trim in the future :)

[Natasha95]

I've tried putting a couple of rocks in my hamster's cage, but he just started nibbling on them. Is that safe? I think it did help keep his nails trim.