any suggestions for easy nail clipping?

[tinkersmama]

ok, my ferrets absolutely will not let me clip their nails! they will let other people do it, but not me! and it's just a hassle to find someone home in the house for them to get their nails clipped. so, i would love to hear some suggestions on how to wrangle them myself if possible. also, they won't let me give them a bath either. i have to have my mom do it now, and my ex used to have to do it before. neither of them will let me bathe them. i don't know what it is. any helpful suggestions are welcome!

[pinkie1205]

Maybe let your mom do it. What do they do when you're clipping? I don't have ferrets but I have rats, and when they squeal I just ignore it. They hate it and that's what makes them mad.

[mebri123]

mine wont let me clip thier nails either I can't hold them still for it at all
I don't even bother clipping them anymore
they seem to wear down on thier own. but my ferrets get about four hours of exercise every day

[mulder]

i have a suggestion, i use it for my degus and rat or i get scratched. make a play tube a suiting size for your animal. usually an empty and cut 2L pop bottle works. Get a large sheet of fine sandpaper. line the tube. staple into place with clamped side out. it rolls so they can't really grip the staples. the sandpaper must be the finest grade so their paws don't get worn. it does a nice job, takes the edge off it nicely. not even half a centimeter don't worry. it's just so. I got the idea from a website I can't remember, but I'm impressed with it.

[Fertmom]

Does your ferret like ferretone or ferret lax? We use that as a distraction. We put a dab of it on her chest and she concentrates so hard to lick it up we can cut her nails while she is busy being distracted. Cleaning ears is a totally different story- scruff and hold is the only thing that works for that. She actually likes her baths, those have never been a problem.

[tinkersmama]

they both like their bath, just not when mommy does it! lol thank you for all the info! i had just stopped doing it as well, but after so long, they just stopped wearing down on their own, so it's time to clip. they've never seemed too fond of ferretone or ferret lax, i think they just take it because i make them. lol but i will try anything. thanks for all the help! wish me luck!

[Kendalle]

they probably dont let you do it while they let others is because you let them get away if they fight, probably the only way to do it is force them to let you mess with their feet (no clippers at first dont want to cut too far) and make them sit there no matter how much they fight for a while, they will get used to it its for their own good and it has to be done

[Angelnstuff]

maybe they jus dont like when you do it cuz your nervous, its really hard for me to cut Allie's nails cuz me being nervous makes her nervous..

[Carissa]

I can't do my Ferret's nails on my own..lol my mom has to help me I get bit and such lol.

but good luck with finding a solution that works!

[tinkersmama]

yeah, i'm really nervous about doing it. i know it's bad to cut too far, and i'm scared i'm going to. i don't know why i'm scared, you can see right through the nail, but i'm scared i'm gonna hurt my babies. lol and yes, i get bit when i try to do it too! i've heard that scruffing works if you have to do it yourself. any ideas on that?

[Angelnstuff]

maybe a different type of nail clippers? For allie (shes a dog btw) we got a clipper that has a little guard on it so you cant cut too much off at once. well if you needed to you could yeah it makes me feel better about cutting her nails.

[Turkeyman]

Oh nononono! I wouldn't use the sandpaper method and definitely don't ignore clipping their nails. Here's what I do. You know how they fall asleep when you scruff them? Well...I rub rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer on the backs of their necks so its clean, and then I actually hold the backs of their necks in my mouth. While in my mouth, I have both arms free...one with which to use the elbow and brace the ferret, one to hold the paw, and one to clip. I use the Marshall's nail clippers they sell in your local store's ferret aisle. Happy clipping!

[Turkeyman]

Also, don't forget to cut about a 1/2 cm above the red blood vessel in their claws. If you cut it, or even too close to it, it will cause them tremendous pain. They can wriggle a lot so make your clips precise

[christine]

I was about to suggest scruffing them! Good thinking Fez!

[tinkersmama]

thank you everyone! i've got a lot of new ideas to toy with.