[breyer08]

Just discovered during playtime that Stanley has a really bad in-grown toenail on one of his back feet. It is curling around, and it doesn't look like it's actually gone inside the skin yet, but it's pretty close. It doesn't seem to bother him right now, but with as fast as those grow, it will definitely become a problem.

I'm wondering how to best proceed? It's a pretty funky nail, and I don't know if I should risk trimming it if I might hurt his toe. Should I take him to the vet and have them do it? I'm assuming they might have to put him under to get this done. What do you think? I've never had to do this before...

 

[Kendalle]

I'd take him to the vet to have it trimmed they may be able to hold him still enough to do it.

 

[Vladina]

Poor Stanley!
Gosh, I know you are wondering the same thing I would be thinking...not wanting to put him through the stress of having to go to the vet but not wanting to risk not cutting it yourself right or something, yes? Eep, that is a tough one. Do you think you might be able to clip it yourself or is it a complicated curl of the nail?

 

[breyer08]

Yeah, I've tried really hard to look at it to see if it actually has pierced the skin yet, and I can't quite tell. I'm worried that if it had, indeed, gotten into the skin, that I might make him bleed/get infected if I cut it myself. Do you think I should make a vet visit, or try to get it myself first?

 

[breyer08]

UPDATE:

I managed to clip most of the grown nail! My fiance held him in a little towel and let him eat some yogurt while I clipped at it. (Thank goodness Stanley will literally do anything for food!) There is still a bit of growth left, and a little dirt under the nail which we are going to try to rinse off later today, but it looks ok. We're letting him rest now, because he was not too happy at the end of it all! (Funny thing is that he ran into my arms and looked back at my fiance as if to say "Daddy!! You're so mean!!"...even though I was the one trimming him! hehehe)

 

[Vladina]

Aww, that was so funny about Stanley giving your fiance the dirty look, ha ha. Probably because he was the one holding Stan in the towel, eh? And Stanley probably forgives you for everything since you are his Mom that he loves so much.

Glad you got it clipped! Hopefully that will be the end of it and his nail will be okay. Yay! I bet you are relieved!

 

[Storyseeker]

Pfew. You know, it's so funny to me how the smallest things are huge deals until we figure out how to do them ourselves. I'm still struggling with the nail cutting thing.

My husband holds them still while I do the deed. He snuggles them so much and I know secretly loves them, but he sits there trash talking them every chance he gets. LOL.

 

[breyer08]

I know! With rats, the small things always seem like big deals! I think it's because they are so small and delicate that even a tiny cut or scrape can turn into something bad if we're not careful with them. I have to check on his nail again to make sure it's growing back the right way, but I have a feeling I'll have to always trim that particular one.

 

[Kendalle]

You could possibly use a nail file once and a while. Just a quick file to take the end off could keep you from having to trim it.

 

[Dustette]

I always cut louna's nails by myself! The trick for the back legs was to hold her standing on the couch armrest, and then just cut the nails as she was putting her weight on her feet and spreading her toes apart in the process!
It took about 15min to cut them all, but she was pretty calm, just didn't really like being held in place!

 

[breyer08]

I remember you talking about that, Dustette! That sounds like a great way to do it. Stanley is so fidgety (well, and roly-poly) that I'm not sure if it would be quite that easy with him, but I can try it next time and see how it goes! I do think I'll start filing his nails, though, to make sure they stay normal. (Gee, I feel like I should open a rat nail salon. Pedicures, manicures, hehehehe!)

 

[Vladina]

Heh heh, yep, you can open a ratty nail salon for sure!

Story, I read about your husband trash talking about the rats but knowing that he secretly loves them...isn't that strange that some men just can't come out and say, "I love my little ratty guys" eh?
I never got that! It is the weirdest thing! A machismo thing maybe?


Marc is the total opposite. He used to baby talk our boys big time and coo over them, it was adorable. He turns into mush when it comes to little critters. I love that about him.

 

[Mousey]

I use to keep a brick in their cage. in an area they all walk over daily. Like on the bottom level infront of the food dish.:lol: it helped keep their nails trimmed and never scratched their feet or caused any trouble/pain

 

[Storyseeker]

Story, I read about your husband trash talking about the rats but knowing that he secretly loves them...isn't that strange that some men just can't come out and say, "I love my little ratty guys" eh?
I never got that! It is the weirdest thing! A machismo thing maybe?

Likely. Which is funny because without detracting from his manhood at all, he is the least macho man I know. He's just secure with himself.

At the risk of pushing over the line of acceptability here (and kidnapping the thread...I promise I'll keep it short) I gotta share an example of his trash talking. I'm sitting there trying to trim naked boy Skinner's nails, and employed the spouse to hold him to help steady him. He looked at Skinner straight faced and asked him if he knew how creepy it was that he had the exact consistency of a ahem...willy. He continued downward into the gutter with his sing songy baby voiced commentary, and I ended up falling off the couch laughing so hard I was choking. I didn't get his nails trimmed that day.

 

[Vladina]

That was so funny!! I would have fallen off the couch too!

 

[breyer08]

Hahahahahahaha! Oh my, what a hubby you've got, there! hahahahaha

Oh, and I just discovered that Russell has two curly nails on his front paws now. *sigh* I think they are getting to the age when everything becomes more difficult!

 

[Vladina]

Oh no! 2 more curly nails on Russ eh? Aww, well, at least he has a great ratty nail groomer mom, right?