# my hamsters nails are really long!!



## Daisymoo (Apr 14, 2010)

One of my hamsters (Marley) nails have grown really long and I was wondering if anyone has any advice on what I can do about it. I have no problem trimming my guinea pigs nails but its a bit more difficult with a hammy as they just wont keep still!! He has got a couple of wooden toys in his cage which I thought he would use to scratch at and keep his nails short but....... he will be 2 in March do they just stop taking care of their nails when they get older???


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

i had this problem with Rilo and took her to the vet. The vet agreed that they were pretty long but was safer to just leave it.

have you tried putting half a brick or something in his cage as if he runs over that that will wear them down?

don't know what other people will suggest


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## Daisymoo (Apr 14, 2010)

Did the vet say that because it will be difficult to trim them? I havent tried putting a brick in thanks for the advice.


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## davidc (Dec 15, 2010)

My gerbils always have wood, but their nails still got too long. So I bought a terracotta plant pot and they used that to trim their nails. They even did their back nails too. Make sure the terracotta plant pot is plain, not painted. ater a couple of days, they should, hopefully, have trimmed their nails with it.


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

Daisymoo said:


> Did the vet say that because it will be difficult to trim them? I havent tried putting a brick in thanks for the advice.


yeah, said the damage caused by long nails was LESS than catching the vein if she did


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## purple_x (Dec 29, 2010)

I noticed that my hamsters nails had got quite long and was wondering myself if I should trim them or not.
My brothers gf is a vet nurse and said it's best not too and to put a small piece of sandpaper (like that stuff you put in the bottom of budgie cages) in and that will help.

Anyway, before I could do that I noticed that my hamsters nails had all gone  So maybe they had fallen off or maybe the hamsters had bitten them off themselves, I have no idea!

My mum has a really old syrian and he has no nails at all which is odd.


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## Lady Sol (Aug 20, 2009)

Mine deal with it themselves when they get too long. Just make sure they are curving too far round and all the way back into their paw.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Ha you have a hammy with a skirt and one with long nails!!!!!!! :lol:

No idea hun...brick idea sounds good!


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## PurpleCrow (Mar 22, 2009)

davidc said:


> My gerbils always have wood, but their nails still got too long. So I bought a terracotta plant pot and they used that to trim their nails. They even did their back nails too. Make sure the terracotta plant pot is plain, not painted. ater a couple of days, they should, hopefully, have trimmed their nails with it.


Thats a really good idea - the pot could double up for a dust bath too :thumbup:


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