dwarf nails too long

[pinkpink33]

hiya

mitsy, my russian dwarf, her nails are too long. they're about to start curling over. i tried to trim them with baby nail scissors, i got my boyfriend to hold her on her back, but she wouldnt keep her feet still so it wasnt possible.
i've heard janie says (for her degus) she lines a wheel with sandpaper and this files them down (obv, not the wheel she keeps in their cage, a spare). is there a particular type of sandpaper to use? can i do this for my dwarf? i dont want them to curl over and get uncomfortable. if i put a brick in her cage, would this file them down enough before the get painful?
thanks

[janie36]

If you mean me:) I don't recall the sandpaper, although I have seen it suggested by other people:)
We put rocks in their cages so when they walk around on them it has the same effect!
Binkle, often has to have his nails clipped, I find the best time to get him is when he's just woken up and is still fairly sleepy, although I very rarely get them all trimmed in one hit:)
Hope this helps!

[pinkpink33]

sorry, was convinced it was you lol!
is there any particular type of rock? i would sterilise it first after collecting it from somewhere outside!
how do you hold him down and keep his legs still??? mitsy struggles like anything when i put her on her back, no limbs are kept unmoved! i do not see me managing to clip them. will they do it at a vet? i will get some rocks tommorow :) hope it wears them down fast enough for the to not be painful!

[janie36]

We just got some rocks off the beach and sterilised them:)
I don't tend to put him on his back, I just try and lift him up a little bit and let him hang a leg down, then I put the nail clippers in the right place and wait for the right moment! Believe me , this can be a long process! LOL!
A vet should be able to clip nails, but I hate the way vets hold hamsters by the back of their necks, it always looks like their eyes are going to pop out:)

[pinkpink33]

yeah im not too keen on how my vet holds my hams - he holds them by the scruff and turns them on their backs by it :( they hate it.
i may try your method when she gets up later, thanks :)

[hammieluvr]

hey pink,

Well I have sandpaper in a box. I found a small, cardboard box and put sandpaper on the bottom and edges. I let jazzy run in the box for about 5 minutes, but never longer than that at a time, because I dont want her feet to get sore. After a couple of days, her nails are shorter!

Wishing you luck!

~Katie

[pinkpink33]

ok that's cool thanks :) will have to walk up to b and q later and get some. is there any particular type?

[pixibubbles]

Stuff designed for bird cages is my preference (helps that i have birds anyway) but i know it's been designed for use with animals and sand is disinfected etc. and glue wont be harmful... i;ve seen enough nesting parakeets chew it up without any issues but i would try and keep ham from doign this as mouths are much softer.

[pinkpink33]

ok, so i tried lining a box with bird sandpaper, but she was very scared of it, so i lined a spare silent spinner and swapped it with her normal 1 for 10 mins of running last night.
today, her nails are worse, so we tried to clip them again. i got 1 foot done, all in one - my boyfriend held her leg still and i managed to get them, but she really didnt like it. we dont want to hold the rest of her legs, as she was twisting so much to get away we're worried she'll break it or strain it. im going to give her 20 mins in it tonight, and if they're not better by tomorow she's going to a vet.
im worried they're hurting her, as she gets up every day at about 4 for 30mins or so for her run around the room, and today she didnt want to come out. this has been her routine for 3 months!
moop, she'll hate me for taking her to a vets, but i dont want her little feet hurting :(
have tried bribing her to keep still, but she wont at all! any ideas?