Nail Clipping

[rmzsuzuki89]

I was wandering how often their nails should be trimmed or clipped.

[sunnyberra]

I clip my guys' usually once a week. Sometimes they (and by "they" I mostly mean Yogi's) seem to grow incredibly fast, and during those phases I clip nails every 3-4 days until they calm down and we can revert back to the once a week schedule

[bluemoose]

I don't know that there's a set time. I've heard the nail of ferrets that eat raw grow much faster than kibble fed ferrets. Kibble ferrets only need their nails trimmed once or twice a month while raw ferrets need theirs trimmed much more often- as much as every few days to every couple weeks.

And then there seems to be differences in growth rate between individual ferrets. Mine all eat the same diet but their nails grow at different rates. Time of year also seems to affect it which makes sense since they eat different amounts throughout the year.

I just trim the nails on mine when they look like they could use a trim. It's usually every 5-7 days but I don't have a set schedule I follow. When their nails are looking a little long, they get a trim.

[WTFerret]

I do mine every month on the 10th I make a day of trimming nails / ears and putting flea meds on them.

[rmzsuzuki89]

I've never trimmed any animals nails. What is the est way to go about doing it lol.

[Jackie]

I trim once a week. Here's how I do it.

I get a towel, olive oil, and cat nail clippers. I scruff one of the ferrets and lay them on their back. Then I pour a little bit of olive oil on their tummy and show them it's there. They then begin to lick the olive oil and I start clipping their little nails. If they finish licking before I'm done, I give a little bit more. Usually takes me about 2-3 minutes per ferret.

[miamiferret2]

It is such an ordeal that I clip them probably once every month. And I have to wait until they are exhausted from playing and passed out. I use human nail clippers. Watch out for the flesh on their fingers and don't cut the blood vein.

[rmzsuzuki89]

Thanks for the advice. I think it's time for a trimming, so I'll get to it.

[bluemoose]

Clipping nails has never been an ordeal with mine. I use fish oil on their belly while clipping so they don't even mind. You can use human, cat, or ferret clippers. Don't cut into the quick (the darker part of the nail where there's blood). It's very easy to see on ferrets but if you're nervous just cut small bits at a time rather than whacking a big chunk off each nail. If you do cut the quick, you can use an antiseptic to stop the bleeding. Cornstarch works well if you don't have anything else.

[Heather]

I just get someone to hold a fert and I cut nails. I think my guys get theirs done about once a month when they get their weights and nails done. I discovered that I was cutting my little one's nails too short so about once a month for the fronts and about every other month for the back. Adrenal ferts also appear to grow faster nails, so if they need their nails cut sooner I do that.
ciao

[sherrylynne]

I tend to do mine weekly, but for the most part, they are all 1-3 years old, so the nails seem to grow really fast. I also use the oil on the belly while they are laying on my lap on their backs.
That's interesting about the adrenal and speed of nail growth, Heather. And now that you mention it, my 3 adrenals DO have really fast nail growth.

[acodlin]

I use a few drops of ferretone on their belly instead of olive oil. They are so distracted that they don't notice, I clip mine just about every week.. if I go two then they have talons. Once a month I do ears and I *try* once a week to clean teeth, but thats NOT a fun time right there lol, they get a bath twice a year, sometimes they might get an extra one if they get really messy.. anks pushed a bowl of soupie off the coffee table the other day and it landed on poor Dozer so he had to have a bath. I don't think they really have a smell so usually just washing the bedding once every couple of weeks works to keep any smell down.

[rarnold18]

I do it assembly line style.... I open the cage, hand a fuzz to my son to hold and I trim their nails, he puts the trimmed fuzz down to play and I grab another...until all 9 are done and running free playing...

[Heather]

That's how we do it too . Except we do them on the fly. I find them just too wiggly when I first let them out to play. They're also harder to put on the scales (that's when the marine fish oil comes into play )
ciao

[luci]

I trim every 7-10 days. Fierra's nails grow SO FAST! I have Dave hold them on their backs with a little bowl of soup to eat and I go at it.

For weighing... I bought a handheld digital scale for weighing fish. I zero it out with an empty bag hanging from it then I load up a ferret. Works fantastic and cost I think $15.