Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Some of my hamsters' nails are very long, and I've been finding it impossible to hold the hamsters still and cut them. At a local Banfield Veterinary Center I was told by the receptionist the doctor could cut my hamsters' nails for me, but I didn't find out how.

I'd really like to get their nails taken care of by myself, if at all possible. Is there maybe a way to drug the hamster harmlessly? I know things like bricks have been mentioned, but I've noticed one of my girls has nails so long you can see the growth from her baby nails to the thicker new ones. If I stuck a brick in there it'd probably either break her nail or she'd just ignore it.

If anyone has any ideas (not just on drugging), I'd appreciate it very much.
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Haru!

Currently...

Just take them to the vet to be cut, they don't need to be drugged. The vet will know the correct way to hold them to be cut safely.

>>I'd really like to get their nails taken care of by myself, if at all possible. Is there maybe a way to drug the hamster harmlessly? I know things like bricks have been mentioned, but I've noticed one of my girls has nails so long you can see the growth from her baby nails to the thicker new ones. If I stuck a brick in there it'd probably either break her nail or she'd just ignore it.
>>

Probably the easiest method if you cannot properly hold the hamster secure and cut the nails without injuring the hamster (some hamsters will not tolerate or sit still for nail cutting) is to actually take the animal to the vet. My vet never had problems with me bringing my dwarf hamster in...we would just set him under a large dog size gas mask (kinda like putting him in a tent) and give him a light dose of isofluorane gas. The gas would knock him out just long enough (a few minutes) for us to get his nails clipped. He would then pop right awake and be good to go....it would be like he'd never been gassed. This kind of gas does not stay in the system so they come out of it pretty quick once you shut the gas off. This gas is also fairly safe even on elderly critters compared to other anethesia. Because it took so very little of the gas to pop the hamster to sleep for a couple minutes, I never got charged for it...just the nail clipping service. This also works great on hedgehogs when having to trim their nails. A coworker, her hedgie thought it great fun to climb into the dog gas mask and look out through the plastic
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Wyvern

Thanks! I have one more question regarding this-- hope it's no problem. I have 23 hamsters in all, and I've never had animals that needed to be taken to the vet before. Even if it's just nail clipping, what's around the price range I should look for?

>>Probably the easiest method if you cannot properly hold the hamster secure and cut the nails without injuring the hamster (some hamsters will not tolerate or sit still for nail cutting) is to actually take the animal to the vet. My vet never had problems with me bringing my dwarf hamster in...we would just set him under a large dog size gas mask (kinda like putting him in a tent) and give him a light dose of isofluorane gas. The gas would knock him out just long enough (a few minutes) for us to get his nails clipped. He would then pop right awake and be good to go....it would be like he'd never been gassed. This kind of gas does not stay in the system so they come out of it pretty quick once you shut the gas off. This gas is also fairly safe even on elderly critters compared to other anethesia. Because it took so very little of the gas to pop the hamster to sleep for a couple minutes, I never got charged for it...just the nail clipping service. This also works great on hedgehogs when having to trim their nails. A coworker, her hedgie thought it great fun to climb into the dog gas mask and look out through the plastic
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>>Wyvern
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Haru!

Currently...

It cost me £2.51 to have one of mine done.