Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I really don't have a need to clip my Savs claws as of yet but I was wondering if any out there do this or even if its recommended. I know I have a hard enough time clipping my dogs nails and usually just have the vet do it. Judging by my monitors size about 2' TL and the relative size of his/her claws I'm thinking it may eventually be needed if any handling is done once it reaches a larger size.

Go outside and grind the sharp edge off a shovel, then try to dig a whole. Same thing.

Point taken.

I already had that thought in my mind when posting. Just a curious post to gain more information.

Hello!
I clip my monitor's nails so that I don't have to wear a glove when I need to pick them up. Mine are adults, so they grow slower than growing monitors do. The older one's nails don't grow as fast as the younger one's. They don't like it too much, but I don't expect them to. If they strenuously protest, I try again another day. Some days they are more tolerant than others.

Yours is still fast growing, at 2 feet TL, it may not be worth clipping them now. Its not like a monitor will ever "get used to it" like a dog will, and yours will have grown back the sharp tips in like, 4 days.
I clip mine every two weeks, and only remove the sharp tip.
Its up to you.
D.

Thanks for that Dragoon. I figured that somebody out there has tried it, When you say mine "will have grown back the sharp tips in like, 4 days" (I'm sure that some faecetiousness was involved in that statement) is that because of natural digging tendencies? If so, that is what I had figured, even though my Sav really doesn't seem to dig too much. I have a dirt/cypress mulch mix for substrate and most of his/her time is spent basking and in its hide.

I don't have a sav., but I'm guessing that a fast growing animal will have the sharp tip back very soon.

I have a tree monitor that is NOT growing, and he can get the tips back in about 4 days. I suppose this helps them in the wild. D.

Yes, I started with my adult black throat after he ever so casually brushed my arm with sharp claws and left marks that took over a month to fully heal. Yeah, imagine if he really meant it! He's usually at least moderately tolerant. Does require a partner tho!

and a whole lot less stressful for the monitor if you just use a fingernail file and file just the ends off.I dont get this barbaric idea of clipping.Would you want someone to hold you down and clip the ends of your claws down to the quick?I can imagine why there are so many monitors and iguanas that would just rather bite when you do this than to hold still.Filing the ends of the claws is much easier and safer for you and the monitor or iguana or any other lizard for that matter.Hell its even safer and less stressful on dogs to do the same thing but people still go the clipping route which to me is pretty much useless. Regards Bill McLeod

How do you file them, and how would you do this without stressing the monitor just as much as cutting them? Don't you have to hold them down to do this as well? And wouldn't it take longer, thus adding more stress? Just wondering.
Mike

And takes no longer than clipping and isnt as stressful.All you have to do is file the end (sharp part) and you're done.No longer than clipping and alot less trying to bite or get away.All you do is gently hold the toe in one hand and file with the other it really isnt that difficult.

Now on the monitors behalf i would think that if they have enough branches,rocks,etc. in their cage environment then clipping/filing isnt necessary.They will keep them basically filed the natural way. Regards Bill McLeod

Really, now.
Monitors don't like being held. Their patience with such nonsense, in my experience, grows thin after a few minutes. I would think it takes longer to hold each nail and saw back and forth on the end of it, than it does to just *snip*. Besides, how do you keep the monitor on your lap, if you must use two hands to do the nails? Use a second person? Wow, two humans crowding in on them is more stressful than one, and what about the vibration felt going up each toe?

If you clip JUST THE TIP, they are not feeling it. Try cutting one of your own, just the tip and closer up to your nail bed, you'll feel the difference!
D.

This way,if you were a monitor,would you want someone to hold you down and clip your toenails or would you want someone to hold you in your lap and gently file the toenails quick and painless?Filing actually doesnt take any longer than clipping and in this case is alot less stressful.Now if you have years of experience doing it the barbaric way then by all means have fun with getting bit or trying to keep them still but if you are a newbie or a person without years of experience clipping nails then i would advise against the use of clippers.The reason is is because to me its uncomfortable enough for the monitor to have to be held (against its will) much less have someone with no experience clipping nails and possibly clip too far up on the nail and then you have a injured pissed off monitor to deal with.Not a good scenario.

I would rather take the easy route to do so (filing) as to doing it the old fashioned way (clipping) and possibly injure my monitor.Like the saying goes,you do it your way and i'll do it mine.Anyway it was just a suggestion so dont get all bent out of shape over nothing. Regards Bill McLeod

Hello.
Not getting bent out of shape, but what you are saying is just not true and requires correction.

I'm not sure where you got the idea that a monitor requires being held down, or being held even, to clip a nail, whereas filing doesn't ??? Either way, the human must access the toe.

And a clip takes far less time than sawing back and forth on the end of it. You must use two hands to do it that way, and in my experience, monitors really hate their feet being touched. Stress your monitors right out if thats what you like, but there are less stressful methods.

I sit my larger monitors on my lap and raise one knee. They hug my thigh and I can clip the nails because they overhang my leg. It is painless and fast and they do not even know I touched their foot! Because I didn't. Usually the short toes require me to actually touch their foot, because they curve in too far to see the nail well. So I put my hand under the pad of the foot and support it so the nail hangs down. I try not to "hold" the toes at all.

Grabbing a toe with one hand and going in with the other hand sure lets them know you are doing something to their feet. I prefer the sneaky approach.

I had a nile baby that was a biter from hell, when he had the opportunity. He never once bit me while I clipped his nails. I supported him on my forearm like a football and his feet gripped my forearm. I could trim all 10 toes in one minute without using a second person, or holding him down. He would crane his head over my wrist and watch what I was doing. Or maybe he was calculating how far a jump to the floor was.
D.

In your defense I've heard that this can be beneficial for animals with large nails that can tend to splinter if you clip them with cheap/dull nail trimmers. Some groomers and dog owners have trained their large breed dogs to tolerate a dremel to do this quickly and effeciently. However, I can't imagine a monitor every having large enough nails (except perhaps the Komodo) to require this or being conditioned to tolerate it.

If you just get them in your lap(if small enough) and they will sit still then it is alot easier than trying to hold them down and clip the nail especially if they are squirmy.Alot of monitors dont like to be held but will tolerate staying still without being held in place by your hands.

As for the size of monitor i would think that any monitor up over 3 ft should be able to at least tolerate being held for short periods without being overly aggressive,if not then have fun.Mostly the smaller monitors are the more flighty and usually dont tolerate being held. Regards Bill McLeod